Council Slashes Parking Rates in Half Until April

Do parking rates keep you away from downtown Annapolis during the winter? 

The Annapolis City Council is giving visitors one more reason to shop downtown by cutting its metered parking rates from $2 to $1 per hour until the end of March. 

The measure was passed during Monday night's first council session of 2014 by a 6-3 vote.

The legislation is intended to  "spur needed economic activity," in the downtown region during the coldest months of the year, when generally there are fewer shoppers.

Alderman Ross Arnett (R-8th Ward), voted against the measure on Monday, calling it "spitballing." Arnett said there hadn't been a thorough study on what might happen if the city lowered parking rates. 

Arnett's dissenting vote was joined by Aldermen Jared Littmann and Sheila Finlayson.

Read the official resolution (R-41-13) on the City's website.