Post by 50yardfan on Aug 9, 2011 21:57:39 GMT -5
readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=325046
Reading City Council on Monday moved closer to extending the hours that parking meters would be enforced near the Sovereign Center.
Council voted to introduce an ordinance that would force motorists parking in a one-block radius around the arena to plug meters until 8 p.m. on weekdays.
The proposal also would introduce meter enforcement on Saturdays in the Sovereign Center area, also until 8 p.m.
Currently, parking meters in Reading are enforced only until 6 p.m. Monday though Friday.
In November, council rejected a proposal by the Reading Parking Authority to increase meter enforcement throughout the city until 8 p.m.
Lawrence H. Lee, authority executive director, told council Monday that the new, scaled-down proposal would mean that someone parking at a meter near the Sovereign Center at 6 p.m. would pay $3 to park until enforcement ends at 8 p.m.
That still would be less than the $5 fee to use a parking garage, he said.
"To me and to the authority board, it's a matter of fairness," Lee said.
The $5 parking garage fee, a $2 reduction from the normal rate, was recently instituted to celebrate the Sovereign Center's 10th anniversary, a move Lee supports.
"We all think it's a good idea to get as many people in town as possible to celebrate the Sovereign Center," he said.
Extending parking meter enforcement would help balance out the garage-fee reduction, Lee said.
Several council members said they supported the proposal, and council plans to vote on the ordinance at its first meeting in September.
In other business, council tabled an ordinance about leasing land at Pendora Park to the Olivet Boys & Girls Club. Olivet officials want to build a clubhouse in the park, but some neighbors have expressed concern about the plan.
The matter was tabled so the proposal can go through the zoning and planning process.
Council also approved a $74,000 contract with Sponaugle Construction Services to design and renovate the city's customer service area.
Located in the former tax office, the customer service area will bring the treasury department and the citizen services center under one roof, said Carl E. Geffken, the city's managing director.
Geffken said the change will help make the offices more efficient and should result in better customer service.
Reading City Council on Monday moved closer to extending the hours that parking meters would be enforced near the Sovereign Center.
Council voted to introduce an ordinance that would force motorists parking in a one-block radius around the arena to plug meters until 8 p.m. on weekdays.
The proposal also would introduce meter enforcement on Saturdays in the Sovereign Center area, also until 8 p.m.
Currently, parking meters in Reading are enforced only until 6 p.m. Monday though Friday.
In November, council rejected a proposal by the Reading Parking Authority to increase meter enforcement throughout the city until 8 p.m.
Lawrence H. Lee, authority executive director, told council Monday that the new, scaled-down proposal would mean that someone parking at a meter near the Sovereign Center at 6 p.m. would pay $3 to park until enforcement ends at 8 p.m.
That still would be less than the $5 fee to use a parking garage, he said.
"To me and to the authority board, it's a matter of fairness," Lee said.
The $5 parking garage fee, a $2 reduction from the normal rate, was recently instituted to celebrate the Sovereign Center's 10th anniversary, a move Lee supports.
"We all think it's a good idea to get as many people in town as possible to celebrate the Sovereign Center," he said.
Extending parking meter enforcement would help balance out the garage-fee reduction, Lee said.
Several council members said they supported the proposal, and council plans to vote on the ordinance at its first meeting in September.
In other business, council tabled an ordinance about leasing land at Pendora Park to the Olivet Boys & Girls Club. Olivet officials want to build a clubhouse in the park, but some neighbors have expressed concern about the plan.
The matter was tabled so the proposal can go through the zoning and planning process.
Council also approved a $74,000 contract with Sponaugle Construction Services to design and renovate the city's customer service area.
Located in the former tax office, the customer service area will bring the treasury department and the citizen services center under one roof, said Carl E. Geffken, the city's managing director.
Geffken said the change will help make the offices more efficient and should result in better customer service.