Brattleboro Parking System’s Impact On Downtown Business

Isaac Evans-Frantz made some good points about the parking system and downtown business at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting. His points deserve underlining and emphasis because he latched on to some logical flaws of the current parking system, and hinted heavily that it might be really harming downtown business.

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Isaac began by asking why, if there was a deficit in the parking fund, would the board consider offering any free parking at all during holidays.

Peter Case and Elizabeth McLoughlin chimed in quickly – to increase business! The more shopping, the more businesses do well and the more 1% LOST (local option sales tax) comes to the town.

Isaac asked again in a different way, just to be certain. “Is there any data showing us that increasing free parking increases revenue to businesses?”

Yes, said Liz.

He continued: “If free parking increases business, and the data backs it up, why not have free parking all year round?”

No one had an answer for that, so Isaac offered up the most common objection himself. “One reason we hear to have parking enforcement is to stimulate parking turnover.” He asked if offering free parking at the holidays would also mean no parking enforcement on those days.

Liz said she trusted that people would not clog up spots. “I would anticipate residents and visitors at the holidays would not abuse it.”

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Let’s repeat: The board knows that free parking increases businesses and revenue to the town, and feels people could be trusted not to abuse clogging up spots.

The Downtown Business Alliance said that downtown merchants were unanimously in favor of free Sunday parking, They notice more business, golly gee whiz Batman, on days when parking is free.

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The idea that downtown residents clog up spaces is a story that took hold decades ago and has not been shaken off, despite major changes to living and shopping downtown.

Meters pre-date my arrival but we were told (back around 2000) that the parking system was necessary because downtown residents would take free spaces and use them all day long, blocking people from shopping. I’m sure that was true when meters first went in.

Back then, the Brooks House had many more downtown apartments and residents than now. There were apartment buildings on Elliot Street and Flat Street that are no longer there. The numbers of potential residents who could use up spaces has dropped. There aren’t as many apartments to move in and out of as there used to be.

The parking garage was added after the complaints of downtown residents clogging things up. Susan Bellville noted at the selectboard meeting that most downtown residents use the parking garage now for their parking because it is covered. (Older folks might recall that the parking garage was partially “sold” to the public with a promise of additional low income housing in that area, but that is a different story.)

The downtown parking system was put in place before internet-shopping, and Walmart across the river, too. Shoppers are looking for the products they want at good prices obtainable quickly without much hassle. Brattleboro’s parking system is a hassle compared to clicking “buy now” on a phone and having something delivered to your door overnight, or easy parking in a giant free lot.

The idea that residents clog things up downtown is decades old, and comes from a time before the parking garage was built, before the town lost a lot of downtown housings and residents, and before online shopping was a viable alternative option.

The current system is addressing problems that might not exist anymore.

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I love downtown and would love to park and shop but since the new system went in, I don’t feel like I even know how to park there anymore.

I think it goes something like: Find a spot, then go look for a kiosk somewhere, then go back and find a pen and paper to write down my license plate number, then go back to the kiosk, then enter the zone code and the license plate number. Maybe I have to pay by credit card, or an app, or coin? And if it is hot, or snowing, or raining…

I can’t be the only one. I drive through town now and see LOTS of empty spaces almost every day.

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Dick Degray mentioned going to seacoast towns in Maine and not minding paying $6 an hour for parking. Sure, that’s fine for a tourist visit to an expensive tourist location, but how willing would anyone be willing to pay $6 an hour every day of the year? To go to downtown and not a resort area? Apples are being compared to oranges.

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Brattleboro’s confusing parking system is designed to address problems from long ago, and in its current form causes a measurable decrease in downtown business. It costs millions each year to keep going, too.

Isaac was right to ask why we are hitting ourselves.

It is now time for downtown businesses to make up their minds… would free parking increase your business or would it clog the streets with scofflaw tenants? It can’t be both. The evidence points toward free parking helping your bottom line.