Omnivore - More on parking

• Cliff Bostock

The parking saga continues. I received this email from Sara Beck this afternoon:

I read your column about Paul Luna’s Freedom of Information Act request. That’s funny… but the City of Atlanta is sort of well-known for ignoring FOIAs (I don’t understand how they manage to get away with it.)...

Having gone to a neighborhood review meeting downtown regarding the kiosks, and meeting a few of the PARKAtlanta folks and the COA Department of Transportation folks in charge of the parking program, “Oh boy!” Is about all I can really say.

There are supposed to be neighborhood meetings held by PARKAtlanta, but that schedule’s not been released yet that I know of. A neighbor of mine has pushed the issue so there will be one for Midtown next week.

As far as I know, there was no NPU/neighborhood review of the parking meter installation plan. Been to TopFlr lately? They stuck meters in front of a residential condo that doesn’t have enough off-street parking to accommodate residents.

Sara included a city news release with the revised breakdown of parking zones, maximum time and hours of enforcement. The changes are being implemented now. Booting and towing, which had been suspended, has resumed. The last zone in the news release below specifically affects restaurants and you’ll note that enforcement is later than in most other zones:

CITY OF ATLANTA IMPLEMENTS NEW PARKING ZONES

PARKatlanta, a collaborative initiative led by the City’s Department of Public Works is enhancing our parking operations with new technology, single-space and multi-space solar-powered meters as well as enhanced signage and payment options.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Atlanta City Council Transportation Sub-Committee on Parking Enforcement, the Department of Public Works is enhancing the service levels for the PARKatlanta On-street Parking Management Program. We are implementing new parking zones including business, government, schools, entertainment and mixed-use zones in metered locations to accommodate the uses of particular areas.

Business/Government zone:

This is an area where parking is occupied by patrons of business or government offices with high need for turnover parking

Enforcement days are Monday through Saturday

Enforcement hours are 7 A.M. to 7 P.M.

Parking time limit is two hours

Mixed Use zone

This is an area where historic buildings have multiple uses which include both residential and commercial but do not have onsite parking

Enforcement days are Monday through Friday

Enforcement hours are 8 A.M. to 6 P.M.

Parking time limit is three hours

School/University zone

This is an area where the majority of parking is occupied by attendees of post-secondary colleges and/or universities

Enforcement days are Monday through Saturday

Enforcement hours are 7 A.M. to 7 P.M.

Parking time limit is three hours

Entertainment/Restaurant/Hospital zones

This is an area where the majority of parking is occupied by patrons of theaters, museums, restaurants, other entertainment venues, and hospitals

Enforcement days are Monday through Saturday

Enforcement hours are 7 A.M. to 10 P.M.

Parking time limit is four hours

No metered on-street parking enforcement will occur on Sundays or City-observed holidays.

For more information about the City of Atlanta’s parking enforcement program, please visit: www.PARKatlanta.org or call (404) 330-6739.