Arlington Hts. lowers parking fee for downtown workers
People who work in downtown Arlington Heights will be able to buy monthly parking permits for designated lots and garage spots for $15, half the usual price, the village board decided Monday night.
The vote was unanimous, but the question will come before the board again Monday, May 20, so it is possible trustees will make changes to the decision.
The board also decided that free on-street parking should remain at just two hours to make more of it available to shoppers. Areas designated for shoppers in village garages will have free parking extended an hour to four hours.
The board and village staff responded to pleas from downtown employees who said parking permits were too expensive, especially for low-paid part-time employees. They also heard complaints from business owners that customers both cannot find convenient spots and get upset when they get $30 parking tickets because they overstay the free parking time limits.
The issues tie together because downtown workers seeking free parking take spots where customers should be able to park, businesspeople said.
Commuters pay $30 per month, and many of the rules are designed to be sure they continue to pay. A map showing the different types of parking downtown is called a parking guide in the document center of the village website, VAH.com.
Katrina Abruscato said she is a very dedicated Starbuck’s employee who would have to skip meals if she bought a $30-per-month permit, and she goes out several times during each work shift to move her car and avoid a ticket.
“Fifteen dollars is a huge improvement,” she said. “I know employees who would buy permits for $15, and I probably would do $15.”
Several business owners and managers expressed support for the $15 fee.
The budget for downtown parking facilities is $1 million a year, paid for through fees and parking tickets. The 225 monthly permits issued to downtown merchants and employees bring in $81,000 per year, and the village will re-evaluate the $15 fee in a year or so to be sure it is affordable.
Julie Filauri, owner of Salon 117, voiced the opinion of several businesspeople that the increase in the number of employees purchasing permits will make up for the revenue lost by lowering the price.
Trustees Joseph Farwell, Carol Blackwood and Mike Sidor said they would prefer lowering the fee to $10 per month. But Trustee John Scaletta and Jon Ridler, executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, said the lower fee would put the revenue for the parking system at risk. Ridler said the chamber supports the $15 fee.