60% Jump in Residential Parking Fees Before Council

On the Berkeley City Council agenda for April 2 is a staff recommendation to increase residential parking permit fees by an average of 60 percent effective July 1.

The fee for an annual permit for residents would jump to $55 from $34.50. Merchants would see a new fee of $182, up from $114. The fee for a 14-day visitor permit would rise to $37, up from $23.

The council will hold a public hearing on the proposal before considering action.

"In January 2013 Council recommended that the City Manager review Berkeley’s Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) Program fees and develop a fee structure that would result in a cost-neutral operation of the RPP Program," according to the staff report from City Manager Christine Daniel and Public Works Director Andrew Clough.

"Subsequently, the staff performed an evaluation of the current costs of the RPP program and the revenue it generates, and concluded that in order to operate a cost-neutral RPP Program at the current level, the fees would need to be increased by approximately 60%," the report says. 

The 33-year-old parking permit program bans parking for those without permits for more than two hours in the city's residential permit areas, except for some streets around Trader Joe's.

The staff report is attached to this article.

The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in council chambers.

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