6/26/14 - A shortage of parking due to the popularity of downtown businesses is a problem many cities would love to have, and thatâs the issue facing Brighton city planners these days. But Brighton Downtown Development Authority Director Matt Modrack said at a downtown parking informational meeting Tuesday, that â good or bad - itâs still a problem. Brighton has about 600 downtown parking lot spaces available â not counting on-street, curbside spots, and there are times â particularly evenings and weekends â when people have to go around the various parking lots three times or more to find a spot to park. Modrack and downtown merchants exchanged various ideas for restricting parking in certain hours, such as possible enforcement mechanisms with a part-time enforcement officer and intensifying efforts to force employees to park in areas farther away from the choice spaces. In particular, downtown Brighton has become a mecca for dining, with about 25 downtown eating establishments. Those who come downtown more to dine than shop are typically concentrated in the late afternoon and evening hours, Thursdays through Sundays. However, Modrack says itâs important not to forget that the bread-and-butter of any successful downtown is retail. As such, he says the needs of retailers should always be kept uppermost in mind when planning to meet future parking needs. A DDA subcommittee was formed a year ago to identify downtown parking problems and priorities, and Modrack tells WHMI the next step for the subcommittee and himself will be amending the preliminary parking document and holding at least one more public meeting. One aspect of parking the subcommittee is seriously exploring is establishment of a set of revised parking rules and regulations which would need to be approved by City Council in order to give the City Police Department enforcement authority. Added to that would be the possible hiring of a part-time enforcement officer whose salary, Modrack says, would be paid by the DDA. He says the enforcement officer would NOT be issuing tickets, but merely giving reminders to people to follow the directives of the signs, such as those specified for short-term parking. The second informational meeting will be held Friday at 8 a.m. in council chambers of city hall and merchants, business owners, and the general public are invited to give input. The information gathered at the meetings will be converted into a final draft document for approval by the DDA Board and City Council sometime between now and the end of the year. (TT)
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