ANDOVER - Those heading downtown to run errands will want to bring plenty of quarters.
Selectmen this week doubled parking meter rates from 25 cents to 50 cents an hour. The cost to use the public library parking lot will increase from 10 cents to 50 cents an hour as soon as new meters are installed.
It is the first increase in parking costs in town in 10 years. It was approved by the board 4-1, with Selectman Mary Lyman opposed.
Police Chief Brian Pattullo said some of the increases in parking rates could go into place soon in the Old Andover Village and Shawsheen Square lots. He's working on a plan to phase the rest of it in.
"We are in tight budget times," Pattullo said, justifying the increase in parking rates. "Without this, you'll see other service cuts. Fees and fines are not a popular thing. But they are necessary."
The selectmen also voted to increase fees for several permits, including those needed to install fire alarm and sprinkler systems, to burn brush and get copies of records.
It was not known yesterday when the permit fee increases would go into effect.
They are the first fee increases the selectmen have put in place in an attempt to deal with a $3 million deficit anticipated for next budget year. Together, the increases are expected to net an additional $173,000 for the Police and Fire departments.
With the additional $138,000 expected from the parking rate increase, police will be able to pay for one officer's position and 10 police officers who will work details and shifts on a per diem basis. The town raised $130,190 through the parking meters in 2007. With the new rates, that's expected to increase to $268,180.
Meters in the library parking lot will have to be replaced with new ones at a cost of $750 apiece.
Police had originally planned to replace the meters with "pay and display" parking machines, which dispense tickets for drivers to put on their windshields rather than feeding a meter.
Pay and display machines are in place in the Old Andover Village lot off Main Street and Shawsheen Square lot.
The pay and display machines save the town in maintenance costs, but residents don't like them, saying they were confusing and inconvenient. As a result, no more will be installed downtown.
There are 350 metered spaces downtown, including the pay and display lots, and 68 spaces in the library lot. The pay and display machines at the Old Andover Village and the Shawsheen Square lots will remain.
Other communities that charge 50 cents an hour for parking include Newton, Watertown and Rockport.
Fire Chief Michael Mansfield said the rise in permit fees will raise an additional $35,000 a year he can use to cover the personnel costs of getting out those permits. Mansfield said the increase in permitting costs would bring them in line with other communities, such as Chelmsford, Beverly and Amesbury. Selectmen unanimously supported the permit fee increases.
"We're all under the gun, trying to develop some additional revenue," Mansfield said.
The increase in parking costs is generating the most discussion in town.
Kirsten Durocher, who works at Celebrity Marketing Inc. on Main Street, commutes to Andover from Boston. She was disappointed to hear of the increase, and wished aloud that the town would open a lot where workers could pay to park for the day or the month.
"We work here, we're bringing money to Andover," she said, adding that she and her colleagues shop and eat lunch in Andover daily. "If I wanted to pay $20 a day to park, I'd work in Boston."
At the Andover Thrift Store next to the Old Town Hall municipal lot, managers said the increase would hurt their employees, who are volunteers and work three-hour shifts.
"This particular shop relies on volunteer help. To expect them to pay $1.50 for parking is outrageous," said Fran Jennings Dodson, of North Andover, who is a manager at the shop.
Shop owners felt that the parking increase would have people heading to the malls instead, where they know they can park for free.
"Are you kidding me?" said Betsy Powers, who owns Culinary Concepts, also adjacent to the Old Town Hall municipal lot. "I think we've got enough on our plate trying to survive as it is. To increase it is one thing. To double it is a slap in the face."
That sentiment was shared by Lyman, who voted against the parking rate increase.
"The timing couldn't be worse," she said, adding that anyone who wanted to get a pizza or coffee, "has one less reason to get it downtown."
While people shopping downtown Tuesday weren't happy about the increase, they said it wouldn't keep them from heading to their favorite shops, as well as the library.
"It's not going to keep me from shopping downtown," said Cheryl Eckel of Andover.
Albert Meisinger didn't mind paying to go downtown, but he thought 50 cents an hour at the library was too much.
"It's kind of excessive," said Meisinger, who said he uses the library a lot. "I would probably go up to side streets and not pay for a meter."
What am I paying more for?
Parking rates:
* From 25 cents to 50 cents an hour downtown
* From 10 cents to 50 cents at the public library
Permits fees:
* Open burning from $10 to $25
* Fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems in residential buildings with one to five apartments increased by $50. Currently cost between $50 and $150 based on the number of units in the home.
* Fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems in buildings with six or more apartments will cost $500, plus an additional fee per unit and sprinkler head.
* Fire alarm and sprinkler systems in nonresidential buildings will increase from $50 to $100 plus a fee per device.
* Tank removal and special suppression systems will increase from $50 to $100.
New fees :
* Follow-up after a failed inspection $100
* Systems not ready for inspection on appointment day $100
* Failing to get a permit $100
* Quarterly inspections of inns, theaters and nursing homes $25 per visit
* Inspections of hospitals, clinics and outpatient surgery centers $50 per visit
* Annual Liquor License establishment fire and life safety inspection $50 per visit
* Copies of records and reports $5
* Record searches $25
