Fredonia to ditch meters, offer two-hour parking plan
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Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson and the Village Board have put the brakes on a downtown parking plan that has been met with criticism.
In a news release issued Thursday, Ferguson noted the village planned to enter into a contract with HONK! Parking Solutions that would have replaced the village’s outdated and often broken meters with QR Code technology. This would have required both residents and visitors to use their cellphones for parking transactions or purchase an annual permit, which would allow residents to park anywhere in the village for two hours.
The proposal was met with mixed reactions. Most reactions were negative towards the idea. Ferguson has now proposed a new set of parking laws and regulations for the community. “I pride myself on being an advocate and supporter of shopping, dining and conducting business in our village,” he said. “I know I have spoken about the increase in business on the Route 60 corridor and the impact it is having on downtown businesses. Many are choosing not to make that turn from Route 60 to Route 20.”
After listening to residents, family and visitors to the area, Ferguson reached out to Trustee LeeAnn Lazarony with the idea to remove the meters and replace them with “two-hour” parking signs.
“The idea is to encourage residents, visitors and students to come downtown, not to make it more difficult for them to enjoy our community,” Ferguson said. Both the Mayor and Lazarony sat down with Police Chief Greg Myers as well as Fire Chief Joshua Myers, both members of the village’s Emergency Management Team and they were in agreement the idea was manageable.
To offset some of the revenue lost under the new law, Lazarony suggested to the Mayor --- after speaking with members of the Village Board including the newest member Timothy Mulholland-- the village enact a monthly fee of $25 for residents who want or need twenty-four-hour parking in the East or West Public lots.
“We understand the need for overnight parking for some of our residents and students along with the need for our DPW team to be able to clear and maintain these spaces throughout the winter month,” she said. “The anticipated revenue from permitted parking will help to compensate for the loss of the meter revenue.”
The new parking law will be written before an open Public Meeting on the proposal before the new law can be enacted. Ferguson, along with DPW Supervisor Jennis Merrill want to place a new “no parking law” for both sides of Forest Place as part this proposal as well. Merrill stated the narrow road becomes even more difficult to traverse when a single car parks on the street much less two or more making it nearly impossible.