New Technology Would Aid Enforcement, Free up Spots, District Leader Tells Council
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—A proposal to increase parking availability and decrease “meter feeding” in downtown Englewood’s business district was presented by the new special improvement district (SID) chair at the Dec. 18 City Council meeting.
The $63,000 proposal to install 74 state-of-the-art high-tech parking meters over two blocks in the city’s business district will be reviewed by council members and Englewood’s chief financial officer, following a presentation by Albert Krull, the city’s SID leader.
Krull said both the former Englewood Economic Development Committee, which served as steward for the downtown district for four decades, and current SID have undertaken parking surveys and arrived at similar conclusions.
Krull said between about Humphrey Street and Nathaniel Place (two streets nearly opposite each other on the south and north sides of East Palisade Avenue) and up to Dean Street, the district wants to install 74 high-tech parking meters on both sides, which should “make enforcement easier.”
“You will not be able to feed the meters—at least we’re proposing that—along the Palisade [Avenue] corridor,” said Krull.
Krull said the meters will be Wi-Fi-enabled, solar-powered, take cash and credit, and user-friendly.
Krull said it would cost more to upgrade the current meters than replace them. Along with the high-tech meters, Krull said new signage would be created that would communicate the current parking ordinances in effect.
Police, DPW ‘on board’
Krull said he hoped to get the new meters installed in early 2019, “if we can,” and said that the police and public works departments are “both 100 percent on board with this change in technology.”
In addition to $63,000 to install the first phase of 74 meters, Krull said “minor fees involved, monthly fees” of approximately $685 for Wi-Fi and credit card usage.
“We’re going to leave it to the council to discuss further implementation and we hope to hear back in January,” Krull said.
The improvement district would pay for the new meters out of its budget and anticipates by 2020 to be reimbursed by meter revenues and the city for initial installation costs.
Only Councilwoman Cheryl Rosenberg asked a question regarding city reimbursement for the installation of downtown parking meters, which is planned to include the entire downtown business district in 2019. The improvement district will evaluate “the first phase” of meter installation in early 2019, Krull said.
Krull said the “smart meter” being considered is from IPS Group, San Diego, Calif., although a specific meter was not yet selected for the upgrading.
Parking revenues up?
On its website, IPS Group notes its “fully-integrated products [are] proven to increase city revenue” by 20 to 30 percent.
It states smart meters enhance cash flow by allowing customers to pay with cash, credit card and various mobile technology applications; increase revenue by greater parking space turnover; and boost parking enforcement by clearly indicating remaining time and meter expiration.
In addition, smart meters offer a “mobile enforcement solution” that alerts authorities via an app when meters expire and vehicles remain parked, increasing enforcement and revenue generation, says the website.
CFO should review
Before further council consideration, City Manager Ed Hynes suggested Chief Financial Officer Michael Kaufmann review the parking meter proposal financing and Council President Wayne Hamer agreed.
Reached Dec. 26, Kaufmann said he had not yet seen a parking meter proposal and that he had questions about it.
He said in 2017, city parking meters generated $564,000 in revenue, and that meter revenues help fund the city’s budget.
Other recommendations Krull mentioned included a proposed $190,000 improvement for a 39-space parking lot on William Street and installation of a pay station for parking there instead of meters.
Also, he said repairs to the Wi-Fi system in use downtown were ongoing because the system is “slow at this point and very spotty.”
Krull was appointed improvement district chair in February 2018, when a new entity replaced the former Englewood Economic Development Committee, the city’s downtown improvement district for 40 years.
That improvement district was disbanded following years of disputes and disagreements over district priorities and lack of communication with a council liaison.
In addition, former Mayor Frank Huttle appointed nearly all 15 EEDC members, another source of friction with council members.
Krull is a property management and development director with TREECO, an Englewood-based real estate company that owns properties in northeastern urban and suburban locations, including shopping centers, mixed-use properties, grocery stores, medical facilities, industrial properties and big-box retailers.
The new entity provided its first public update since brief February and July presentations to the City Council.
Krull noted the district planted 38 trees in planters downtown over spring and summer months to help beautify the area.
The district’s approximate $250,000 annual budget is approved by City Council members, and going into 2018, carried over $600,000 collected from its yearly tax on business owners in the improvement district.
