Worrying about feeding a parking meter for people dining in downtown Waukegan, or sitting in a Lake County courtroom waiting for their case to come before a judge, will soon be able to increase their payment on their smartphone while remaining where they are.
Installation of modernized meters on the streets and pay stations in municipal parking lots is scheduled to start in full Wednesday in downtown Waukegan, though crews were putting some in place Tuesday.
The Waukegan City Council unanimously approved revisions to the city’s parking regulations Monday at City Hall so they comport with the modernized meters and pay stations, while another proposed parking rule seasonalizing alternate side of the street parking died in committee.
“The new meters will help modernize our city,” Mayor Ann Taylor said after the meeting. “This will make parking downtown much easier, especially for the younger generation. You can pay using your phone. You can do it where you are, so you don’t have to run outside.”
Parkers can continue to pay with coins, but they can also use a credit card or a phone app. Taylor said the cost of parking will not change. The only difference will be a variety of payment methods, and not being concerned about how much change one has.
“It fits the lifestyle of today’s residents,” Taylor said. “Not everyone carries quarters anymore.”
City Attorney Stewart Weiss said the new regulations add additional methods of payment and make other changes so operation and enforcement of the rules will remain in accordance with city law. Though meters are installed, enforcement will not start until Aug. 15.
Once a driver leaves a parking space, Weiss said the meter automatically returns to displaying no time remaining. People can no longer take advantage of unused time.
Ald. Roudell Kirkwood, 4th Ward, wanted to know what accommodations will be made for people working in downtown Waukegan. He wanted to be sure it was consistent for all businesses. Weiss said permits will be issued for workers.
“The first four (hours) will be free,” Weiss said. “After that, there will be a charge. That will work through parking enforcement.”
Pay stations were installed at the railroad station in July. Now both meters and pay stations are going downtown. Meters will be used for street parking, while pay stations will be in the city-operated lots. License plate numbers are entered for pay stations.
The lots in downtown Waukegan are at Clayton and County streets, Clayton and Sheridan Road and at Sheridan and Water Street. There is also a 688-space parking garage at the corner of Grand Avenue and County.
The City Council approved a $973,623, five-year lease for the new meters and pay stations in September. David Motley, the city’s director of public relations, said in May when all payments are made, the city will own the meters.
Both the new regulations and a proposed ordinance by Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward, to only require residents to park on alternate sides of the street between Nov. 30 and April 1 were discussed in a meeting of the Community Development Committee prior to the council meeting.
“We’re not moving snow or collecting leaves in the spring and summer,” Turner said. “There is no reason to require it then.”
Turner was the only alderman voting to move the ordinance to the full council. His colleagues wanted to maintain consistent all year so residents knew what to expect. Ald. Gregory Moisio, 3rd Ward, said changes like this have gone back and forth over the years.
“We should leave it the way it is right now,” Moisio said. “With the present state of what we’re working on now, parking is way down the list.
Now people must park on the even side of the street on even days of the month, and the odd side on odd days between midnight and noon.
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