Councilors agree paid parking proposal is a work in progress that needs lots of work

City Councilor Chuck Creteau was one of many councilors who had questions and concerns over the proposed parking rates in the downtown (City of Rochester screenshot)

ROCHESTER - City councilors had many questions during their first up close and personal look at the Parking Commission's preliminary plans for moving forward with paid parking in the downtown during Tuesday's City Council workshop.
The focus of much of the discussion was on the preservation of some free 15-minute parking spaces throughout the downtown to allow customers easy access to merchants that rely on those customers to help their bottom lines.
Economic Development Director Mike Scala said the urgent need for some form of parking regulation was in part necessitated by the influx of residents to the downtown as a result of several new apartment buildings in recent years.

Fines proposed by parking commission (City of Rochester screenshot)

Scala said some of these new residents try to game the system by moving their cars every couple of hours, or whenever they see a parking enforcement officer turn the corner.
"We don't know how many scofflaws there are, but it's a problem," Scala said.

Mayor Chuck Grassie agreed that such behavior is out there, noting that he came through downtown early in the morning many hours before most stores were open to find every space on North Main Street taken.
City Councilor Chuck Creteau said he'd been talking to business owners and many were concerned with the new proposal.
He expressed dismay that a fine of $40 was proposed for anyone who overstayed their paid parking time, even if by only a minute or two.
"That seem like a pretty steep fine for a couple of minutes," he said.
He also asked whether it was fair for City Hall employees to get free parking, while downtown business owners and their employees would all have to pay for theirs.
The method of payment for parking would be through debit or credit cards or through mobile apps prompting Creteau to ask if that was fair for senior citizens who may not be tech savvy.
Deputy Mayor David Walker suggested that the Parking Commission should start with a test walkout of 15-minute spaces on Hanson and North Main streets and see if that frees up spaces before doing a full rollout of the proposed program.
Tuesday's discussion was just the beginning of the conversation about where Rochester should go with paid parking.
It won't be till late this fall when the city will likely seek to begins some form of paid parking in the downtown.
Grassie said it could very well go to committee to fine-tune what will ultimately go back to City Council for a final vote late this year.