City of Easton, PA Article I Residential Parking Permits

[Adopted 10-23-1985 by Ord. No. 2814 (Art. 537 of the 1965 Codified Ordinances)]

§ 399-1 Purpose.

A. The Mayor and Council considers it to be in the interest of the citizens of the City to provide for the establishment of a downtown residential permit parking (DRPP) program in order to alleviate the hardship experienced by residents (not merchants or workers) who must park their cars on metered streets during the hours when the meters are in force. Only relief from parking meter requirements is provided; all other parking regulations remain in effect. The DRPP program is directed toward encouraging the continued growth of occupied residential units in and adjacent to the Center City Residential/Commercial District. The DRPP is also focused on providing relief to single-family and smaller multiunit dwellings as larger developments are generally required to provide a plan for off-street parking, which may well include the use of the parking garages within the City. This focus is deemed the best and only sustainable way to address the downtown parking needs of City residents.

[Amended 9-9-2020 by Ord. No. 5714; 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

B. This plan does not guarantee anyone a parking space or a parking space near his/her home.

§ 399-2 Residential parking permit program.

[Amended 9-9-2020 by Ord. No. 5714]

The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to designate, subject to approval by Council, as herein provided, certain streets and other public areas within the City as parking permit areas in which resident vehicles displaying valid parking permits may be parked without limitation by parking time restrictions established by City ordinance. Vehicles not displaying valid parking permits may be parked for a limited time not to exceed the time specified upon adequately posted signs or parking meters.

§ 399-3 Permit issuance.

[Amended 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

A. Following Council's approval of the designation of a residential parking permit area, the Chief of Police shall issue appropriate permits and shall cause parking signs to be erected in the area(s) indicating the times and conditions under which parking shall be allowed. A permit shall be issued upon the approval of an application and receipt of payment of the applicable fee. Permits shall be issued only to the owner or operator of a motor vehicle who resides at a dwelling unit within the residential parking permit area. Commercial vehicles exceeding a gross weight of 10,000 pounds are not eligible for permits.

B. Eligibility for a permit shall be as follows: The applicant shall prove City residency and vehicle ownership or evidence of having a leased or company-owned vehicle. The Chief of Police shall establish criteria for proof of residence, which shall include, but not be limited to, proof of payment of the per capita tax, if applicable.

§ 399-4 Permit display.

Permits shall be displayed on the driver's side of the rear bumper so as to be readily visible to enforcement personnel.

§ 399-5 Permit exemption.

A. A resident's vehicle, on which is displayed a valid parking permit as provided for herein, shall be permitted to stand or be parked in the residential parking permit area for which the permit has been issued without being limited by time restrictions established by existing parking meter regulations. However, such resident's vehicle shall not be exempt from parking restrictions or prohibitions established pursuant to authority other than this article, including Chapter 560, Vehicles and Traffic, Article X, and other ordinances of the Code of the City of Easton, as well as loading, twelve-minute parking meter zones, and other special parking restrictions.

[Amended 5-8-2013 by Ord. No. 5405; 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

B. A residential parking permit shall not guarantee or reserve to the holder thereof an on-street parking space within the designated residential parking permit area.

§ 399-6 Permit application and duration.

[Amended 4-12-2005 by Ord. No. 4661; 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

A. Each parking permit issued shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. Permits may be renewed annually upon reapplication in the manner required by the Chief of Police. Each application or reapplication for a parking permit shall contain information sufficient to identify the applicant, the dwelling unit owned or leased within a residential parking area, the license number of the motor vehicle for which application is made, and such other information that may be deemed relevant by the Chief of Police to establish that the applicant is the rightful owner/user of the vehicle and is a bona fide resident of the address as set forth within the application.

B. If a resident sells or otherwise transfers a vehicle bearing a parking permit sticker, the sticker shall be removed before the transfer. If a resident transfers a vehicle bearing a valid permit parking sticker and acquires another vehicle, the Chief of Police shall be provided with proof of the transfer and an affidavit attesting to the removal of the sticker. The Chief of Police shall then provide, at no additional cost, a new sticker which will expire at the same time as the original sticker.

§ 399-7 Permit fees.

[Amended 9-9-2020 by Ord. No. 5714]

A. The initial cost for a residential parking permit shall be as specified in Chapter 285, Fees, of the Code of the City of Easton.

B. For individuals that had a monthly permit for the former Boyd Theatre parking lot on North Third Street at the reduced rate of $20 less than the monthly permit for a parking deck, they will be offered a monthly permit for the North Fourth Street parking deck at the same rate of $20 less than the permitted rate, provided they remain, continuously, a resident of the downtown.

[Amended 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

§ 399-8 Permit revocation.

[Amended 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

The Chief of Police is authorized to revoke the residential parking permit of any person found to be in violation of this article, and upon written notification thereof, the person shall surrender such permit to the Chief of Police. Failure, when so requested, to surrender a residential parking permit so revoked shall constitute a violation of law and of this article. Notice of such revocation shall be made via first class USPS mail to the dwelling unit listed in the application and deemed received one week after mailing.

