The second of three public hearings on the City of Columbus' Short North parking plan is scheduled to be held at 5:30 Thursday evening at the Junior Achievement offices on East Second Avenue.
Jim Letizia reports.
The city plans to launch a three-year pilot program to help solve Short North parking problems in January. City Council is expected to vote later this month on the plan giving the Department of Public Service the authority to set parking rates and launch the pilot program. Problems have been dogging the Short North for years, with residents saying they can’t park near their homes, and visitors having trouble finding available space. Under the plan, the neighborhoods on both sides of High Street would be divided into zones where permit holders could park for as long as they want if they pay a fee. Anyone lacking a permit would have to pay 1 dollar an hour during the day and two-fifty in the evening. They would have to move their vehicles every six hours during the day and every three hours in the evening. Neighborhoods farther from High Street would have free parking for drivers lacking permits. A third public meeting will be held on July 19th at 5:30 pm inside of City Hall. The plan is posted on the Public Service Department's website.
ETA: The July 13th and July 19th meetings on Short North parking have been canceled. According to a letter from City of Columbus Department of Public Service Director Jennifer Gallagher, "it appears that more more work is needed to gain consensus among the parties impacted."
