Before giving it final approval on Wednesday, Norfolk council made a few tweaks to the summertime paid parking program in Port Dover.
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At a council-in-committee meeting last week, councilors approved $4-an-hour paid parking in the Elmer Lewis parking lot on Main Street and parking lots on Clinton and Harbor Streets, from June 15 to Sept. 5 from 10 am to 6 p.m.
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On Wednesday, Mayor Amy Martin received support to eliminate paid parking in the Elmer Lewis lot and to add paid parking in angled spots on Harbor Street, east of the Port Dover Harbor Museum.
“After much community consultation and discussion with the business owners, I recognized there is a lack of interest in paid parking in the Elmer Lewis lot,” said Martin, adding she spent time considering other “compromises and solutions,” to the parking issue in the lakeside town.
“Ultimately, I think it is the position of staff that the merits of paid parking in Elmer Lewis would be so significantly diluted that it would offer little to no community benefit or improvement and, ultimately, that is the intent of paid parking.”
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Port Dover Coun. Adam Veri said he spent a day walking up and down Main Street asking business owners what they thought of the paid parking plan.
“I talked to 20 business owners and all of them were concerned about Elmer Lewis, but it wasn’t just Elmer Lewis, there was still concerned about having it (paid parking) in general.”
At its council-in-committee meeting, councilors heard from some Port Dover business owners who said the paid parking program – which began as a two-year pilot in 2022 – had a devastating impact on them. Andrew Schneider, who owns the iconic Erie Beach Hotel and The Arbor, said the parking pilot program “is killing business in the beach area of Port Dover.”
That had an impact on Coun. Kim Huffman who said on Wednesday she didn’t want any paid parking in Port Dover.
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“I feel very strongly that we have reputable, long-term businesses that have provided us detailed information regarding 20 to 30 per hundred decreases in business,” said Huffman.
There were no changes to the paid parking plans for Turkey Point and Long Point where the charge will also be $4 an hour from June 15 to Sept. 5 from 10 am to 6 pm There will be two “pick-up spaces” with free 15 -minute parking set up in the beachfront area in Turkey Point.
During its two-year paid parking pilot program, Norfolk County net about $150,000. County staff recommended the program become permanent.
Martin said council now has a plan for this year but needs to have more discussion about a long-term parking solution for Port Dover.
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“While it’s not about revenue, we also have a responsibility to the taxpayer to try and offset some of the costs related to tourism and parking. It’s also our responsibility to plan strategically for the future. We can’t identify a parking solution by doing the same thing and expecting something to change.”
Huffman said she felt the focus shifted from the original intent – the “movement of parking spaces down by the beach.”
“I hate to leave revenue on the table, and I do want to be responsible to the taxpayers, but I believe the harm done to the community is worth more than the dollars and cents.”
At the request of Martin, council also agreed to direct county staff to investigate installation of a “turnkey” parking lot – which would already be paved and have lighting and other infrastructure in place — on county-owned land, including the lot at the former Doverwood Public School on Hamilton Plank Road. In addition, council directed staff to look into whether Ride Norfolk could provide shuttle services during the paid parking season.
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