READING, Pa. – Reading City Council voted Monday night to adopt an ordinance to limit the hours of parking meter enforcement after public outcry over excessive enforcement during entertainment events at the Santander Arena & Performing Arts Center.
The decision limits enforcement to Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
When the ordinance was introduced two weeks ago, the plan was to completely exempt Saturdays from parking meter enforcement.
Councilmembers, however, said there were some concerns about having Saturday entirely free from enforcement.
Councilwoman Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz said no enforcement on Saturdays could hurt downtown businesses.
“When Saturday parking is free, residents will park their vehicles Friday night and leave it them there ’til Monday,” Cepeda-Freytiz said.
“It saves time and effort for residents because they’re getting a break one day a week, which is a great thing,” she said. “But then it can hurt businesses because then they don’t have parking for their customers. How about we meet residents halfway with a win-win happy medium?”
Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz said the new enforcement times are good for the city, but more needs to be done.
“OK, this is a good movement in the right direction,” she said. “I just feel we need to continue to look at an overall parking plan that addresses the challenges faced by residents who are living in the same neighborhoods where businesses are (located). I support this, but I want to look at a longer-term plan.”
In other business, council introduced two ordinances also related to parking. One calls for the removal or parking meters in the 100, 200 and 300 blocks of North Ninth Street. The other proposes to require parking in designated parking spaces within stall lines.