By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Berlin’s new parking lot, planned for the corner of West and Washington Streets, will be pay-to-park and utilize the smartphone app ParkMobile. Potential rates have yet to be finalized.

This week, the Berlin Town Council unanimously agreed to enter into a contract with ParkMobile. This app-based parking system will allow the municipality to set a fee structure for the new 2.13-acre lot on the west side of West Street. Customers will go onto their app and pay accordingly, said Councilman Jay Knerr, the point of contact with the parking business.

The fees for the parking site have yet to be decided, but Knerr said that a few scenarios have been discussed. For instance, the town may opt to make the lot free during the week, $1.50/hour on the weekend, and $4/hour during events. Visitors can see how much they are being charged directly on their ParkMobile app.

“The town has control of the rates and can change them on the fly,” Knerr said.

The agreement requires ParkMobile to receive $0.20 per transaction plus 3% of the total transaction. Furthermore, the customer will incur a $0.40 on-demand user fee per transaction.

The councilman added that the town’s cut of ParkMobile revenue will go to the parking lot fund, which would service the new lot and others in Berlin.

“It’s profitable for [ParkMobile] and us,” Knerr said.

According to Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall, while the parking system is app-based, there will be other ways to pay for a spot.

“There is the ability to call or text,” he said. “You don’t just have to have a smartphone.”

Furthermore, in the contract, ParkMobile gives the town the right to use its software, which tracks the amount of money coming in and lets police officers know who has paid and who has not.

The contract was approved by the Berlin Town Council this week.

Following the motion’s passage, Councilman Steve Green initiated a discussion concerning the status of the new lot.

According to Public Works Director Jimmy Charles, his team expects to be able to park around 80 cars in the grass lot for the annual bathtub races, scheduled for Friday, June 20. The crew is gearing up to install entrance and exit signs within the next week or two to “keep a general flow of in off of [West Street] and exiting to [Washington Street].”

Charles added that he is considering placing extra cones and barricades along the street to control excessive on-street parking.

“We might limit a little bit of the on-street parking to provide … a path on West Street so multiple vehicles can travel on West Street, not just the single lane, which could happen if too many people are on the street,” Charles said.

Green noted that when the new lot opens, he would like to see street parking on West Street from Board to Washington streets completely eliminated.

Tyndall agreed but prefers to wait for town staff to evaluate parking patterns. The mayor suggested the council engage in a discussion at its first meeting in July before making any final decisions on West Street parking.

“I don’t want us to blanket something without getting the full perspective,” Tyndall maintained.

Green responded that he understood that perspective, but he worries about vehicles being able to access the lot with cars lined up on West Street.

“I worry about people being able to get into the lot,” Green said. “I know I wouldn’t be able to make that turn in my truck to get into the lot if people are parking where they are parking now.”

The mayor amended that before the council can create a plan of action, the entry and egress points could be denoted as no parking to ensure a manageable distance for access into the lot.

“We’ll aim for the first meeting in July to have a more comprehensive discussion about the narrow streets in that area,” Tyndall added.

Following those conversations, parking changes will likely be made in the areas of Washington and West streets.

The new parking lot was conceived out of the Town of Berlin’s historic struggle to provide visitors and residents with enough parking, particularly during crowded events.

To address this challenge, the Berlin Mayor and Council entered into a 10-year deal with William Esham, Jr., to lease a vacant 2.13-acre lot on the west side of West Street. The space will supply roughly 110 spots. The property’s grass surface will remain during the lot’s first year.

The lot’s concept plan came before the Berlin Planning Commission last month, where Knerr hinted at the eventual use of ParkMobile. At that time, the commission members expressed concern that if the space charges visitors a fee, it would exacerbate congestion issues, as people may scour neighborhoods for free spots. Knerr noted that West Street and the rear side of Washington could be designated as resident-only parking.

These decisions have yet to be cemented, but new parking patterns will likely be enforced later this summer.