The Rate Changes are Part of a Strategy to Mitigate the Current Operational Deficit
DELAWARE — The phased parking meter rate changes approved by City Council in March will take effect on Monday, July 3, marking the first parking rate adjustment since January 2006.
The ordinance, which was passed after considerable council discussion in February and March, includes a 25-cent increase per hour for this year, raising the rate to 50 cents per hour. The ordinance also specifies a further 50-cent increase per hour that will take effect on January 1, 2024, making the rate $1.00 per hour.
Read: “Rate hike just the beginning for Delaware parking changes”
The City Council has approved these changes as part of a larger strategy to mitigate the current operational deficit faced by Delaware’s parking system.
The revenue generated from the rate increases is earmarked for several key areas: technology upgrades, phasing out of older, non-functioning parking meters, implementation of parking kiosks, introduction of various online payment options and electronic permitting, parking lot maintenance, and enforcement personnel costs.
The changes aim to overhaul and modernize all aspects of parking management, according to city officials. The council’s decision is part of an attempt to balance the demand for parking with the limited availability of spaces, and to manage turnover more efficiently to maximize parking spot usage.
During the public hearing on February 27, 2023, Alycia Ballone, the city’s director of management, budget, and procurement, reminded the council that appropriations from the parking lot fund were made based on the $1.00 per hour rate.
These phased changes mark a significant move for the city’s parking system, which has not seen rate adjustments in over 17 years.
For further details on the parking rate increase, refer to a previous article on DelawareO.com here.