Kokua Line has received numerous questions and complaints about metered street parking in urban Honolulu marked for use by specific companies, rather than being available to the general public. Michael D. Formby, director of the city’s Department of Transportation Services, provides an overview of the city’s street-usage permitting system in this series of questions and answers. We’ll follow up with site-specific questions in future columns.
Question: Does the city rent out metered parking (for the exclusive use of nearby businesses or for companies working at adjacent construction sites; for example, on Keawe Street in Kakaako, where metered parking has been placarded off)?
Answer: Referring to your scenarios, the city never rents out meters for private businesses (i.e., customers, reserved parking, etc.). The city does issue street-usage permits for construction purposes and those may be the placards you refer to. Typically, construction companies will secure meters for on-street commercial vehicles or bins. They pay the city for the use of the meters.
Q: How many spaces are currently under (such use)?
A: We do not have an electronic database that allows us to pull up the number of street-usage permitted meters countywide on a request basis. (The) best estimate would be between 100 and 200 meters countywide during heavy construction periods.
As a general rule, we try to never let more than half of the available city meters (be allotted). The street-usage permits are on a short-term basis, typically 30 days or less. The permits can be renewed, but they are reviewed again for need.
Q: Who is eligible to rent them?
A: Permittees who demonstrate a need for temporary on-street parking. For example, a business that is relocating and needs to place a POD or container on the street for loading/unloading. They could secure a temporary street-usage permit.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: $5 administrative charge (per permit), and $12 per meter, per day (except Sundays and state holidays).
Q: Where are these spaces located?
A: Wherever there is on-street, metered parking, countywide.
Q: How long (are allotted spaces) off-limits to average motorists?
A: It varies by permit and location. For example, if a commercial business obtained a street-usage permit for a metered stall that is a.m./p.m. peak hour restricted, that stall would only be available from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Before and after the a.m./p.m. peak-hour restrictions, the stall would be open to the public. Most metered stalls are free after 6 or 6:30 p.m. (it varies by posting).
Q: Is there any overall analysis of how many spaces in an individual neighborhood have already been allotted before more spaces are reserved?
A: DTS tries to limit the number of street-usage permits for on-street parking to less than 50 percent on a per-street basis.
For additional information, check the city’s DTS website at bit.ly/1gjKtH7.
Kakaako Makai
Speaking of urban Honolulu, the general public is invited to a free community forum on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. that will focus on the future of Kakaako Makai. The event, hosted by the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is the third in a series of town hall discussions focused on particular aspects of Oahu’s rapidly changing core. The forum will be held at the Center for Architecture, 828 Fort Street Mall, Suite 100. Seating is free but limited; reservations are required. For more information and to reserve your spot, go to 808ne.ws/1XVcUNJ
Mahalo
Mahalo to the most kind, thoughtful and generous local young man on Halekauwila Street who gave this senior citizen his umbrella when it was raining extremely hard and all I had was a newspaper to cover me. If there were more people like you the world would be perfect. You are truly well bred. — Love, Esther from Kahaluu
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
