The new permits will be valid from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
NEW HOPE — Residents will be able to enjoy lunch or shopping without worrying about feeding the borough’s parking meters if they take advantage of special parking permits with extended hours.
The extended hours will cost more, but for the extra cash, the permits will give three more hours per day.
Resident parking permits can be obtained for $25 in 2008, a $15 increase over the current $10 fee.
The new permits will be valid from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year the permits were valid only from 10 a.m. until noon.
The Borough Council approved the costlier extended parking permits after a suggestion to have two different permits — one for weekdays and another for weekends at different prices — failed to win a consensus.
”Twenty-five dollars is not going to break anyone’s bank,” said Borough Council Vice President Sharyn Keiser.
Residents’ requests for the extended hours prompted President Richard Hirschfield to suggest the change, he said during a council meeting Dec. 19. They didn’t find the two-hour morning window of time useful.
”This will encourage restaurant use weekdays,” said Councilman Randy Flager.
Mr. Hirschfield originally proposed a parking permit for weekdays only, but Councilwoman Claire Shaw suggested the inclusion of weekends. After a short discussion, the board agreed.
Councilwoman Geri Delevich said including weekends would benefit residents who work weekdays. Unless Saturdays and Sundays were included, the permits would be “useless to them,” she said.
Mr. Hirschfield said he suspected the increased hours would “possibly be revenue neutral” for the borough, meaning the loss of parking meter revenue for those hours would not have much effect.
The borough takes in about $2,000 a day from the meters, Mr. Hirschfield said. This year, only 32 residents purchased the special permits, borough Manager John Burke said.
The council also agreed to follow a suggestion from New Hope police Cpl. Frank DeLuca, who asked the council to change the permit verification from a placard to a decal, which he said would make officers’ jobs easier. Drivers often forget to bring their placards with them and sometimes lose them. Also, he said, “this way, they can’t lend them out.”
Everyone, not just residents, can enjoy free parking until Dec. 28 at 5 p.m. The New Hope Area Chamber of Commerce requested the bagging of parking meters for the holidays.
The chamber wanted to extend the free parking until New Year’s Day, but the request was defeated 4-3.

