Neighborhood Parking Project Information
In the winter/spring of 2023 and 2024, the City used grant funding to explore sustainable parking and transportation options that will enable continued residential development in neighborhoods near downtown. The goal is to improve parking and sustainable transportation (i.e. biking, walking, public transit) for the community while facilitating needed housing development.
How do residential parking programs work?
What is a Parking Benefit District?
The Parking Triangle (printable pdf)
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS & NEXT STEPS
The final report includes a number of recommendations related to the City's on-street parking policies, zoning requirements, transportation demand management, communication/marketing and wayfinding, technology, and finance tools. The three recommendations that the City intends to explore in the near future are listed below.
- Replace the winter parking ban with an emergency weather parking ban (lead: Public Works Department). The City currently enforces a six-month winter on-street parking ban. Switching to an ad-hoc system where residents only have to move their vehicle during a weather event would eliminate the need for residents who park on-street to find alternative parking for half the year.
- Update the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Program (lead: Parking Services). The current RPP program was created to mitigate the impact of college student commuters on adjacent residential streets. This report recommends reviewing and updating the RPP regulations to ensure the program will best serve the needs of residents in areas where spillover from commercial or institutional uses limits the amount of parking available for resident use.
- Modify on-site parking requirements in zoning (lead: Community Development Department). The City of Keene generally requires two parking spaces per dwelling unit outside the downtown and either 1 space per unit or no parking in the downtown. This report recommends reducing the parking requirements citywide for senior housing and affordable housing and basing the requirement for multifamily housing on the number of bedrooms.
Meetings & Updates
Presentation – Monday, June 10, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the second floor Council Chambers of City Hall, 3 Washington Street.
A brief overview of the project and draft recommendations that pertain to zoning will be presented at the Joint Committee of the Planning Board and the Planning, Licenses, and Development Committee.
Community Night – Tuesday, June 18, 2024 from 4:00-7:00 PM, 350 Marlboro Street.
The project consultant will be present at the City of Keene Community Night at the Parking Operations station to provide information about the draft report and recommendations.
Past Meetings
Public Open House - Wednesday, January 24th, 2023, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM at the Keene Public Library in Heberton Hall, 60 Winter Street
View The Presentation Slides - The project was also presented to the City Council's MSFI Committee, including how expanded parking options relate to potential housing solutions.
Timeline
January 2024: Open House For Public Input (1/24/2024), Stakeholder Interviews, Online Survey, City Council MSFI Committee Discussion
February-March 2024: Analysis & Draft Recommendations
April 2024: Open House To Review Recommendations, Stakeholder Input, City Council MSFI Committee Discussion
May-June 2024: Formalize Recommendations, City Council Presentation