Galen Scott
gscott@weatherforddemocrat.com
Uncertainty about the wishes of Downtown Weatherford merchants regarding parking enforcement was erased Tuesday, as Assistant City Manager Jerry Blaisdell announced survey results heavily favoring the removal of some 200 historic parking meters around the Square.
Blaisdell said 64 percent of the 56 business owners and representatives surveyed indicated parking regulation is not important to their business at all.
“When asked which form of parking enforcement would best serve their business — parking meters, 2-hour parking, 1-hour limited parking, 30-minute limited parking or no restrictions — 59 percent responded they prefer no restrictions,” he added.
The parking meter issue was raised during a council work session two weeks ago when Mayor Joe Tison reminded council members that removing the meters is part of the Downtown revitalization plan. He noted the transportation code should be amended in order to reflect the meters’ absence.
However, additional merchant input was requested after Council members Waymon Hamilton and Clem Smith expressed concerns about what effect removing the meters might have on commerce. In addition, some on the council had said they couldn’t recall voting specifically on whether or not the meters should be removed.
Research conducted by Blaisdell and other city staffers, including Assisstant to the City Manager Danielle Felts, suggests the city council agreed to get rid of the parking meters in 2001, but decided to wait until the planned revitalization project commenced.
“A survey conducted in 2001 indicated a vast majority of the business owners at that time did not want parking meters,” Blaisdell reported.
Council members approved axing the meters a second time, albeit imprecisely, when the final version of the revitalization plan, which does call for the meters’ removal, was ratified in 2004, according to Blaisdell’s report.
Blaisdell said only two of 56 people who participated in the most recent survey specified they would like to see the meters remain. He went on to say it would cost approximately $26,000 to refurbish the existing meters, many of which are non-functional, and about $60,000 to purchase new, digital meters.
“After reviewing this, the staff still takes the same position it was taking,” Blaisdell said during Tuesday’s work session. “We would recommend that the formal report presented on Oct. 9 be represented, and the staff recommends removal of the meters ...”
The original staff report included a recommendation to sell broken meters to the public for $50, and functional units for $75.
There was no additional discussion of the matter during the council’s regular meeting, which followed Tuesday’s work session.
Waymon Hamilton’s motion to amend the city transportation code to reflect the meters’ absence was seconded by Councilwoman Jan Barton and the council voted in unison.
Local News
October 25, 2007
Council decides to get rid of parking meters
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