Princeton's Permit Parking Discussion To Continue At Later Date

PRINCETON, NJ — The Council recently held a work session on permit parking that lasted over five hours, with many opinions voiced and heard. Over 180 people attended the meeting, which ended a little after midnight.

Council did not come to a consensus but decided to table discussion for another date.

During the Tuesday meeting, members of the Permit Parking Task Force presented their plan to Council and the public.

A large part of the criticism for the plan came from the Tree Streets and Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhoods. The revised proposal includes resident permits that allow parking 24 hours per day, seven days per week, in these neighborhoods.

Residents from the Witherspoon Jackson neighborhood said the quality of life for residents living in the neighborhood should be better assessed in the plan. Although the densest neighborhood in Princeton, Witherspoon Jackson has the lowest per capita auto ownership, a resident said. Charging residents to park on the street when they can least afford it was unfair, she said.

A majority of Princeton residents who spoke during the meeting said that they should not have to pay for parking on their own street. According to the proposal, those who have two cars or live in a home with a single-car driveway can purchase a second permit for $240 per year. Read More: Princeton's Permit Parking Task Force Revises Recommendations

They argued that since residents pay high taxes anyway, they shouldn't be burdened with additional spending on parking. Some members pointed out that the plan will affect senior residents who cannot afford additional payments on top medical expenses. They opposed giving permits to businesses to park on residential streets.

Kate Owen representing the group Sensible Streets said “residents have strong and unified opposition” to the plan. The Task Force’s proposal has put residents and local businesses at odds with each other, she said. She urged the Council to come to a solution that finds harmony between the groups.

Meanwhile, the plan was supported by many business owners in town, as it would allow them to have at least 10 parking spots at the cost of $30 a month.

These permits will have only daytime hours and be limited to no more than 50 percent of available spaces remaining after residents' permits have been accounted for.

Speaking on behalf of the business community, Kathy Klockenbrink of Jammin Crepes outlining the benefits of the program. Klockenbrink said that local businesses often have to employ people from outside town who cannot use public transport to get to work. “The businesses need the support of the community, and the community benefits from a vibrant downtown. We only need to look at other communities that have either lost their downtown or never created one,” she said. “I ask that all parties involved work together to create a balanced solution that reflects the needs of all sides.”

Dorothea Van Moltke, also representing the business community, urged critics to “keep a sense of perspective.” Van Moltke said that the Task Force’s solutions understand that parking is a scarce resource in town. “Scarcity means redistributing the burden somewhat. What’s impressive about the proposal is that nowhere is the burden excessive,” she said.

Tony Nelson from Bank Street commended the Task Force and said providing parking space for businesses would help revitalize the Municipality. “This is not an easy task. It is the most volatile thing in town,” he said. “It scares me to see vacant stores. If temporary parking is needed to get the town back on its feet, let’s do that.”

He also pointed out that the upcoming master plan should include a long-term parking solution.

The Council is yet to announce a date for the next meeting.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news