Main Street Parking: Residents Weigh In

The new Main Street parking program announced by Ken Ulman in August may be getting a tweak. 

In a letter sent to residents, the Department of Planning and Zoning Director of Special Projects Steve Lafferty announced a meeting at the end of the month to “provide you information about how [the parking program] will work and to discuss how residential parking may be addressed.”

At a meeting on Aug. 21, Ulman announced a plan to install multi-space parking meters on Main Street and Maryland Avenue and the introduction of Parker, a phone application that uses underground sensors to map out where, at any moment, there are available parking spaces.

The plan was guided in part by a study done in 2009 by Desman Associates (attached). One of the study’s recommendations was to “develop a lower cost employee and resident parking program at the rate of $30 per month for peripheral lots and $50 for core lots.” 

The study refers to lot D, behind the Howard County Welcome Center, and lot E, behind Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, as “core lots.”

In his letter to residents, Lafferty said the county wants comments and input on a residential parking program “that recognizes your need for parking throughout the week.” 

The meeting is scheduled for Mon., Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. in Dohony Hall at St. Paul’s Church.

Related articles: 

- Merchant Petitions Against Main Street Meters

- Franchot Says He'll 'Communicate' with Ulman About Meters

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