Apparently without asking the opinion of its members ecba endorsed it. In others words a minority or politically motivated individuals took it upon themselves to speak for the community or businesses. As a business owner I am emphatically against it regardless of what an organization that claims to represent our business says and decides without a vote how we as a business community feels. The ecba has also spit in the face of the residents who are our clientelle. Good job

Parking in EC is already difficult. Why make it worse? We need MORE parking, not the same inadequate amount of parking that costs more. Why don't they fork over some of that casino money to cover a garage or new surface lot or something?

And as a lower Main St. business owner, I also wish we had been consulted or had a say. Pretty lame that the small businesses that make the area *worth visiting* weren't consulted about something that would affect us so greatly. If customers can't visit or stop visiting, we stop having small businesses. it's a delicate system and not something that should be taken lightly. Decisions about parking affect our livelihoods and the experience of everyone who ever visits downtown. For an organization that is supposedly "dedicated to the promotion and preservation of business in Ellicott City historic district", they do not seem to be living up to their mission statement.

Anon, it should be clear that the ECBA did not take a formal stance on the parking program. It was a judgement error on my part not to consult them before "going to press" with a quote that said they had endorsed the plan.

According to the County Council the parking was supported by the ECBA. Some businesses are getting a petition together to send to the Council's work session on Monday stating they are not for the meters.

Brandie, it was really not hard to get that impression when they started their testimony with "I'm a member of the ECBA". However, I did point out to people I have talked to that there was not a formal representation of the ECBA, but it seemed to come up as a dividing line between testimonies. I can see how you came to the same conclusion I did.

So let me get this straight...a journalist claims an official posotion of ecba that didn't exist. Perhaps as a journalist you could actually come ask the business owners what we think. This cuts my staffs salary per hour....this costs my customers money. Its a tax that is directed completely at old ec and nowhere else. Are they metering columbia mall too?

Anon....its the job of the president of the ecba to gather those opinions and look out for our interests. Instead the president decide to talk to fox45 about how he personally liked the parking idea...when he has his own private parking. Great leadership.

SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THE PAID PARKING PLAN! Come to STILL LIFE GALLERY 8173 Main Street tomorrow -Thursday,11-5) Friday,11-6, or Saturday 11-6 to sign it! Or call Sara at 410-461-1616, or email me at sara@stillLifegallery.net

Hear that sucking sound? It's the residential rental property dollars being sucked out of the pockets of the property-owners. Also, it's going to be tumble-weeds around here when Ulman adds to the alienating meter-system this smart-phone-based parking-spot alert system, which will certainly drive away the tea-house/antiquing/wedding/B&B crowd. The red hat ladies want to stay a little longer -- they have to use an app, you say? This plan was hatched by Ulman and his cronies without input from anyone at all. That might be why there are so many obvious problems to which no has been attentive, and to which no one, even now, is being responsive. I called Ulman's office today and got no response. I guess he was on Google Play downloading the reelection campaign app.

Also, is anyone else shocked -- and I mean shocked -- that Ulman is on the Democratic ticket? All this unilateral action designed to make money for a leader and his henchman, with total disregard for how people just trying to live their lives in peace will be affected...it sounds so familiarly Republican. It certainly doesn't resound with the values espoused at the DNC.

And one more thing -- the last meeting was scheduled on Rosh Hoshana, the holiest holiday in the Jewish faith. Way to be sensitive to the largest growing religious minority in Howard County.

The Smart Parking App encourages illegal and dangerous behavior- it is ILLEGAL to text or send/receive electronic messages on a screen (GPS is exempt) while driving, even at a red light.
Is everyone aware that Howard County is spending approx $450,000 of taxpayers money on this and that almost of of it going to 2 private companies- Streetline in California, and Duncan Solutions in Wisconsin? The contract had only one bidder-Streetline. We need to ask why that was the case.

Sounds like a job for the state's attorney.

We need moe parking. Not paid parking. That's the bottom line.

Abby we have a president of ecba who has his own parking that goes on. Tv all in for ken uhlmans "let's turn a historic district into a tech parking place" without even knwing the clientelle. But hey. What do the business owners who've been here. For fifteen years know...

lets be clear, this is not the same article most have responded to. its been completely changed.

This was supposed to be a feather in Ulman's cap. It was envisioned and executed by his office. I suggest that in addition to signing the petition, we stage a public protest to be held the night the meters are put in place. We can alert the news media, who can then put the voices and faces of those misplaced by the meters on the 10 o'clock news.

Deja vu ... is no one checking the history of this issue? When the meters were here before it was a hotly contested issue at ECBA meetings. Consensus is that the meters were bad for business. Considerable $$ spent to remove the meters and fix the sidewalks. Now, they're going to do it again? Typical government politicians who know nothing about business.

There are still property owners who have no idea this is going on. I told to my landlord this morning and the first thing he asked me was "What are they doing for the residents?". He was not happy.
This was poorly executed by the County Executive's office in not even notifying ALL the affected parties that will be impacted. Not only will it impact businesses, it will significantly impact property owners who are generating retail and residential lease/rental revenues. People are talking about moving. Sure, more people will take their apartments as I've often been reminded that there is a line of people to take my apartment, but the appeal will go down. Who wants to pay $1200-1600 for an apartment where the closest parking in 2 blocks away?
Next time you walk up or down the street, look up at the 2nd to 4th floors over the shops. Count the windows. Do the math.

Parking is absolutely horrible in Ellicott City. There is enough available land that there could be two parking garages put up. One behind the old post office and the other by the railroad bridge. Additionally, there is not enough handicap parking. In the garages, there could be designated parking spaces (free) for those that own property or tenants along main street. Renters generally pay high rents and don't need the additional costs of ridiculous meter parking. It sounds like the local government isn't listening to what the true needs of the people are and are just looking to make more money.

The current fiasco will cost at least as much, I wager, in maintenance, ticketing, and lost revenue. Think the smart chips in the pavement won't break periodically? That the software won't go down? That continual fees won't have to be paid to websites that have your credit card information stored? The list goes on.

Permits MUST be given to residents if the meters are put in place. Period. This never should have been off the table. It never should have been possible for it to be off the table.

Lets not forget, next year when they look at the budget, realize how much more they lost than expected, well the only way to drum up more money is no free spaces and longer metered time frames. We all know how government works, we give a little, they screw up and demand more.

If you are on Facebook and live, work, or own a business in Main Street or want to keep up to date on this and other issues/events, please request to 'Join'.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/historic.ellicott.city/

It sure would be nice if they would have setup some kind of system that would allow business owners to validate parking for clients, and additionally a permit parking system for business owners who are here for 8-14 hours a day. I mean, how are we supposed to operate a high-end, boutique business that charges hundreds or thousands of dollars to a client for a luxury service and then make our clients pay the county and risk a ticket to visit us? Ridiculous. We are getting the hell out of this town asap and moving to a place with ample, free, and easy parking for our clients.