E.L. considers raising parking prices

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Revenues raised by a proposal to increase prices in East Lansing’s parking lots and structures would go toward repairs and various other improvements to the structures.

At the East Lansing City Council work session Tuesday at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, parking administrator Dan O’Connor presented an analysis of what revenue the increased prices would bring in for East Lansing, and what the Parking Task Force — a group comprised of city staff and downtown business owners — plans to do in the future.

Under the proposal, parking fees would go from 50 cents per half hour in the structures to 60 cents, and 55 cents per half hour in lots to 65 cents. The maximum amount a driver would have to pay in any city-owned parking spot would be $10. Director of Planning and Community Development Tim Dempsey said, if approved, the new rates could go into effect as early as January.

In the immediate future, O’Connor said there are plans to repair the staircases in the Division Street parking ramp and remove graffiti from the Grove Street parking ramp. The improvements for Division Street would cost about $72,000 and the improvements for Grove Street would be about $10,000.

Overall, the long-term improvements are expected to cost a total of about $1.8 million.

The Parking Task Force will continue to meet and assess how the price increases will affect city revenues in the next 18 months. They also will consider East Lansing’s parking permit rates and how they compare to surrounding areas, as well as examining the possibility of scheduled periodic rate changes.

“Right now we do rate changes when we get in (financial) trouble,” O’Connor said. “What we’re going to have to do here is start to look at programmed rate changes that are keeping up with inflation, so we have the money in advance, and not coming back when we get in trouble.”

Mike Wiley, owner of Student Book Store, 421 E. Grand River Ave., and a member of the task force, said the last time parking rates were increased was in 2004. He said the group’s goal was to figure out an inflation-adjusted rate that worked for everyone.

“We need to find some rate that does not discourage customers, but pays our bills,” Wiley said.

Another change to prices would be the elimination of a price difference between night parking and day parking. The change would create a flat rate for both the garages and the lots.

Mayor Vic Loomis said, in the past, the argument for two separate rates for daytime and nighttime was due to the different types of patrons at night and at day.

“Your retail shopper has a tendency during the day to spend less time than your evening diner,” he said. “The differential during the day was trying to make it more convenient for your shopper to come into town quick.”

O’Connor said the task force looked at how allowing 10 minute free parking would affect its budget, but opted against adding it because it would have a significant negative impact
on revenue.

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