The Mayor has released his proposed 2012 budget (.pdf) to the Seattle City Council and Fremont will be affected if it is passed as is.

Parking:

Earlier this year, the Seattle Department of Transportation decided to keep parking rates at $1.50 in Fremont to make sure parking was accessible. The goal was to have one or two available spots on each block at a given time. After doing research, the good news is that it looks like the $1.50 per hour rate is doing well here and will not go up (click here for pdf.).

Nearby in Ballard, proposed changes for 2012 include raising the rates in the core of Ballard back to $2.00 per hour.

Light Rail:
The Mayor is proposing a one-time use of $1.5 million “for planning related to high capacity transit in the five corridors identified in the Transit Master Plan.”

Here is a look at the light rail corridor from Ballard  through Fremont to downtown, as mentioned in the Transit Master Plan.

Community Centers:
From the proposed budget:

Under this recommendation, community centers are clustered into five geographic groups (Northeast, Northwest, Central, Southeast, and Southwest), with each team managed and programmed in a coordinated fashion, with partially or fully restored hours at the current limited use community center sites (Alki, Ballard, Green Lake, Laurelhurst, and Queen Anne).

We are continuing to sift through the proposed budget (.pdf) and will update this as we learn more.

There will be two public hearings about the 2012 budget. The first is October 4th, the second is October 26th. Both hearings are at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers (City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue). If you’d like to speak, sign in time is 5 p.m. The city council will be voting on the final budget in November.

After adjusting the city’s paid parking rates neighborhood by neighborhood across town (and decreasing rates in Uptown), the Seattle Department of Transportation wants to hear what you have to say about the city’s on-street paid parking system. SDOT is conducting an online survey about paid parking, as part of a project to make paid parking more available downtown and in certain neighborhoods.

You can find the survey here (I just did it, and it took less than 10 minutes).

By the way, SDOT has a parking map that lists every paid, permit, carpool, time limited, no parking and unrestricted zone, as well as parking garages and lots. You can zoom in by address, intersection, major landmark, or neighborhood.

Seattle really doesn’t want to boot your car. They’re really hoping they don’t have to. So they’re reminding you one more time, please pay your outstanding parking tickets, sir or madam.

Originally we reported that “The Booting” would begin on July 5th. However it looks like that deadline has been moved up to July 1st. And once the boot goes on, it’s going to take a lot to get it taken off.

A scofflaw is someone with a vehicle that has four or more overdue unpaid parking tickets. Starting July 1, scofflaw vehicles parked in public right-of-way will get their wheel locked with a boot. If a vehicle receives a boot, full payment of all past due tickets and the boot fee must be paid within 48 hours or the vehicle will be towed. Full payment includes the initial parking fines, default penalties, collection fees and interest. If towed, full payment plus the boot and tow fees must be made before the car is released from impound.

To see if you have unpaid parking tickets and to pay them, go to www.seattle.gov/scofflaw or call (206) 684-5600. Payment can also be made in person at The Seattle Municipal Court at 600 Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

It goes without saying you don’t want to let your unpaid parking tickets pile up. However if you already have, the city of Seattle is going to give you a little bit of incentive to get them squared away.

Starting July 5th, any vehicle that has four or more unpaid parking tickets will be “immobilized,” which is a fancy way of saying you’re going to get The Boot.

Once booted, to get the vehicle released you will have 48 hours to pay all parking tickets, default penalties, interest, collections agency fees, and a boot fee. If you do not pay within 48 hours of being booted, the vehicle will be towed and impounded. To release the vehicle from impound, you will need to pay all fees and fines, plus tow fees.

Finally, if your vehicle is not claimed from impound within 15 days, it will be sold at auction to help pay your debts.

Yikes.

So what if you’re not sure about any unpaid parking tickets? Check the Seattle Municipal Court - Public Information Web Site to see if your vehicle has unpaid tickets and then get them sorted out poste haste!

Image via City of Seattle.

Let’s get caught up.

On January 14th, we heard about rising parking rates all around Seattle, including a $0.50/hour hike here in Fremont.

Yesterday, word came down that the City Council wanted to put those rates under review before they went into effect. Rising rates in some neighborhoods might have negative effects on local businesses and they want to conduct their own analysis. Fair enough.

Late yesterday the SDOT came back with their own modified rates after some deliberation. While some of the major traffic neighborhoods downtown will still see their rates climb, a few other neighborhoods are seeing those rate increases go away. Fremont is one of those neighborhoods.

Fremont’s parking rates will remain at $1.50/hour rather than rise to $2.00/hour. That keeps Fremont parking rates level with nearby ‘hoods Ballard and University District.

I don’t know which one of you complained but good work.

The City Council is tentative in its approval of these revised rates since they remain very high in certain neighborhoods. As far as Fremont is concerned, however, it’s a win.

