Features

Transportation Panel to Consider Higher Lot Fee, More Meter Time By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday November 15, 2005

Downtown parking, perhaps Berkeley’s favorite complaint subject after George W. Bush and the Bush administration, tops the agenda for Thursday night’s meeting of the Transportation Commission. 

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the North Berkeley Senior Center at 1901 Hearst Ave. 

Commission Chair Rob Wrenn said the first item will consider raising the Oxford parking lot flat rate evening fee from the current $2 to the same $5 rate charged at the city’s downtown parking structures. 

“I came downtown one Saturday night and I noticed that people were wrapped around the corner at Oxford street waiting to get into the lot, even though the sign said it was full,” said Wrenn. “When I drove to the Center Street parking structure there was no one there and I was able to find a parking spot right away.” 

Wrenn said it didn’t make sense to him that the city should be charging two different rates, so he has scheduled the hearing to consider charging the same, higher fee at the Oxford Street lot. 

The second hearing, scheduled at the request of the Downtown Berkeley Association (DBA), will consider expanding the time limits on the new downtown “pay and display” meters that have seemingly resolved the city’s long-standing problems with meter vandalism. 

DBA Executive Director Deborah Badhia said her organization is still formulating its position on whether the maximum time allowed should be 90 minutes or two hours. 

“Hardly anyone can do anything downtown and be in and out in an hour,” the current maximum parking time allowed at the new pay stations, Badhia said, “Whether it’s a chiropractic appointment or a shopping trip or even a lunch.” 

A longer time limit would place the downtown on a more even footing with North Shattuck Avenue’s Gourmet Ghetto and other shopping areas in the city, she said. 

The final decision on both proposals will be made by the City Council. 

While it’s not on Thursday’s agenda, Wrenn said the city should also look at raising meter rates to be more in line with other cities in the Bay Area. 

Meter parking in and around the San Francisco urban core costs from $2.50 to $3 an hour, with a $2.50 rate at Fisherman’s Wharf and $1.50 in other areas of the city. 

Oakland charges $1.25 at meters in the central business district and $1 in other areas. 

The Berkeley rate? Seventy-five cents an hour. 

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