West Chester proposes expanded metered parking and switch to ParkMobile as businesses press for changes

West Chester Borough staff presented a broad set of recommended parking changes, including expanding paid metered zones on Gay Street and South High Street, standardizing three-hour limits on street parking and transitioning the borough's paid-parking system from Flowbird to ParkMobile.

Ramsey, the borough's parking lead, told council the objective is greater consistency across downtown parking zones and to encourage workers to use garages and lots rather than occupying curbside spaces all day. "We're moving to ParkMobile," Ramsey said, noting plans for additional kiosks, clearer signage, merchant validation codes and a rollout that aims for new signage and system readiness by June 1, with Flowbird sunsetting on June 30.

The package includes several operational recommendations: remove an existing three-hour timed restriction on Darlington Street to benefit nearby residents; add a daytime three-hour timed rule on Railroad Alley to reduce car warehousing while preserving evening resident access; convert sections of Gay Street (Darlington to New Street) into a metered, three-hour paid zone; and extend metered parking on South High Street from Union to Dean. Staff emphasized outreach to affected businesses and churches before scheduling a public hearing.

Business owners and some councilors pushed back. Salon and restaurant operators said some appointments or services can last more than three hours, and late-night employees raised safety concerns about walking longer distances to garages. Council members asked for clear outreach, training sessions and a plan for enforcement that could include limited grace or dispute-handling; staff said they typically offer one-time ticket dismissals in specific circumstances and plan educational outreach, social-media materials and an in-person "open house" to help residents and businesses learn the new system.

Council moved to direct the solicitor to draft changes to parking-meter zones and time-limited areas and to prepare the ordinance for a public hearing, while parking staff will continue stakeholder outreach and finalize signage and kiosk locations. Staff also said they will discuss enforcement and possible temporary leniency with the parking committee ahead of implementation.

Next steps: solicitor to prepare ordinance language and schedule a public hearing after additional outreach; staff to pilot and test ParkMobile internally, finalize signage and kiosks, and conduct public training and communications in the weeks before the system switch.