Berkeley could extend parking meter hours, hike cost of tickets and permits

"The package of potential changes also includes hiking the cost of parking tickets an expired meter citation, which today costs $43, would rise to $64, while leaving your car in a street sweeping zone could land you a $73 ticket, up from $49. And the annual permits residents can buy to be exempt from two-hour time limits in many neighborhoods would also get more expensive. Public works staff have proposed restructuring the flat $85 per vehicle fee to a graduated system where a household's first permit would cost $100, the second would be $125 and a third would be $150."

"Officials say those changes are needed to address a deficit in the city fund for parking meters and off-street lots that is expected to reach $2 million in the next fiscal year, driven in part by debt payments on the $40 million downtown parking garage that opened in 2018. The City Council signed off on the parking rate hikes Tuesday night."

"Berkeley plans to increase its maximum hourly rate on several blocks where the demand is highest including some in the Fourth Street shopping district, downtown and in the Southside neighborhood from $3.50 per hour to $4. Some meters in the North Shattuck area and near Alta Bates hospital, among other areas, will go up by 50 cents as well. The city is also raising the floor for parking rates, from as little as 50 cents per hour to a new minimum of $1.50."

"The Berkeley City Council is slated to vote Tuesday on a proposal that would extend parking meter enforcement to include Sundays and evening hours, and install meters on blocks that don't currently have them. The entire slate of changes would raise $4.9 million in net revenue as Berkeley looks to close a nearly $30 million budget deficit."

Berkeley plans to increase hourly parking meter rates on high-demand blocks, including parts of the Fourth Street shopping district, downtown, and the Southside neighborhood. The maximum hourly rate will rise from $3.50 per hour to $4 on several locations, while some meters in the North Shattuck area and near Alta Bates hospital will increase by 50 cents. The minimum hourly rate will increase from as little as 50 cents per hour to $1.50. The city is also considering charging for parking during evening hours and on Sundays, installing meters on blocks without them, and raising ticket costs. An expired meter citation would increase from $43 to $64, and street sweeping zone tickets would rise from $49 to $73. Resident annual permits would become more expensive under a graduated fee structure, and officials estimate net revenue of $4.9 million to help close a nearly $30 million budget deficit.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org