From Staff Reports

HENDERSONVILLE — A range of minor adjustments are being considered for downtown Hendersonville’s parking system, following the unveiling of an evaluation of the first three months of paid parking there during  a workshop meeting of Hendersonville City Council on June 28.

While the change to paid parking has largely met revenue projections, city staff and elected officials have reported receiving numerous complaints about the cost and the age-unfriendliness of the kiosks and parking app. Also, some citizens have said the system makes downtown a less “leisurely” experience.

To that end, Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle presented a report to council on the ups and downs of the first three months of the paid parking system, including “what shopkeepers, restaurateurs and other business-owners are saying and what the city could do to improve the parking system,” the Hendersonville Lightning reported on July 9.

“Besides raising enough money to cover the debt service for the city’s new parking deck, one aim of the downtown metering was to move employees off Main Street,” the Lighting also noted.

“We also wanted to create an easy-to-use system with different options for payment from cash to card to phone to permit,” Pahle said, according to the Lightning. “We wanted to create more permit activity and we wanted to maintain an active business district.

“Of those, I think... three, we’ve done really well out of the gate. We’re really working through the technical bugs in the use of the system. I guess the jury’s out on maintaining an active business district. There are varying opinions across town of what that means.”

The downtown parking system reportedly generated an average of $66,473 a month in March, April and May, with Pahle noting that the downtown meters, parking deck and parking permits for surface lots off Main Street have performed close to the projections by the City of Hendersonville and its consultant.

“We’re right on pace to make the revenue model currently,” the Lightning quoted Pahle as saying. The newspaper added that, “In month-by-month projections, June and July are tied for second, at $72,028; October is the highest, at $91,324.”

What’s more, the Lightning reported that “the parking deck generated revenue during Garden Jubilee, when Main Street was blocked off and meters weren’t used. The city is projecting a similar surge in parking deck use during the four-day N.C. Apple Festival as well.”

During the Downtown Advisory Council’s public input meeting, which was held June 13 and included the participation of city staffers — to review parking system data, air problems and float possible solutions — about 25 business-owners showed up “to let it all out there,” according to the Lightning — and two weeks later, council debated and then voted on changes that it hopes will fix the problems.

“We’re hearing business is hurting,” Pahle was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “We’re also hearing at the same time some people are attributing (a downturn) to other economic factors related to interest rates and the national economy — and that other community businesses might be ‘down’ outside of Hendersonville that aren’t a parking meter type area.”

The Lightning added, “A widely shared view was that it’s confusing to offer the first hour free in the parking deck — and first half-hour free on Main Street and the avenues. 

“A (Henderson County) Chamber of Commerce committee recommended eliminating the free parking increments entirely and using the money that generates to invest in other improvements.

“But Pahle said services like real estate and insurance offices and restaurants’ takeout business are benefiting from the free time.”

The Lightning quoted Pahle as saying, “Now they’re able to come in under 30 minutes and get out and sign some paperwork for real estate — or something like that.”

What’s more, the newspaper noted, “Using the electronic payment screens, or Parkmobile app, has been frustrating for some patrons.”

To that end, the newspaper quoted Pahle as asserting, “We’ve heard we need to make payments easier. Ideas have been floated from volunteer ambassadors to some store-owners, adopting an ‘adopt a kiosk’ mindset, where they go out and help people with kiosks that are in front of their store. We’ve heard it’s hurting the first seating (at restaurants). We’ve also heard other dinner numbers are up, so it’s kind of a mixed bag there.

“We’ve heard it needs to be a more age-friendly system. We’ve heard some businesses will go under,” otherwise.

At least seven other potential tweaks of the city’s downtown parking system were recommended.

Meanwhile, Hendersonville City Council  “may take up some short-term solution as early as next month (August),” the newspaper reported. 

“Taking up potential long-term solutions, including modifying enforcement hours, lowering the parking rate and instituting south-end permits, is probably a year off,” the Lightning story concluded.