Bank Street Parking Ordinance Fails to Pass In Princeton

PRINCETON, NJ — An ordinance to establish a residential parking district on Bank Street was defeated during Monday’s Council meeting.

The ordinance proposed to make parking spots available through an annual lottery. Councilman David Cohen and Leticia Fraga were the only two votes in favor of the ordinance.

The remaining members of the council voted ‘no’ and said more work needs to be done.

Cohen said the lottery system was “cleverly done” by Municipal staff because it gets to be redone every year, and no resident gets an ongoing right to a parking spot.

Councilwoman Mia Sacks acknowledged the work that went into creating the ordinance but said in principle she was against establishing private residential streets in the center of the commercial district. “I’m very sympathetic to the people who would like to have a spot for their car, but I wonder where we draw the line,” Sacks said.

Councilwoman Eve Niedergang said she was concerned about privatizing the street. “The solution proposed (lottery) will leave most people who live on the street unsatisfied and their needs unmet. I’m very concerned about setting a precedent for residents of other streets to ask for the same treatment,” Niedergang said.

“The streets are public property and I don’t like the idea of privatizing them or prioritizing the people who live on the street over other needs.”

Bank Street resident Chip Crider said there were “serious flaws” in the ordinance and that residents would have less than a 50 percent chance of securing a parking spot.

“We got into this mess because enforcement stopped because of COVID-19,” Crider said. “I think you should table this, try reinstating the enforcement consistently and then tweak it a little.”

Councilman Leighton Newlin thanked the municipal staff for their work, saying it was a “tough needle to thread.”

“I don’t think we have a consensus. Maybe not start over but take another look at this,” Newlin said. “We should take some time to get it right.”

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com