The Traffic Commissions Original Vote
On May 21, 2009 the Somerville Traffic Commission voted to approve the following changes to City parking regulations: These changes are slated to be instated this summer.
1. Residential Permit Parking on all public streets in the City of Somerville Monday through Saturday, 24 hours.
• All streets not currently designated will revert to Residential Permit Parking Only
• All existing 2 Hour Parking except by permit 8am to 6pm spaces will remain.
• These 2 Hour spaces will be designated Residential Permit Parking Only from 6pm until 8am
2. Hours of meter operation from 8am-6pm to 8am-8pm, with the exception of Davis Square and Magoun Square, which will be 8am-10pm.
3. All loading zones in Davis Square will be replaced with metered parking.
4. Meter fees have will increase from $0.50 cents an hour to $1 an hour.
The meter changes went into effect on July 20th, and citywide parking is to be implemented on August 1st.
Mayor’s Parking Solutions Task Force was Formed
In response to public outcry on the changes and how they were made, the City formed the Mayor’s Parking Solutions Task Force. The Task Force is made up of the Mayor, City employees, City officials, a transportation consultant and local business owners. The task force released their report on July 10, 2009.
Meter Fee and Time Changes and Increased Parking Ticket Fees and Fines Implemented July 20th
As of July 20th, the City has begun to implement the following changes in meter parking:
• All Meters to Go to $1 per Hour until 8 p.m. (for the time being, including in Davis and Magoun)
• Magoun Square Lot, Meacham Road and Dover Street Meters to Join Davis Square Lots in Providing 3-Hour Parking Limit
• New Fees and Fines Approved by Aldermen and Traffic Commission Also to Go Into Effect
Traffic Commission Votes on Modifications to Parking Regulation Changes, Petition Submitted
The Mayor’s Parking Solutions Task Force asked the Traffic Commission to vote on some of Task Force’s recommendations at the July 30th meeting. The votes were to:
• Create a special 2:30am-10 a.m. Resident Permit-Only Zones on 8 Major Streets (Broadway, Medford, Highland, Holland, Elm, Somerville Ave, Beacon and Washington)
• Extend Current Business Permits from 8am-5pm to 8am- 6 p.m.
• Create a new second shift business parking permit from 6 p.m.-to-3:30 a.m.
Many of the 70-80 people in the room expressed their frustration with shortcomings in the plan to make 8 major streets resident only from 2:30am-10am, with the process under which these changes were made and with they way it's being implemented and the. The commission voted to table the item and ask the Mayor's Parking Solutions Task Force to revise the plan. The Traffic Commission will take the item up again at their next meeting on Thursday August 20th, 6pm, Traffic and Parking Department, 133 Holland Street. The two business permit related items passed.
SPARC Submits Petition. Petition Validated Traffic Board Public Hearing Thursday August 13 6pm, City Hall
On Friday July 31, 2009 SPARC submitted a petition contesting the decision of the Traffic Commission at the May 21, 2009 meeting to: raise parking meter rates, increase hours of operation for parking meters and make Resident Permit Parking city wide.
The Elections Department and the Legal Department have completed their reviews of these petitions and deemd that they were valid. As a result, a meeting of the Traffic Board will be convened to review the petitions and accept public testimony. This will be a public hearing.
The meeting will be held on Thursday August 13, 2009 at 6:00PM in the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall.
