Changes Coming to Brookline Parking Meters, Again [POLL]

Last year, hundreds of single-space parking meters were taken out and replaced with multi-space machines around Brookline. The move was unpopular enough to warrant a  (which ), and .

Parking meters in Brookline may see even more changes this year, Town Administrator Mel Kleckner explaned during a portion of the town's fiscal year 2013 budget overview. 

"I believe it’s time for the change, that’s what I’m proposing." Kleckner said.

On-street parking he anticipates will see the return of individual meters for spaces, but with some smarter upgrades. These smart meters will accept paper bills, coins, credit cards, and could in future take payments from cell phones. He noted that one vendor will give the town a free trial period to test these smart meters.

"We won’t decide to do a big rollout," Kleckner explained. "We'll be doing a lot of testing."

In parking lots, like the Centre Street and the Town Hall lots, the multi-space meters will remain, but will move to a pay-by-space system. Kleckner said that spaces would be numbered, and that users will not have to return to their car after paying for a space.

Selectman Benka noted that this system also makes printing receipts optional. 

Kleckner's financial plan sets aside $100,000 for these improvements, as well as investing in parking enforcement technology. The town's fiscal 2013 financial plan estimates $3.95 million to come from parking meters in the coming year.