Parking Fees Could Increase In Darien

DARIEN, CT — For the first time in about six years, the town of Darien is looking to increase parking fees.

The Board of Selectmen on Monday night heard several proposals from Town Administrator Kate Buch, who said the increases to daily parking fees, annual commuter permits, and annual merchant permits are needed in order to meet obligations in maintaining the lots and generate more revenue to support anticipated projects for the town's railroad stations in the coming years.

The town's five-year capital plan shows anticipated projects of approximately $8 million over the next three fiscal years, and this includes the estimated cost of the town's share for a new train station building and the replacement of the pedestrian overpass at Noroton Heights.

"We do need to start generating additional revenue. I assume we would bond that [project] when the time comes, but we'll need to be able to support the debt service on that," Buch explained.

She also noted that some of Darien's fees are the lowest among peer towns. Buch acknowledged that fees should have been increased a couple of years ago, but the start of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed any action.

Buch's proposal calls for the daily parking fee to increase from $4 per day to $5 per day, or $80 per month (sales tax included). The majority of nearby towns on the New Haven line charge between $5 and $7 per day, Buch noted.

Daily parking is available in designated parking spaces at the commuter parking lots in the Darien and Noroton Heights train stations.

Annual commuter permits would increase from $400 per year, including tax, to $450 plus tax.

Darien’s annual permit fee is about 60 percent of the average permit fee of neighboring communities, Buch said. The only towns with a lower annual fee are further from New York City.

For daily parkers who choose to pay on a monthly basis, the fee would increase from $65 per month to $80 per month, which still represents a cost savings over paying each day.

The annual merchant permit fee would also go up from $100 to $125.

The estimated annual increase in revenue from the proposed fees is approximately $200,000 for fiscal year 2024, Buch said in a memo to the Board of Selectmen.

Even with the proposed increases, Buch said Darien's fees would still be less than other neighboring towns.

Additionally, Buch is proposing changing the language on where residential permit holders for the Tilley lot can park.

Currently, the town's parking ordinance allows them to park in the lower and mid-level lots, but this results in customers of nearby businesses having difficulty finding convenient parking during business hours.

Under Buch's proposal, Residential permit holders would be required to park in the mid-level lot, except between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Additionally, Buch is advocating for changing the starting time at which daily pay parkers may park in the permit lots from 9:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The last peak train leaves Noroton Heights at 8:57 a.m. The change would allow permit holders who commute daily sufficient preference for those spaces.

The board did not take any action on the proposals Monday night. However, the selectmen did vote to hold a required public hearing on the potential fee changes during the regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 5.

Buch said the date would allow for sufficient time to publish the regulations prior to the normal permit renewal process in the fall.

First Selectman Monica McNally said she understood the need for the changes.

Selectman Michael Burke said at the moment he would not be in support of the increases but would be receptive to more discussion during the public hearing.

Selectman Jon Zagrodzky noted the cost of providing government services keeps going up, and revenues need to be raised from somewhere.

"In this case, unfortunately, we've got parking lots to maintain and we've got an upcoming expense that we're going to have to share with the state for the Noroton Heights station, and the maintenance that's associated with that. I think unfortunately that means these costs are going to go up," he said.