Coolidge Corner merchants eschew free parking at meters

Given the fiscal crisis facing the municipality, the association’s president, Harvey Bravman, along with the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Jonathan Stearns, said they’d prefer the town use the saved revenue to help them in this difficult year.

They suggested the town could better publicize the unique, independently-owned businesses in Brookline, advertise that eating out in Brookline benefits the town (with the meals tax surcharge), restore recently-removed meters to Harvard Street at Beacon , and retain the Commercial Areas Coordinator , Marge Amster , whose position was threatened in budget talks this year.

Nancy Daly , chair of the Board of Selectmen, said she was surprised by the offer.
“It’s very nice to have that revenue,” she said. As for the merchants’ requests, “We will keep that in mind, but it’s a very tough year.” She mentioned anticipated mid-year cuts in local aid, not to mention more cuts in the next state budget, due in July.

Brookline’s meter holiday appears to be an anomaly in the western suburbs. Shoppers who park on Wellesley, Newton and Waltham’s metered streets enjoy no such break (Needham has one this year, but for different reasons).

Further, having the meters running is better for business, according to urban planners. Donald Shoup of UCLA , in his book The High Cost of Free Parking argues that free parking is often less parking for shoppers.

Brookline Transportation Board member Peter Furth , who himself is a transportation planner at Northeastern agrees.

“A meter holiday is the worst thing they can do for business,” he said. “On the streets and in the lots of Coolidge Corner, the meters are nearly always full. If you take away the meter fee, employees will park there, or people will stay all day.”

In fact, he said, the reason most folks don’t shop in Coolidge Corner is because they can’t find an open space in which to park.

Andreae Downs can be reached at andreaedowns@yahoo.com.