Everyone, re-commence parking.

Two weeks ago we heard about rising parking rates all around Seattle, including a $0.50/hour hike here in Fremont. Most of you were displeased. And you weren’t alone.

The city was listening to you and other neighborhoods, some of which are facing a new $4.00/hour parking rate, and is putting these revised rates under review before making them official.

At a lunch-time forum at City Hall, Councilmember Tim Burgess said the City Council has asked for a review of a parking study used by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to set the new rates.

Mike Estey, SDOT manager, said staff were “scrubbing the numbers, the data and methodology” in the wake of criticism that the rates would hurt small businesses and were based on peak-occupancy, not typical parking availability.

No word on what changes might be in order and whether or not this affects Fremont specifically (most comments are directed towards downtown), but at least for the time being you can expect to see the same-old $1.50/hour rates in town.

Get used to seeing slightly-higher parking rates in Fremont starting next month.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has announced on-street parking rates for 2011 and those rates are rising. Based on the results of a parking occupancy study, the Fremont parking rates will be going up from $1.50/hour to $2.00/hour.

The goal of the new parking rates is to adjust available parking so that one-to-two spots are readily available on a block at any given time. Right now peak occupancy for Fremont’s 80 paid parking spots is 80%. The city would like to lower that to 78%.

Fremont is not, however, one of the nine neighborhoods “with active nightlife and high evening parking demand” that will have paid parking extended until 8 p.m.

The new rates still keep Fremont in the lower bracket of Seattle neighborhood parking costs. Three neighborhoods, including Pioneer Square, will see their rates rise to $4.00. Nearby neighborhoods Ballard and Green Lake will not see a rise in current parking rates ($2.00 and $1.50, respectively).

City crews will begin implementing the new rates as of Feb. 1, rolling them out neighborhood by neighborhood through March 30. New graphics on all parking pay stations will clearly highlight the revised rates, in addition to providing information about other parking rules and how to use the machines.

For additional information on 2011 on-street rates and rules, please visit the SDOT website.

Plans to remove the on-site librarian from the Fremont library and increase parking fees were just some of the topics of discussion at Wednesday’s public hearing on the city budget in Northgate.

“The library changes and improves lives,” said Tony Provine of Friends of the Seattle Public Library.

A crowd lines up to speak at Wednesday night’s budget hearing in Northgate

Under the mayor’s plan, the Fremont library and 7 other smaller libraries will be converted to “circulating libraries.” The Fremont library will continue to be open 35 hours per week and offer collections, holds-pickup, and computer access. But access to specialized services will be provided online or by telephone access to staff at the Central Library. Programming will be primarily focused on youth and provided by librarians from other locations. At all library branches, a one week systemwide closure (the week before Labor Day) will continue in 2011.

“We ask you to consider restoring some critical library service hours,” Provine told the City Council.

During Wednesday’s hearing, residents also voiced both support and opposition to the mayor’s parking plan.  Metered parking would go up 50 cents an hour in Fremont and you’d have to pay until 8pm Monday through Saturday (currently 6pm).  Sunday parking would no longer be free.

“Although Fremont is a vibrant and thriving neighborhood, we are aware of the loss of sales over the last year due to the addition of pay stations,” Jessica Vets with the Fremont Chamber of Commerce told us.  “At the moment Fremont has only 72 paid street parking spots, thus an increase in rates and an extension of time will only minimally affect the neighborhood.  The fear that Fremont retailers have is that SDOT will extend the paid parking into more of the neighborhood.”

To see more on the mayor’s proposed budget, click here.

The next public hearing on the budget takes place Wednesday, October 13 at South Seattle Community College at 5:30pm. The City Council has also set up a web page where you can submit ideas to balance the budget and vote on other suggestions.

The Fremont Chamber of Commerce urges you to attend tomorrow’s parking meeting, which includes the new Director of SDOT. The Chamber wants those who oppose the parking stations to join with them in making their points - again - to SDOT.

“This is an opportunity to voice your opinion to the City about your neighborhood; without your voice to the Wednesday, May 19th meeting, there is no strength to Fremont’s voice.

Join us in a united voice to SDOT to remove the parking meters in Fremont. Our voice in 2009 reduced the number of meter from over 700 to 72!!! Come out again to support your neighborhood.”

It’s $15 with an RSVP, $20 without. It includes breakfast. Reserve online.

The Fremont Chamber of Commerce is revisiting a hot topic amongst local residents and businesses: paid parking.

At the Lake Washington Rowing Club (910 N. Northlake Way), on May 19, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the new Director of SDOT, Peter Hahn — along with Parking Enforcement officers, parking designers and other City staff — will discuss paid parking in Fremont, which has long had a strong base of opponents, including the Chamber. A short presentation of the status of parking in Fremont today (from the City’s perspective) will be followed with a Q&A.

Breakfast will be provided with the $15 it costs to RSVP (which climbs to $20 without an RSVP), so if you’re interested, please register ahead of time here.

Last year, the city met with Fremont residents and businesses to hear feedback on ways to improve parking in the neighborhood. One of the city’s suggestions was paid parking, an idea that sparked fierce opposition, but by March, parking meters appeared in Central Fremont. Now the city is starting a similar process in West Seattle, and the director of Fremont’s Chamber of Commerce says it’s not about improving parking, but raising money. “Someone at the top determined Fremont is getting pay stations, period,” Jessica Vets told the Seattle Times. “And it really didn’t matter what we said.” No decision has been made in West Seattle, but residents there told the Times they believe what happened in Fremont will likely happen there, as well.

The hoods are off the newly-installed paid parking meters, and that signals the official end of free parking for 70 spots in the center of Fremont. The meters cost $1.50 an hour for a total of two hours.

A few days after SDOT rolled out new parking restrictions for Fremont, parking enforcement officers are starting to make the rounds, handing out tickets.

“I saw a parking enforcement officer on 35th and Troll dolling out zillions of tickets,” wrote Fremont Universe reader Brooke. Adds Randy, “It looks like everybody parked on the south side of 36th Street got a ticket last night for parking without a permit in an RPZ. This despite the fact that no RPZ signs have been put up yet (at least as of this morning), and no instructions for how to get a permit have been sent to those of us who live on the street, as far as I can tell.” Please let us know of any other parking issues in comments below…

Update: You can download the RPZ packet and application right here.

Over the past few days, SDOT crews have been installing parking signs through Fremont. And now, the first electronic parking meters are going in:

This one, as you can see, is right across from The Rocket. They’re covered in hoods until they’re activated, and SDOT hopes get them running by March 9th. The meters will cost $1.50 an hour for a total of two hours, and they apply to 70 parking spots in the business center of Fremont.

SDOT has also been installing RPZ (residential parking zone) signs on one side of residential streets with 2-hour parking allowed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for non-permit holders, and from 8 p.m. to midnight for residents with permits. The RPZ will be in effect Monday through Saturday. And there are new time-limit signs in unpaid areas that will be in effect from 7 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday. On some streets near restaurants, time limits will continue until 10 p.m. You can see the map with more details right here.

And enjoy your last few days of free parking!

Controversial parking changes are coming to Fremont in the next few days.

On Monday, the Seattle Department of Transportation will start the process to implement the parking plan. Changes include two-hour paid parking in the retail core, time-limit signs for some no-cost spaces, and a new residential parking zone (RPZ). Here’s a map (.pdf) The city says:

The on-street parking enhancements will feature:
- An RPZ on streets north and east of the business district to ensure residents can more easily park;
- Two-hour paid parking in the high demand retail area, using 90 of 700 spaces, to create parking turnover and provide better access for customers
- Time-limit signs on no-cost spaces outside Fremont’s retail core to promote more space turnover.

The RPZ and paid parking signs are scheduled for installation beginning on Monday while the parking kiosks will be installed on Wednesday. The city plans to have the pay stations “live” by March 9th. The city believes that these changes will make parking in the neighborhood easier for residents, visitors and businesses. The Fremont Chamber of Commerce has opposed this plan, as does the Keep Fremont Free group.

After a series of community meetings and heated discussion, the Seattle Department of Transportation has released its final parking plan for Fremont. The following changes will occur in February:

• Two-hour paid parking will take effect in Fremont’s retail core — a total of about 115 spaces — at a rate of $1.50 an hour.
• Time-limit signs will be installed outside Fremont’s retail core. Restrictions will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday. On some streets near restaurants, time limits will continue until 10 p.m.
• Residential parking zone (RPZ) will take effect on streets north and east of the business district. RPZ signs will be installed on one side of residential streets (the other side will remain unrestricted) with 2-hour parking allowed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for non-permit holders, and from 8 p.m. to midnight with no non-permit holder parking allowed. The RPZ will be in effect Monday through Saturday.

The “retail core” is a rather concentrated area that encompasses the absolute center of Fremont — 115 parking spaces out of a total of 700. This popular area along 35th St. by the Rocket will be paid parking:

But go one block to the west, and it’s free with time limits. Here’s the map (.pdf) that outlines the specific zones and provides more details. Beginning in a couple weeks, eligible residents will receive RPZ permits in the mail. In January, sidewalks will be marked where paid parking kiosks and signs will be installed. In February, the installation begins.

As we’ve been reporting, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce has fought the plan all along with its Keep Fremont Free campaign, generating an outpouring of support from local businesses. So what do you think, will paid parking help or hurt business in the retail core?