Unlimiteddowntownparking could end in Westport

Jul. 26—"This would be a first step in reevaluating what our parking should look like downtown," First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said at the recent meeting.

This isn't the first time parking has arisen as a concern downtown. Parker Harding Plaza was in talks to be revitalized, but the proposal was postponed in June after public pushback over the reduced parking spaces.

The timed parking limit enforcement was suspended on June 10, 2020 to encourage people to go to downtown businesses during phased reopenings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town Operations Director Tom Kiely said parking was different than it is today, and bringing back those time limits should make downtown more efficient, as it discourages longterm parking.

Westport Police Staff Corporal Al D'Amura said the police fully support the change, and traffic units would focus on the enforcement.

Each of the downtown lots have different types of parking spaces, ranging from one- to two-hour parking, all day, 15-minute and elderly, he said.

D'Amura said covers would be removed from various signs downtown that list the parking hours of certain spots, with enforcement starting Sept. 1.

"We do have to take the Band-Aid off and figure it out and move on," D'Amura said.

However, multiple business owners and residents had issues with returning to the previous system.

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Some of the people who spoke at Wednesday's meeting said other things should be done instead to address the parking issues downtown. Suggestions included adding paid parking, reconfiguring where certain people park, like employees, using a parking app and some changing all of the spaces to three-hour parking

Tooker said the issue is that there is not enough of a turnover rate with parking, as people are often staying all day.

Kiely said downtown merchants were notified of the changes through Westport Downtown Association President Maxxwell Crowley and Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Matthew Mandell.

D'Amura added emails will be sent out and information will be posted to the town and police websites about the parking changes and where to find certain types of spaces.

Tess Gordon, a resident who works at J. Crew, asked where downtown employees would park with a change like the one proposed, and D'Amura said it would be in the all-day parking areas. He does not recommend they park at Town Hall, but at an area like the Baldwin Lot.

Patrick Jean, owner of Nomade, said when he was an owner of a previous restaurant in town, he saw customers complain about getting tickets while eating as his restaurant.

He said in his travels, he has seen other places where people can pay with their phone, and receive a text when their time limit is approaching. If they want, they can add more time. He recommended something like this in Westport.

Mandell said he doesn't like paid parking, as he believes it separates Westport from its surrounding communities.

"Why go to Westport versus the mall? It's free. Come, enjoy our outdoor world," he said.

After hearing from residents, Tooker said they may change the regulations to have more three-hour parking downtown.

The selectwomen also postponed the overall timed-parking decision was postponed to the Aug. 16 meeting after the feedback from residents and officials.