CARBONDALE - For just over two weeks, city residents have been learning to carry change.
For the first time since 2005, parking meters in the downtown area are operational, a move that has drawn mixed reviews from those who park in the city. A quarter buys 15 minutes on the meter.
"Before, you couldn't get a parking spot," said Donna Zaremba, who owns downtown business Art Strands Jewelry and Gifts.
Before the addition of new meters, cars frequently parked in spots for hours or even all day, which made it difficult for shopkeepers and customers to find a place to park near stores. There were few cars on the street Wednesday; like with any change, Ms. Zaremba said, it will just take time.
"It's definitely an adjustment, and we all have to get used to it," she said, noting that the meters were affecting business owners and customers alike.
Next door at Rose-Al Studios, Ruthanne Jones, who has been a Carbondale resident for the past five years, said the area has been less congested since the meters were activated, but she had a positive outlook.
"This way, there is plenty of parking in front of businesses," she said. "We're a small town. We don't have many parking lots."
Her one concern was how the meters would change the leisurely nature of the shopping area downtown.
"It's constricting the flow of the experience of shopping in a small town," she said, speaking of feeding the meter and watching the clock. "It's like you're stepping back in time, rather than the frenetic hustle and bustle you would find at a mall."
Like Ms. Zaremba, though, she agreed that residents and businesses would adjust to the new parking meters.
"We'll just have to be patient. It will take time," she said. "I think we'll see a very big difference when the hotel is active."
Spaces behind City Hall that were made available for monthly rental were already all taken, Mayor Justin Taylor said, adding that city council was in the process of approving an ordinance to create residential parking passes.
He believes the meters will be a benefit to the community overall. He expects the meters to result in a $27,000 net profit, beginning with the first year they are used. Though he said the intent was not to penalize residents or rack up tickets, he said the revenue will be significant. One mill in taxes is about $35,000, so the meters could factor into a decision to keep taxes down.
"We're trying to look at transitioning costs to user fees," he explained, listing increased permit fees as an example.
He hopes that such measures will allow the city to meet its needs without levying a tax on all residents. He also hopes the meters will keep parking open for potential customers, citing a study that showed shoppers were willing to walk no more than two minutes to arrive at a destination.
The meters are in effect Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Saturday hours will not be enforced until the new year, Mr. Taylor noted.
Parking fines start at $15 if paid within 24 hours. After that, the fee increases to $30, though specific violations have a higher price. A handicap parking violation is $75, no matter how quickly it's paid. Citations will be sent to a magisterial district judge after three days of nonpayment.
Not all of the meters have been installed yet, but the final count will be about 250.
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter