HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – At Wednesday night’s study session at Holland City Hall, Council members were presented with a parking study from Walker Parking Consultants.
Those who took the study want to maintain free parking. The Holland Sentinel is reporting the term “employee abuse” came up as the study revealed that customer parking in Holland is being abused by employee parking.
WHTC listeners weighed in on the issue of whether or not to maintain free parking in Downtown Holland. ” I agree with parking issues and we’re going to have to do something sooner or later” one man said. A woman who called into the WHTC Morning News Show said, “I feel we are already paying for parking because of the higher prices at the businesses.”
Several options are on the table.
One option would enact three-hour weekday parking time limits on 603 spaces with human enforcement, and the other would have 39 multi-space “pay stations” installed along 7th, 8th and 9th streets, along with Columbia, College, Central and River avenues, and in municipal lots 7B, 7D, 9B, 9D and 9F.
A third option of “parking ambassadors” that emphasizes improved enforcement and education is being recommended by the DDA, the Principal Shopping District and the Parking Advisory Committee, with a review after one year of implementation to see its impact on alleviating parking congestion. Council is not expected to take any vote on the matter until early next year.
The study which is available online, would require a start up to the tune of $73,000 and an annual cost of $40,000, with no revenue.
-Gary Stevens contributed to this report.
