Princeton's Permit Parking Task Force Revises Recommendations

PRINCETON, NJ — The Permit Parking Task Force (PPTF) released a revised set of recommendations on Monday. This follows widespread criticism from residents who fear their streets would turn into “one large parking lot” for employees of nearby businesses.

The Task Force plans to bring these recommendations to the council in the new year.

“The concept of community outreach and participatory government is to hear and process the feedback from the community, while striving to strike a balance between all parties’ goals and desires,” Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros said in a statement.

“We are working with the PPTF and with community leaders in all neighborhoods and throughout the business district, to listen and work toward solutions that consider all parties’ interest.”

The new proposal will include resident permits that allow parking 24 hours per day, seven days per week, in the Tree Streets and Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhoods. This includes all streets from Green to Birch Street, on the westside of Witherspoon only. The Tree Streets include Prospect to Hamilton, between Princeton and Murray Avenues, on the southside of Nassau, and between Moore Street and Linden Lane on the northside.

Residents with no driveways are eligible for one free permit. Those who have two cars or live in a home with a single-car driveway can purchase a second permit for $240 per year. There will not be any University staff or student parking permits available.

The neighborhood of Bank Street is also included and would be resident permit parking only. Bank Street residents will be given one free permit per household without driveways. There would be no 3-hour free parking or employee permits on Bank Street, according to the proposal.

In parts of Princeton that have overnight parking bans, residents will be able to purchase an overnight parking permit for $5 for a 24-hour period, limited to no more than 30 days a year.

There will be no need to purchase License Plate Recognition Technology. All permits will be issued through online or in-person purchases handled through the Municipal Clerk’s office.

According to the new recommendations, no restrictions or permits will be necessary for commercial service or construction vehicles, and parking enforcement would not ticket these vehicles when working at residents’ homes throughout the permit zones and neighborhoods with time-limited parking.

All 2-hour parking will be changed to 3-hour parking, to allow for more time to eat and shop, and for residents’ guests to visit.

For independent small business owners, a limited number of on-street employee permits will be available. These permits will be $30 a month and will only be available to business owners for purchase.

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.

“Our goal is to improve the balance to allow more spaces for residents to park on their own streets”, said Council President Leticia Fraga.

Employee permit parking will be available majorly through shared lot agreements such as the agreement with Rider for parking on the Westminster campus. A total of 240 spaces are available in the combined Maclean and Westminster lots. Additional shared lot agreements will be added as they become available at a later date.

Underutilized parking meters will be used for employee permit parking – a total of 177 metered spaces have been identified. All employee permits will be $30 a month.

“We hope to be adding other lots soon and plan to expand our transit options to convey employees and residents to many desired destinations around town. We are committed to better using existing infrastructure and services, and adding more as needed, but with affordability being a top priority, so that taxpayers are not additionally burdened,” Pirone Lambros said.

Permit parking has become a contentious issue in Princeton with critics of the Task Force arguing that their initial proposal would result in their streets turning into one large parking lot with cars of employees of nearby businesses and residences.

A group named Sensible Streets Princeton has a petition on their website urging the Council to "reject" the proposal made by the Task Force. The group called for "a better plan" that would achieve seven goals including reduction of "traffic congestion, pollution, and noise overall."

PPTF canceled last month’s meeting, saying it was going to take its time to “regroup” and promised residents they will hear from them soon.

Princeton's Permit Parking Task Force includes Councilmembers Leticia Fraga David Cohen and Michelle Pirone-Lambros.

Read Related:

Princeton's Permit Parking Task Force Cancels Meeting

'Misinformation' Spread, Says Princeton Permit Parking Task Force

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