 "Photo: File photo")
Newark City Council voted 5-1 Monday to eliminate free parking on Sundays at downtown meters and in municipal lots.
The city will now charge for parking on Sundays between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m. Parking on holidays will continue to be free.
The lone vote against the proposal came from councilman Ezra Temko, who said the ordinance will add to an already negative perception of downtown parking, citing the recent hike in metered parking fees.
"This is not really the time for us to proceed in that direction," Temlo said.
Members of the Downtown Newark Partnership merchant board and Parking Committee formulated the plan at meetings in November and December of 2009, believing the action would contribute to the cost of downtown services offered by the city, as well as spread the financial burden of these costs over a larger group of people in a fair and equitable way.
The DNP's original plan included regulation of Sunday parking from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. but after staff met with officials at Newark United Methodist Church, as well as members from the Catholic and Baptist churches downtown, the board decided to begin charging later in the day.
Church officials had voiced concerns about the effects the parking fee would have on attendees of their Sunday morning services.
"The business owners through the DNP are on board with this and the churches got the concessions that they need," councilman Jerry Clifton said before the meeting. "I think it's a good compromise."
The city stands to gain an additional $68,000 in yearly revenue from the Sunday parking fees, which is approximately $29,000 less than if the city had decided to charge for parking all day on Sundays, officials say.
Clifton said the city performs a number of services that are unique to the downtown area. He said one recent example is the city has made sure to clear the snow to the curb in the downtown areas to allow for parking, something he said has not been done throughout Newark.
Councilman Doug Tuttle said parking revenues funds maintenance and expansions of parking lots.
Tuttle said that in addition to creating revenue for the city, charging for Sunday parking would create jobs for those regulating lots and meters as well as for merchants who validate parking.
"This isn't something that was initiated by the city parking management," Tuttle said. "It really came from the group whose livelihoods depend on access to parking."
Clifton said support from the business community helped sway his mind on the issue.
"I would probably feel different about this if businesses thought this would harm them on Sunday," he said.
is a member of the 
16 comments