LOWER MERION – During its December meeting, Lower Merion Commissioners approved an ordinance change to increase its parking meter rates for the first time in over two decades.
The rate change increases parking rates from 50 cents to $1 per hour for all parking meters except for some designated parking meters found in the Ardmore Business District.
The designated parking meters in Ardmore, including those on Rittenhouse Place, Cricket Avenue, Cricket Terrace, and Parking Lot 5 on Cricket Terrace and Lot 6 at Schauffele Plaza. Those meters will increase from $0.50 to $1.50 per hour. Parking meters in the Cricket Avenue Parking Garage would not increase and would remain at the current rate of $0.50 per hour.
“Lower Merion Township operates a comprehensive system of parking meters designed to balance convenience for drivers with the need for efficient turnover of spaces in busy commercial districts. Managed by the Township’s Parking Services Department, the system includes on-street meters, municipal lot meters, and meters in the parking garage on Cricket Avenue,” according to an issue briefing from the township staff to the commissioners when the new rates were discussed in November. “Township parking meters are organized into two main categories: short-term and long-term parking. Short-term meters, typically found along commercial streets and corridors, are generally limited to two hours to encourage turnover and support nearby businesses. Long-term meters, located primarily in Township lots, allow up to twelve hours of parking to accommodate commuters, employees, and longer visits.”
The day of the final vote, there was little discussion since the commissioners had already discussed it at a committee meeting last month. At that November meeting, Brandon Ford, assistant township manager, said that over the last 25 years, the parking meter rates have not kept pace with inflation.
“The reason we’re coming forward to you with this is that again, it’s been 25 years since we’ve adjusted rates,” Ford said. “The rates that we are charging have not kept up with the overall cost for maintaining those parking meters as well as our overall parking services program.”
Another issue mentioned by township officials is that the long-term parking meters are being used by employees in the business district, which could be used by customers in the Ardmore Business District.
Lower Merion officials have also said the new Cricket Avenue parking garage isn’t being used enough, so they hope to encourage people to use it by maintaining the current lower rate.
The township staff has projected that the new rates would generate about $900,000 in additional revenue.
One other thing the township hopes to gain from the increased rates is faster turnover in meter usage, which could generate additional business for stores in the township’s business districts.