§ 399-9 Downtown Residential Permit Parking District. [1]

[Added 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

A. The following areas, referred to as the permitted area, are hereby designated as the only area within the City where permit holders are permitted the relief specified within this article:

(1) Bushkill Street: 100 and 200 blocks.

(2) 2nd Street.

(3) 4th Street.

(4) 5th Street: unit blocks north and south.

(5) Spring Garden Street: 100, 200, 300, and 400 blocks.

(6) Ferry Street: 200, 300 and 400 blocks.

(7) South Sitgreaves Street.

(8) Michael J. Koury Place.

(9) The Northampton Street parking lot located on the 200 block.

(10) Pine Street: 300 block.

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 399-9, Parking permit districts, as amended, was repealed 9-9-2020 by Ord. No. 5714.

§ 399-10 Regulations and procedures.

[Amended 10-14-1987 by Ord. No. 2912; 5-23-2001 by Ord. No. 3971; 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5174; 8-27-2014 by Ord. No. 5474; 11-22-2016 by Ord. No. 5574; 4-25-2018 by Ord. No. 5633; 9-9-2020 by Ord. No. 5714; 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

A. Meters not included in this plan are Northampton Street, Centre Square, South Bank Street, 300 block of Church Street, Larry Holmes Drive, South 3rd Street Lot.

B. Every resident with a valid Pennsylvania driver's license from each dwelling unit in the downtown area is eligible to purchase permits. Upon approval of an application, each permit, good for one vehicle only, shall be issued provided that no more than two permits may be issued per dwelling unit.

C. Limitations.

(1) Effective February 1, 2022, permits shall only be issued to applicants who reside within the downtown area and whose residence is either a single-family dwelling or a multifamily dwelling consisting of six or fewer units. The preceding restriction shall not apply to residents who have obtained a permit prior to February 1, 2022. Such residents shall be allowed to continue to retain their permits, subject to price adjustments as approved by City Council, provided they continue to reside at their original address.

(2) No more than two permits shall be issued to each dwelling unit.

(3) The permit allows the resident to park one car at a metered space within the DRPP District without paying the fees required for a meter. This plan does not include any of the red fifteen-minute meters.

(4) All other parking requirements remain in effect, e.g., seventy-two-hour limit in any one space (then vehicle must be moved); special event NO PARKING signs shall be obeyed.

(5) Blue meters can only be used with a handicap parking placard and a parking permit.

D. Obtaining a permit.

(1) Permits can be obtained between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the Traffic Division of the Easton Police Facility. The fee that is set forth in Chapter 285, Fees, will be collected and the permit issued after the four following documents have been presented to and approved by the Clerk:

(a) Driver's registration card;

(b) Vehicle registration card;

(c) Proof of payment of per capita tax, verification that all outstanding parking fines/fees have been satisfied for any and all vehicles of the owner; and

(d) Completed application.

(2) If applying by mail, applicants shall include a check payable to the City of Easton and photocopies of the four above-cited documents. Mail to:

Traffic Division/EPD

48 North Fourth Street

Easton, PA 18042

E. The program coincides with the meter hours. Whenever the meters are in effect, the program is in effect.

F. The permit removes only the inconvenience of having to put money in the meter or of having to move the car every two or three hours (depending on the meter) at a parking space within the resident's color-coded area.

G. All meters are available for commuter parking, provided that parkers abide by parking meter limits and deposit the proper amount of money.

§ 399-11 Violations and penalties.

A. No person shall stand or park a motor vehicle at any parking meter without depositing the proper amount of money unless such vehicle is displaying a valid parking permit issued for that particular parking district. For a violation of any provisions of this article, the owner or operator may pay a penalty as specified in Chapter 285, Fees.

[Amended 10-27-2004 by Ord. No. 4581; 2-11-2009 by Ord. No. 5174; 11-13-2013 by Ord. No. 5439]

B. No person shall falsely represent themselves as eligible for a parking permit or to furnish false or misleading information in an application therefor.

[Amended 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]

C. No person holding a valid parking permit issued pursuant hereto shall permit the use or display of such permit on a motor vehicle other than that for which the permit is issued. Such conduct shall constitute an unlawful act and violation of this article both by the person holding the valid parking permit and the person who so uses or displays the permit on a motor vehicle other than that for which it is issued.

D. No person shall copy, produce or otherwise bring into existence a facsimile or counterfeit parking permit or permits. No person shall knowingly use or display a facsimile or counterfeit parking permit in order to evade time limitations on parking applicable in a residential parking permit area.

E. No person shall continue to use or display a parking permit after: 1) notice of the permit's revocation; 2) failing to renew said permit as set forth within this article; or 3) moving to a new dwelling unit outside the permit area.

[Added 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former Subsection E as Subsection F.

F. For violation of any provision contained in Subsections B, C, D and F, the person committing the unlawful act shall be subject to a penalty not to exceed $300 and/or imprisonment for not more than 90 days for each such violation.

[Amended 2-23-2022 by Ord. No. 5774]