Parking Rules In Montclair Are About To Change: What Drivers Should Know

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Get ready for some parking changes in Montclair.

The town council adopted three ordinances at their May 19 meeting, which will update parking fees, permits and operating hours.

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The new parking regulations are expected to take effect on July 6, following the installation of updated parking signage. Residents will be informed if the start date changes, the township stated.

According to a statement from the township, some reasons behind the changes include:

• improve parking availability in high-demand areas
• reduce issues such as circling for parking and double-parked delivery vehicles blocking traffic
• reduce congestion in busy business districts
• better manage evening parking demand
• support the long-term operation and maintenance of the township’s parking system

Here’s what to know about the upcoming changes:

Parking Permit Fees (Ordinance O-26-16)
The adopted ordinance updates parking permit fees and related regulations across Township parking facilities, including:

Surface Lots

• Non-commuter permits increasing from $50 to $60 per month
• Commuter permits increasing from $60 to $70 per month
• Overnight permits for on-street and surface lots increasing from $45 to $50 per month

Bay Street Deck

• 24-hour access permits increasing from $100 to $125 per month
• New overnight permit option (weeknight evenings and weekends): $65 per month
  • This permit allows access from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday
  • Vehicles remaining after 7:00 a.m. on weekdays will be charged $2 per hour, up to a maximum of $24 for every 24 hours
• Early Bird rate: $8 for vehicles entering between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and exiting by 10:00 p.m. Vehicles entering or exiting outside these hours will be charged $2 per hour for the full duration.

Crescent & Midtown Decks

• 24-hour access permits increasing from $130 to $140 per month
• Daytime permits increasing from $70 to $75 per month
• Nighttime permits increasing from $60 to $65 per month

Note: Hourly rates in the parking decks are not changing.

Why were these changes made?
These updates are intended to reflect rising operational and maintenance costs, support ongoing maintenance and modernization of Township parking facilities, and align permit pricing more closely with comparable municipalities. Parking permit and meter revenue fund the Parking Utility’s operations, maintenance, upgrades, and enforcement without the use of tax dollars.

Parking Fees & Hours (Ordinance O-26-17)
The adopted ordinance updates parking meter and pay station rates and operating hours, including:

• Standard on-street meter rates increasing from $1.00 to $1.50 per hour
• Metered rates in surface lots increasing from $0.75 to $1.00 per hour
• A higher rate of $3.00 per hour during peak hours in the downtown Special Parking Zone* (5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Thursday through Saturday)
• Changing meter hours from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Why were these changes made?
These updates are intended to improve parking availability in busy business districts by encouraging turnover of on-street spaces, particularly during high-demand evening hours when residents and visitors often have trouble finding parking. The changes are also intended to help reduce congestion, circling for parking, and double-parking, support pedestrian safety, and direct longer-term parking to off-street options such as decks and garages.

The extended meter hours will not result in additional staffing costs, as parking enforcement operations are already staffed 24 hours a day.

*Special Parking Zone consists of the following downtown area around Bloomfield Avenue:

• South Fullerton Avenue from Hawthorne Place to Bloomfield Avenue
• North Fullerton Avenue from Bloomfield Avenue to Claremont Avenue
• Claremont Avenue from North Fullerton Avenue to Greenwood Avenue
• Greenwood Avenue from Claremont Avenue to Lackawanna Plaza
• Lackawanna Plaza from Greenwood Avenue to Bloomfield Avenue
• Gates Avenue from Bloomfield Avenue to Hawthorne Place
• Hawthorne Place from Gates Avenue to South Fullerton Avenue

Loading Zones (Ordinance O-26-18)
A third adopted ordinance updates loading zone operating hours in designated areas throughout the Township. The changes extend loading zone hours to better align with the updated parking meter operating hours and support curb management in busy business districts. The ordinance specifically extends loading zone enforcement hours from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, to match the new meter hours.

MORE INFORMATION

View the Montclair Parking Utility 2026 Sustainability and Modernization Plan here. For more information about the upcoming changes, contact the Parking Utility at MPU@montclairnjusa.org or 973-509-4997.

The parking changes were discussed during the town council meeting on Feb. 24. Watch footage online here, or view it below (video is cued to the presentation at the 1:11:18 mark):

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