Free holiday parking offered in downtown Meadville
Dec. 1—Free holiday parking in downtown Meadville continues through the end of the year.
In what has become an annual tradition, Meadville City Council unanimously approved the five-week hiatus for roughly half of the city's parking meters at its Nov. 16 meeting. The complimentary parking went into effect Nov. 25.
As in past years, spaces will be free for up to two hours but parking enforcement will continue for vehicles that exceed the two-hour limit. About 250 of the city's approximately 500 meters have plastic bags over the meter heads to indicate the availability of free parking.
The parking meter pause comes at the request of Meadville Independent Business Alliance. In an early November letter requesting the furlough, MIBA President Heather Fish told council members that customers were already talking about their appreciation for the "annual gift" from the city.
"Free two-hour parking is a huge added incentive for people to come shopping downtown (not online)," Fish wrote, "and I believe it encourages customers to take their time downtown and explore shops that they have never been to before."
The free parking means less revenue for the city at a time when council members have stated their support for a tax increase to help balance a 2023 budget that came with a deficit of nearly $1 million.
City Manager Maryann Mennano said staff members had discussed alternative options with MIBA members. Feedback from MIBA supported the usual free parking arrangement.
"This is what benefits the small businesses and (it's) what they wanted," Menanno said.
2022 marks the ninth consecutive year for free downtown holiday parking in Meadville. Citing lost revenue, council voted against free downtown holiday parking in 2013. When Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce reported low sales for downtown merchants, council brought the meter respite back the next year.
Menanno estimated the city would forgo about $7,000 in revenue by allowing free parking, but also acknowledged that the estimate was hard to calculate and was based on average monthly revenue rather than actual usage of the meters that have been bagged.
The city expects to make $78,000 from parking meters this year — about $6,500 each month or $1,500 per week. With only about half the meters out of commission, actual revenue could be much lower, but at the same time, the bagged meters are in areas that tend to be more heavily trafficked.
The spaces offering free parking include those on Chestnut Street from Water Street to Diamond Park, Park Avenue from Walnut Street to Arch Street, Market Street from East Center Street to Arch Street, East Center Street from Park Avenue to Water Street, Water Street from Boynton Street to Chestnut Street, South Main Street from Diamond Park to Arch Street, the metered spots located around the Market House and several spots on the southwestern corner of Diamond Park closest to Chestnut Street.
Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.