Politics & Government

Board of Reps Votes on Changes to Parking Garage Hours, Fees

The Board of Reps voted Monday night to keep downtown parking garages open 24 hours a day on a trial basis.

The voted Monday night on an that would keep downtown parking garages open 24 hours a day on a trial basis, raise parking fees at St. John's parking lot during TV show tapings, and increase parking fees at Springdale and Glenbrook train stations.

The Board voted to test a 24-hour-a-day schedule for the Bell, Bedford and Summer Street parking garages, which currently close between midnight and 3 a.m., until June 30.

The plan, which was devised by Director of Operations Ernie Orgera, will look to increases in monthly permits supplied by the Stamford Downtown Special Services District for Bell, Bedford and Summer Street garages and downtown garage access for special events, such as Alive @ Five, to offset the costs of keeping the garages open.

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Members, however, voted to remove the section within the ordinance that would have raised the fee for St. John's parking lot behind the Stamford Media Center at the Rich Forum from $1 to $7 during television show tapings.

Board member Terry Adams (D-3), who is also a member of the Transportation Committee, requested its removal temporarily because he felt residents needed to know the exact schedule of the tapings that take place each day at the Stamford Media Center.

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The Board also voted Monday night to raise the fee for parking at Springdale and Glenbrook train stations from $3 to $5 a day. Members accepted an amendment that delays the implementation of the new fee until March 1, 2012 at the request of Board member Arthur Layton (R-17).

"I felt that if we could hold off on that effective date for a year, it would give me and other reps affected by this parking in Springdale and Glenbrook a chance to analyze the situation in more detail and determine whether we should go ahead with $5 rate or stick with the $3 rate," he said. "I felt that a year was enough time."

Members also voted to change the wording of city towing rules that would require officers to tow or immobilize vehicles with six or more parking citations.

When asked how many residents actually had outstanding parking citations that added up to more than six, Transportation Committee chair Robert "Gabe" DeLuca (R-14) said it was "enormous" amount.

"There are some [residents] with 30, 40, 60 tickets," he said. "If they go down and contest it, [the city] is willing to work with them. But to have people not contest it and to let them get away with not getting their cars towed, that's ridiculous."


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