New ordinance will allow more time at downtown meters

Concerns exist about students filling spaces.

Parking meter times, they are a-changing.

A new ordinance passed by the State College Borough Council last week extends the time allotted for downtown parking meters from an hour to an hour-and-a-half -- a pleasant surprise for some and a concern for others.

Council member Tom Daubert, the only member to vote against the new ordinance, said he is concerned the time extension will entice more students to park downtown while attending class, thus making parking more difficult for downtown patrons. Five years ago, in a similar situation, Daubert said, students parking downtown became a problem when the allotted time decreased from two hours to one hour.

"We noticed that students were using all the meters to go to class," he said.

If students want to park downtown, they should use the garages instead of parking on the streets, Daubert said.

On the flip side, Borough Council President Jean McManis said she does not think the change will affect parking patterns. Students can only go so far in an hour-and-half and unless they have class near College Avenue, they may not park downtown, she said.

The ordinance was passed for a trial period of 90 days once the electronic meters are set for the new time period, said Ed Holmes, parking manager for the borough.

This means downtown patrons will have greater leeway to stray from their spot without fear of meter expiration, McManis said.

"There's a huge difference between an hour or hour-and-a-half," she said.

McManis, who said she is pleased with the new ordinance, added that the extra time allows downtown patrons to eat a meal and run an errand or two before the time runs out.

Some students said they do park downtown and will appreciate the change.

"It's so much easier than walking to class from across campus," Ben Leonard (sophomore-aerospace engineering) said, adding that the extra half-hour will definitely help him avoid getting parking tickets.

But extra time does not mean leniency for parking tickets.

One enforcement officer per day randomly patrols the meters, Holmes said. Parking tickets are about $4 if the meter runs out and $12 if an overtime parking violation is issued, he said.

Once all 300 meters have been adjusted, the changeover will occur, Holmes said. He added that the changes involve reprogramming parking meters and putting new labels on them.

"I'm hoping, certainly by the end of February, we will get it done," he said, adding that the meters have not been set yet because adhesives don't stick well in cold weather.

Originally, the meter change was discussed about five years ago, Holmes said, although he did not support the issue at that time.

"My reason for resistance in the past comes down to the expense of making the change under the old parking meters," Holmes said.

However, he said the new electronic meters, which were installed about 18 months ago, provide benefits the old, mechanical meters did not.

"The timing is dead-on," Holmes said, adding that the roughly four-or five-second grace period allows the patron to insert another coin before the meter expires. The new meters make it easier to adjust the time, he said.

An added dividend of the new meters for the parking office, Holmes said, is that they will not accept false coins, tokens or Canadian money.

Borough officials will be watching the new parking situation throughout the trial period.

"We're willing at least to try it and see what happens and if the results are good, we'll stay with it, and if not we'll change," Holmes said.