Old Orchard Beach has approved a measure that will allow it to add, if it chooses, seasonal metered parking after business hours at the Old Orchard Beach Town Hall. CHRIS JORDAN/Journal Tribune
Street-side parking in downtown Old Orchard Beach is metered during the summer tourist season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The town also charges parking fees at lots at Milliken Street and Veterans Park during this time.
Last year, the town made some changes to the local parking ordinance that included allowing residents with seasonal parking permits to park at the Town Hall parking lot after business hours.
Parking at the Town Hall parking lots is free for those conducting business during the hours of Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays until 6 p.m.
Town staff suggested adding metered parking at the Town Hall parking lots, which would allow residents and visitors to purchase a parking pass for up to two hours at a pay station and use the pass at the Town Hall lots.
“The reason that staff is suggesting bringing forth this change is because for most of the evenings and weekends last summer the lots were fairly empty,” said Town Manager Larry Mead at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting. Mead said residents who purchased seasonal parking permits tended to use them for street-side parking or at the other town lots.
The Town Council voted four to one to approve to change the town ordinance language to allow the option for metered parking at the Town Hall lots. Mead said though this gives the town the option to have metered parking at Town Hall lots, this does not mandate allowing metered parking at the lots this year. He said the town can decide to not allow paid parking at Town Hall lots this year and decide to begin the practice another year.
Town Councilor Michael Tousignant voted against the measure, as he said he wasn’t sure the added revenue from metered parking would pay the up to $11,000 needed for an additional parking pay kiosk.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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