Signs Change in Downtown Municipal Lots

The new signs reflect guidance given by Phoenixville Borough Council in May. While council flip-flopped on how much to charge50 cents an hour or $1 an hourand whether or not to accept credit cards in kiosks, several votes finally settled the matter. Rates stayed at $1 an hour, or 25 cents for 15 minutes, and credit cards never stopped being accepted despite a vote to change that.

According to a press release issued Wednesday by Borough Manager Jean Krack, "While it will take several days to remove the old signs and complete the installation of the new signs, the Parking Enforcement Officers will only enforce the parking regulations in those lots beginning July 27, 2011 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. to ensure consistency."

Phoenixvilles new parking steering committee recommended the change to a 2 p.m. start time for paid parking in the lot. Formerly, paid parking in the boroughs four municipal lots went from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Council voted unanimously to make that change at its May meeting.

Krack was tasked with ordering new signs for the lots. The cost of the signs was part of a $25,000 parking package approved at councils April meeting. In addition to the new signs, the $25,000 was slated for new lighting and additional supplies for the borough lots.

New lighting was recently added to the lots, along with trash cans.

The change to make parking free until 2 p.m. is a welcome one for Liz Andersen, who coordinates the Phoenixville Farmers Market. The market happens each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. under the Gay Street bridge and adjacent to the paid lot in Taylor Alley.

I think that our shoppers will be very happy to be able to park close to the market without having to worry about staying longer than expected and getting a ticket, Andersen said via e-mail.

The free parking might help area businesses, as well, Andersen said. It will also help add to the community atmosphere that already exists at the market.

Parking on the street will remain as is, with a two-hour limit from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. downtown. That may change when new streetscapes are completed, but no action has been taken on that. The press release emphasized that the change in start times for paid parking in the municipal lots has no effect on the resident or employee permit programs or on downtown street parking in the borough.

The next meeting of the ad-hoc parking steering committee is Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. The steering committee is a recommending body that does not have final authority. It recommends suggestions to the policy commitee, which can then elevate those suggestions to Phoenixville Borough Council.