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Borough Is Expected To Increase Its Rates For Overnight Parking
By Myrna K. Bearse
Borough residents who don't have a driveway will have to pay a little more for the privilege of parking overnight on Borough Streets.
Council, at its September 9 meeting, is expected to approve an ordinance increasing the overnight parking fee from $22.50 per quarter to $30 per quarter.
Only those residents who do not have a driveway are permitted to apply for these permits, as the Borough continues to jealously guard its right to ban automobiles from the streets overnight.
In a discussion of the ordinance at a meeting prior to its introduction, Councilman David Goldfarb said the cost of permits covers the expense of having the police department monitor the streets. He also defended the cost by pointing out that property owners who have a driveway have paid more for their property because of this advantage (and, presumably, pay more in property taxes).
Mr. Goldfarb also said that police don't want cars parked overnight on Borough streets. In past meetings, when the subject of overnight parking came up, Mayor Marvin Reed provided yet another reason to ban cars: Eliminating the ban on overnight parking on Borough streets, he has said, would lead to the streets being filled with cars owned by students at Princeton University.
The ordinance states that holders of overnight parking permits will be entitled to park overnight only on the Borough street on which they live. Martin Lombardo, a resident of Nassau Street near the intersection with Harrison Street, had come to an earlier meeting to request that handicapped individuals who live on streets where parking isn't allowed be permitted to park on another nearby street.
Language has since been added to the ordinance stating that Mayor and Council may grant an exception to allow a physically disabled resident to park on an adjacent street when such a resident lives on a street that does not permit any overnight parking. Only those residents who live in a house or apartment may apply for overnight permits to park on Borough Streets. Boarding houses, fraternity or sorority houses, hotels, and multi-family dwelling structures that contain ten or more units are excluded. Overnight permits are good from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.
The Borough also increased the rates on a number of other permits it issues. Permits to park on municipal lots, which are not restricted to residents without driveways, would go up from $10 a month to $25 a month. These permits can be used in the Tulane Street and Park Place East and West lots.
Residents may also apply for 24-hour parking permits at the Maclean Street lot. Currently $10 a month, the ordinance would raise these permits to $25 a month.
Parking is also available at the Maclean Street lot to employees of Princeton businesses. For $30 a month, an individual may park up to 12 hours a day in the lot. This fee will not change. Those residents who use the 24-hour lot on North Harrison Street and now pay a $10 monthly fee will see their cost rise to $25.
The ordinance also raises the fee for guest parking permits. Currently, residents may purchase guest permits that allow parking in municipal parking lots for $5 per week, with a limit of four weeks a year. The cost will rise to $10 per week, but residents will now be able to obtain six guest permits a year.
