TANEYTOWN, Md. — Something is missing along Main Street in Taneytown---the parking meters, and George Mechling noticed it as he headed into the Stone House Cakery and Café.
“I got out with my quarters and had no place to put them so pleasant surprise,” said Mechling, “Yes, I was kind of wondering, ‘Am I gonna get in trouble now?’”
Mayor Chris Miller says a comprehensive survey last year suggested one of the primary reasons people may be hesitant to shop in the city’s business district was the hassle of paying to park or risk getting a ticket when many people don’t even carry change anymore.
Taneytown removing parking meters
“The biggest purpose there is just to make it more convenient for customers to come in,” said Miller, “They’ve just got to park; go into the business; do their shopping. You don’t have to worry about feeding the meter. Don’t have to worry about getting a ticket.”
While the city is giving up an estimated $8,000 a year in parking revenue, the mayor says it also frees up one of the few police officers the city has on duty at any given time who previously had to collect the coins from the meters and issue tickets.
Still, some of the business owners, like Stone House’s Leah Carey, have mixed opinions over the new meter less approach.
“I think it’s good to bring customers in so that way they don’t have to worry about paying the parking meters,” said Carey, “but we’ve definitely noticed that there’s cars parked out front there all week long so now my customers are having to park down the street.”
The mayor says if non-patrons continue to cash in on the free parking at the customers’ expense, the city is prepared to address that as well.
“If somehow we’re seeing every parking spot filled,” said Miller, “You know, businesses aren’t seeing enough turnover in their spots, the next thing is going to be to go to two-hour parking signs and then start enforcement from there.”
