Holiday Parking Could Be Fee-Free

This year, the Chapel Hill Town Council, led by Town Council member Bill Strom, might make that experience even more heavenly by suspending parking fees for part of the holiday season.

Strom said the idea came to him from the owner of Cerebral Hobbyists, a local retailer who thought the suspension of fees could help the business community.

Strom said he agreed local merchants could benefit from this measure.

"It's an important retail week," he said. "It's a smart thing to do."

He said the proposal has been referred to the town staff for future consideration.

Robert Humphreys, executive director of the Downtown Commission, said doing away with the added hassle of parking charges in the already frenzied holiday season is a good way to boost sales for local businesses.

"It always helps to offer free parking as an incentive," Humphreys said. "Anytime you remove impediments to people coming to a place, more will come."

He said that in the past, the town has suspended parking charges on Franklin Street for only one day after the holiday parade downtown and a couple hours the day of the tree lighting and community sing held annually at the Rosemary Street parking deck.

This would be the first time parking fees were suspended for a long period of time, he said.

Humphreys said free parking has had a positive response in the past.

"We would love for the town to do this," he said.

Local resident Carla Brown said the policy could increase the business to the downtown district.

"I think more people would come downtown," Brown said. "It would bring in more people who go to the restaurants."

Adam Craven, store manager at Ben and Jerry's, said the proposal could benefit the ice cream establishment during December.

"We don't get a lot of business during the winter, so we need all the help we can get."

Assistant City Editor Michael Davis contributed to this report.
The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.