On March 3rd, Hendersonville began a new era of paid parking along Main Street and in the adjacent city parking structure.
The introduction of paid parking has been a sharp turn from the previous free parking that’s made it easy for shoppers and employees to pull right up and park without worrying about how long they’ll be there.
Though the city did have paid meter parking in the past, the meters were removed after many store owners voiced concerns that the charge for parking was bad for business.
Now, decades later, the latest high-tech version has been introduced to both the cheers and jeers of folks who either welcome or disapprove of the change.
The City of Hendersonville is calling the first month of paid parking a success. According to Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle, the city is likely meeting its revenue projections. “We were expecting revenues to come in at a certain amount,” he says, “and that’s what it’s looking like right now.” However, for some local store owners the concerns are more personal.
On the flip side, businesses that cater primarily to tourists and visitors say they have not seen a decline in business since paid parking was introduced. For them, the change has freed up parking on Main Street, as area employees no longer use those spots for their own parking. They also cite the benefits of the new parking deck, with it’s more than 250 parking spaces designed to alleviate some of the competition for parking spaces downtown. They also acknowledge that the additional parking came with a $9 million price tag, a cost that the city needs to be accountable for.
The challenge for many area residents is simply navigating the technology and stomaching the cost. Many begin the process of signing in at the area kiosks, only to forget their license plate numbers of find it difficult to pay. Others see the $2 hourly charge prohibitive, given the price of a cup of coffee and how much it’ll add to their morning Main Street ritual. Neil Calk is one of those local patrons who acknowledges the increased burden on terms of both money and time. “We’re all on fixed incomes,” he said. “We’re all retirees. When you pay for parking, along with coffee, it gets to be pricey. It’s not like it once was. Most of us get out of dodge as fast as we can.”
The city says they are taking the concerns of residents into consideration and are open to help make the new parking system more friendly to area residents. “We’re listening,” says Pahle. “Part of the goal is to make sure we hear what the public says.”
As for the challenges of technology, Pahle suggests there’ll be a learning curve. Ultimately, he says, it will become the new normal.
The city has made a video available to help users better understand how to use the kiosk and parking deck systems. The video is available on the Parking FAQ page of their website HERE.
STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSCheers & jeers, reaction to paid parking in Hendersonville after first 30 days | WLOS
