Hoboken Council Votes To Introduce Higher Street Parking Rate

HOBOKEN, NJ —Hoboken residents who park their cars on the street have been able to pay the same rate, $15 per year, for more than 15 years. But the City Council voted on Wednesday to introduce an ordinance raising the rate to $52 per year, an average of $1 per week. The ordinance will be up for a hearing and final vote at a future meeting.

(The proposed increase applies to residents only. Visitors have a number of options: Different types of permits that must be secured in advance, meters, garages, and street parking for which you must pay at the machines.)

Hoboken, with more than 53,000 people in one square mile, is known for its parking crunch. While parking on the street is less expensive than in a garage, it's not always easy: Most streets have regular street sweeping, meaning parkers must move their cars at least weekly.

Proponents of the law say the price for parking on the street has been low. Those who have a second car at the same address pay only $30 per year for a resident parking decal, and $90 per year for the third car. There are 300 people who pay that last amount, according to the ordinance.

With the change, the second car would cost $104 and the third would be $208 per year.

The ordinance notes, "Resident Permit Parking Fees shall be amended on an annual basis as of Jan. 1 of every year in accordance with the CPI as reported by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, under no circumstances shall the fee decrease from the previous year."

Some have noted that the city faces a $7 million deficit, which, according to officials quoted in NJ.com, could result in 80 City Hall layoffs. A rise in parking fees could help fill the hole.

The ordinance would go to a second vote, public hearing, and final reading during the same meeting. The next regular council meeting is Feb. 5.

To read the city's "On-Street Parking Primer" for residents, business entities, and visitors, click here.

Special council meeting scheduled

Before the Feb. 5 meeting, the council has scheduled a special meeting this Wednesday. The meeting's purpose is solely to consider introducing an amended redevelopment plan for Hoboken Yard, the area around the Erie Lackawanna Train Terminal. The past proposal included a 300-foot office building, a 330-foot-story residential building, and flood wall. If the council votes to introduce a revised plan, it will go to the Planning Board for a review, then back to the council for a final vote. The plan has undergone debate and discussions for more than five years.