HONOLULU- City Councilman
Stanley Chang says the outcry from residents about a bill that would substantially increase the price of metered parking at Kapiolani and
Aala Parks has not fallen on def ears.
“I've been working hard with my colleagues at the Council to prevent this bill from going into third reading and I hope to have some good news about that soon,” Chang said Monday while speaking to Khon2.
Under Bill 30 the rate for nearly 300 metered parking stalls at Kapiolani Park would double to $1 per hour. However what’s most upsetting to nearby residents is that free parking from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. would no longer be available.
Like many of the condos located on the edge of the park the Diamond Head Ambassador only has 19 parking stalls for 89 units.
“This parking rate increase will be almost $700 a month for parking,” said Peter Whiticar, one of the more than 150 residents who call the Ambassador home. “The message to the council members is halt Bill 30 - stop this bill.”
The legislation faces a final vote on Friday, June 3 after easily passing a full Council hearing on April 20 by a margin of 8-1. At that meeting only Councilman Tom Berg voted against the measure. The Bill was introduced on behalf of Mayor Peter Carlisle as a way to generate an additional $2 million a year for the cash strapped city.
Christopher Reed, another Ambassador resident, told Khon2 he would consider moving out of the area if the bill became law.
“I would like to stay here but this is one of the things that absolutely factors into it,” he said. “It makes it tough.”
“People will do everything they possibly can to find parking somewhere else,” added Elizabeth Kamis, who with her husband owns a unit in the Ambassador. “Some people have even thought they'll have to get rid of their car.”
Instead of trying to amend the portion of Bill 30 that deals specifically with metered stalls at Kapiolani Park, Chang said he wants to have the entire measure tossed back to the Budget Committee. That’s because the bill also allows the city to install parking meters at any city park, including the ever popular Ala Moana Beach Park in Kakaako.
“I don't think that would be a step in the right direction considering that residents and visitors are hit hard by these economic times and should have all the free recreational opportunities that they can get,” said Chang.
Chang also took the position the city should conduct a formal study before any 24 hour metered parking regime is put into place at Kapiolani Park or elsewhere.
“The city really does need to study ways to make their policies fairer for residents in those situations,” he said.
Although he wasn’t quite ready to declare Bill 30 dead, Chang told Khon2 the frustration expressed by Kapiolani Park residents through emails and phone calls in the past few weeks had made an impact on him and his colleagues.
“I really do appreciate all the time and energy that the residents and users of Kapiolani Park have invested in making their views known,” he said, “because they are being taken very seriously at the Council.”
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