Downtown Property Owners Share Their Concerns About Increased Parking Rates at Mayorless Town Hall Meeting

Market Square Conference Room

It was in some ways a clash of generations; thirty-something City Planners Ramiro Gonzalez and Roman McAllen with a carefully orchestrated power point documentary based on a municipal reference book,  "The High Cost of Free Parking," using the city's newest toy, a $7,247 video display system, coming face to face with older, but equally confident, property owners and citizens with handheld notes and life experience.  Gonzalez made the same points he had been making, that tripling the meter rates downtown would "turn" those parking spaces more rapidly, accommodating additional shoppers. The city's proposed approach to downtown employees "pumping quarters" all day to hold parking spaces was to send them to city-owned parking lots just a few blocks away for $60.00 per month.

The motive for tripling downtown meter rates was to create a revenue stream for the elusive "downtown revitalization," a concept the city has been unsuccessfully pursuing for four decades.    

City's new interactive video display system

Outside of the obligatory bombast from octogenarian Dagoberto Barrera and a spirited scolding from Robert Uresti, none of the 19 public commenters raised their voices.  

Larry Holtzman, downtown realtor and property owner, was willing to see the rate raised to 50 cents per hour, but wanted specified lots for downtown employees with clear signage directions.

Reynoldo Garza, Jr. opposed a "one size fits all approach," stating that some parking spots were more critical than others.  He said enforcing a two hour limit was a better option than raising the rate.

Robert Uresti said city planners had "mismanaged" downtown, city officials had placed heavy certificates of obligation on Brownsville taxpayers, raised utility rates with little to show for it.  He suggested the city planners "open their eyes" and tell the mayor to "wake up."

Larry Jokl stated that he owned an empty 6000 square foot building on Elizabeth and two empty buildings on Levee Street.  "Let's find tenants for our downtown buildings before we raise rates."

Attorney Dennis Sanchez said the forum had "sensitized" him to the actual situation of downtown merchants and employees.  "We did a study in 2011.  Everyone was on board then with raising rates, because all in the room were "lucky enough to have money. We need a more complete plan than simply raising rates."

Daniel Lenz, chairman of the Brownsville Metro Advisory Board and a downtown property owner, emphasized creating a "destination first," before raising fees.  He stated that the ground would be broken in March for the downtown parking garage with completion likely by Thanksgiving.  Lenz asked for a show of hands of those opposed to increased parking fees.  A clear majority seemed opposed, while primarily city staff favored the increased rate.

District 2 City Commissioner Tetreau

While the mayor made it clear he would be out of town for the event, 4 city commissioners showed up during the meeting with Commissioners Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa and John Villarreal addressing the citizens.

Tetreau thanked the citizens for their participation and stated her opposition to the meter rate  increase.

John Villarreal chided the audience for not showing up for the initial public comment at the first reading of the agenda item to raise the meter rates.  He said only one commenter showed up at the city commission meeting on December 10.  

What Villarreal neglected to mention was the ambiguous wording of that agenda item, a slick attempt to conceal the intent of the city to raise the rates.  Here is the original language for the first reading:

6. Public Hearing and ACTION on FIRST READING on Ordinance Number 2013-736-O to amend the City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 98 “Traffic and Vehicles”; ARTICLE V “Stopping, Standing, and Parking”, promulgating a new Division 6 “Parking Meters”, and adding Sections 98-382, 98-383, with Sections 98-384-98-410 to remain reserved, and dealing with related matters. (Ramiro Gonzalez – Planning)

During the forum, City Planner II, Roman McAllen, took copious notes on a standing flip-sheet, documenting the concerns.  As Robert Uresti noted in his speech:  "All of you commissioners were on the bandwagon.  If not for Commissioner Ricardo Longoria, this increase would have passed."