A Work In Progress For Parking Fees In North Adams, Good Or Bad?

This past Tuesday the city council of North Adams approved a new events parking fee of $40 for the St. Anthony Municipal and Center Street parking lots.

The ordinance was recommended by the Public Safety Committee to be implemented for events of 2,000 or more attendees at noncity events.

I had a chance to talk with the city councilor Chair Bryan Sapienza who has been working with the Public Safety committee and the mayor, he said that the people of North Adams were a part of the decision process and will be made sure not to have to pay for parking.

The original proposal had left it to the "mayor's discretion" that was removed,
Mayor Jennifer Macksey had requested the parking fee be implemented prior to the FreshGrass Festival at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, coming up from September 23rd through the 25th.

The city during the Solid Sound Festival, had run a pilot operation that brought in more than $11,000. The mayor said the process will require tweaking as the city moves forward.

Iberkshires reports that,

Mayor Macksey said there will be signage, that spaces will be designated for business patrons and permit holders in each lot, and that the city will be working with Mass MoCA to determine ticket sales and attendance projections for events. The mayor also said that this would only apply to events not sponsored by the city and would not affect events such as the parade and Motorama.

Mass MoCA, in addition to its two downtown lots, has been using larger lots like the former North Adams Plaza on Curran Highway and shuttling people to the museum.

So is the $40 dollar fee too much? Up Until now St. Elizabeth's Parish, across from Mass MoCA, was charging $35 and is regularly sold out.

Do you think this will drive more out-of-towners to park in front of more homes in North Adams?

Get our free mobile app