Wickenden Street Businesses Oppose City’s Plan to Install Parking Meters

Friday, February 26, 2016

GoLocalProv Business Team

Photo: Ken Hawkins/flickr

The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) and the Wickenden Area Merchants Association (WAMA) are opposing the plan by the City of Providence to install parking meters along the shopping district in 2016.

“Wickenden Street is composed of basically mixed-use properties in a commercial district, which are assessed as commercial, the highest rate $36.75 per thousand. We are already paying 12% more tax than the other landlords with residential tenants pay. That is more than our fair share of the tax burden," said Stephen Doyle, a Wickenden Street property owner and former merchant.

News of the impending action, which surprised members of both organizations, was mentioned by Councilman Seth Yurdin at FPNA's February 8 board meeting.

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“This was bad news and a surprise to everyone in WAMA. I sent an email to the mayor's office requesting information about their plans and was told that the City Parking Administrator (Leo Perotta) felt it was too early to be presenting plans since the ‘meters wouldn't be installed until the Spring. It definitely kind of felt like the plan was already in place, and that meeting with us would be a formality or afterthought. It was as if our input wasn't important and wouldn't be considered relevant,” said Vince Scorziello, president of WAMA and a board member of FPNA says.

Meters Effecting Business

There are multiple businesses that rent parking lots in back of Wickenden Street on Alves Way in order to ease a limited parking situation. Scorziello believes putting parking meters in would take business away from Providence.

“Every store now on the street has built their business model with the current parking structure in mind. If the City decides to proceed with this plan, these parking meters could be the tipping point on whether some of us stay open or fold," said Scorziello.

Other concerns include the meters pushing shoppers to park on side streets where residents would normally park.

“We got the City to put in signs several years ago that limited parking on side streets between the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. These signs deterred the nine-to-fivers from parking all day on side streets, but they certainly won’t discourage the shoppers, who will be avoiding the parking meters on Wickenden. It will make resident parking on our side streets in Fox Point impossible!," said FPNA Vice President Daisy Schnepel.

Meeting Scheduled

Mayor Jorge Elorza has scheduled meetings with WAMA, Tuesday morning, March 1, and a joint, public meeting with WAMA and FPNA Monday, March 14th at 7 p.m., in the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Library, 455 Wickenden Street. Councilman Yurdin, who opposes the meters, and Perotta also are expected to attend.

Wickenden Street Businesses Oppose City’s Plan to Install Parking Meters

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