One business told KTVB that sales have dropped 55 percent since the meters were installed.
BOISE, Idaho — The City of Caldwell officially launched new parking meters in the city's downtown on May 15. But two weeks later, some downtown business owners are suing KTVB, asking that the meters be removed.
The city intended to install the meters to improve traffic flow and eliminate “long-distance parkers,” who stay in the same spot for hours. Previously, employees and other drivers would park in front of businesses for long periods of time, blocking customers from entering certain businesses.
But now they're facing a new problem: People aren't coming, business owners told KTVB.
In an effort to pressure city officials, business owners banded together to send a letter to the city of Caldwell pleading with them to remove the meters, which has garnered more than 300 signatures from business owners, employees and customers.
“It's not that our store has become any busier,” said Carmela Martinez, an accountant for Rostock Furniture, “but in fact the street in front of our store seems a lot less crowded.”
And it's not necessarily about money, but rather just inconvenience for some, she said.
“The phones are ringing,” she said, because customers now want to call and pay over the phone rather than use a parking spot.
“Instead of coming in, paying, chatting, wandering around the store and looking at new things, people are so concerned with paying their fee and getting out of the car park that they don't wander around the store and look at anything new.”
Older customers are confused by the meters, she said.
“They're coming in and asking our employees how to use the parking meters,” Martinez said. “One of us has to run out there and explain to someone how to use them.”
The rules state that you must pay to park in the downtown area Monday through Friday from 9am to 7pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 5pm.
The first 15 minutes are free, then $1 per hour. Free on Sundays and public holidays.
Caldwell resident Stacey Ward used the meter for the first time today.
“It was a bit frustrating,” she said. “I put in my license plate and it just kept going LOAD, LOAD, LOAD. It stayed like that for probably two or three minutes, then I cancelled it and tried again.”
She tried a second time and failed again.
“After about seven or eight minutes, they ended up doing it via a scan code on my phone,” she said, “and that took another two or two-and-a-half minutes.”
Ward spent almost his entire 15 minutes of free parking trying to pay the fee.
The city sent the following statement to KTVB:
“We believe that installing parking meters downtown will increase turnover of parking spaces and benefit the community. While the City would like to see downtown Caldwell remain vibrant and growing, it would have a negative impact on the overall experience for visitors.”
The city added that it takes the feedback seriously and will continue to work with its “parking management partners” to further develop the best plan.
“The ideal solution would be to remove all the parking meters and forget this crazy two weeks ever happened,” Martinez said.
Abracadabra owner Ernie Seaton has run the store for 16 years and said he plans to remove the meters.
He told KTVB that sales have dropped 55 percent since the meters were installed.
“Usually on a Friday or something, we'd sell $200,” he said. “Usually we'd sell closer to $1,000. And that's not happening.”
If the situation doesn't improve, he said he may have to make the difficult decision to close his restaurant, adding that he is one of a small number of owners facing that choice and that others have already done so.
To spread positivity during this time, downtown coffee shop Flying M is offering a “take a quarter, leave a quarter” jar to allow anyone in need to come inside.
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