AGENDA #10a(1)

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council        

FROM:            Council Member Bill Strom

SUBJECT:       Consideration of Options regarding Parking Fees and Enforcement During the 2002 Holiday Season

DATE:             September 23, 2002

To support local businesses at a critical time in the retail cycle, and encourage Chapel Hill residents and visitors to shop locally, I ask that the Council direct the Manager to prepare a report on options regarding downtown parking enforcement during the upcoming holiday season.

The Manager’s report should present various scenarios for suspending parking rules and fees during high shopping time. The complete range of Chapel Hill Parking Enforcement activities could be considered in this report. Innovations such as town-issued parking vouchers that could be widely distributed during the holiday season should also be considered. The report should include analyses of the costs for each set of options.

I request that the Council receive and refer this petition to the Manager for a follow-up report.