Restaurateur Karen Patrick is elated Elizabeth City police are dusting off a long-unused “boot” to clamp down on chronic violators of the two-hour parking limit in the city’s downtown.
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Comments
Parking tickets
I am a new downtown business owner and I pay $60 a month for two parking places next to my shop. I want my customers to have a place to park if the weather is bad or if its during lunch time and the street parking is full. However, I do feel like the parking enforcement isn't as strong on Water Street. I have cars parked in front of my shop for HOURS at a time, several times a week...1) this limits parking for other merchants and 2) it blocks street view of our windows. I hope Eliz City can do something soon to help with the 2 hour rules. As the weather gets warmer more people will be coming to our downtown stores and should be able to find parking.
Coming soon...
'Parking wars, Elizabeth City!'
Aw geez! Another ordinance!
Good grief! Parking meters? Talk about a plan to destroy downtown shopping! Yes, Elizabeth City once had parking meters downtown. I remember them as being a real pain in the butt (probably because I'm a stickler for law abiding-ness). The truth is this is NOT the time to discourage downtown shopping and for me at least it will have just that effect. I really hate to be constantly looking at the clock while downtown so I won't over park on a meter. Come on folks! Fix this problem another way. Or...leave it the heck alone! I seldom have a problem finding a parking space when I want one. But then I don't mind a short walk to my destination. Exercise is good for us. :)
I really do not think that
I really do not think that parking meters will discourage downtown shopping. The folks that are downtown now are there for a reason, not just to "browse around". It's not like there's tons of different places to browse around to, even if all of the empty buildings and lots were full! I'd rather use my credit card to pay a small fee than to worry the entire time I'm downtown about whether or not I've gone over my limit and then have to pay a higher fee for a parking ticket than I would for a parking meter. There's a reason why successful cities have parking meters, it's because it's the easiet, simpliest solution. Sure, they are a pain and free parking is nice, but there's got to come a point where this kind of nonsense is buttoned up. I agree that the revenue from the meters could go to help the city's debt. After all, people are going to go downtown and do the business they need to accomplish. Keep the parking lot free, charge for on the street.
cops to go after parking violations
we used to have parking meters downtown a long time ago, but some city councilmen or mayor had them removed. we should re-install the parking meters downtown, set a time limit and price on them, that should bring the city much needed revenue to reduce the city's massive debt. so parking violators, either pay the tickets or pay the fees to release your vehicle from the impound yard after it gets towed for not paying the tickets or staying over two hours in a two hour only space.
Does anyone know why the
Does anyone know why the meters were removed? Was it to because it detered people from parking downtown and doing business there?
Yes trish, that was the
Yes trish, that was the reason. As I recall, the new mall (Southgate Mall) had recently opened and offered free parking, two blocks of downtown had been devastated by a fire in 1967, and merchants were fearful (for good reason) downtown businesses would suffer as a result. Parking meters were removed and free parking downtown helped level the field. It would be a big mistake to go back to parking meters today because there is even more competition from a multitude of free parking shopping areas scattered around the city and its suburbs.
I really don't see it as being...
damaging to the "ecosystem" of downtown Elizabeth City. There are several free-to-park areas around downtown that one could make use of if they don't want to park in the limited time spaces - they require a little more walking, but as many of us could use the extra steps anyways, thats not such a bad thing. Lots of things to take into consideration as they explore how to tackle this problem. I still think the easiest thing is (for the repeat offenders who already have a slew of tickets to their name) - tow them & let them pay the fees to get their car back. Maybe that will make them think twice before they illegally park next time. Sometimes you have to hit people with a harsh dose of reality before they wake up.
If the city is going to go
If the city is going to go after parking issues then PLEASE PLEASE go after those who park in the blue striped zone near the handicap spots. Yes they are cars with handicap decals, but it is NOT a parking space. Drive out to Walmart on any given day or at tehe mall or food stores. You will see people parked in those spots and do so because they have a handicap sticker and cant find a handicapped place therefore they believe they can park anywhere they feel. Parking in a no parking zone should be a pretty good size fine. PLEASE start enforcing this
What would you suggest 'the
What would you suggest 'the blue-stripped areas' be used for? Why waste all of that readily accessable parking space? What is the designed purpose of 'blue-stripped areas'? Why not increase the handi-capped parking area?
parking meters
Why doesn't the city install parking meters like other city's do? That way you have revenue and you won't have to worry about people saying their time wasn't up when the meter says it is! Ms. Brown can't chalk cars forever.
Very good idea!
I believe VA even has ones that you can use your credit card to pay at. The city may also be able to put a block on renewing vehicle registration until the tickets are paid. Another avenue might be a lien against the offenders property - the tickets are a debt... so I believe this would be a viable avenue. Many people just take care of these and pay them - but for those who do not....you have to get creative.
Wow Scarlet, those are pretty
Wow Scarlet, those are pretty harsh responses to lapsed parking meter crime. ;)
Well...
perhaps, but then again when you have so many who are repeat offenders & the city is facing thousands of dollars going unpaid in these parking violation tickets.... you have to stop treating those who are breaking the law with kid gloves. This story was actually picked up by Wavy10 up in VA - and the responses were very mixed. Many agreed that if you break the law & get a ticket - you pay it and move on....others felt that it was "too small a crime" to be bothered with. Any violation of the law is still a violation, no matter how big or small.
And...for the repeat offenders
Tow first, ask questions later!
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