Annapolis announces reduction of free holiday parking program, requires phone call or app download

Annapolis is reducing its long-standing, free holiday parking program from three hours of parking to two, getting rid of the bags covering meters and requiring drivers to activate free parking by calling a number or using the Parkmobile App.

The parking program, which dates back to 2001, will run seven days a week from Nov. 29 to Dec. 31, and there will be no parking enforcement on Thanksgiving Day.

The spaces that are eligible to use the ParkMobile app include Main Street, Francis Street, West Street, Maryland Avenue, Prince George Street, City Dock, Calvert Street and Market Space. The free parking code is “ParkDTA.”

In lieu of the parking app, visitors who don’t have a smartphone, or prefer not to use the app, can use the call-in number to register for the free parking at 877-727-5758.

Previously the city offered three hours of free parking and the program ran from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

Alderman Fred Paone, R-Ward 2, questioned why the program was moving exclusively to the app.

“Why are we fixing something that ain’t broke. That’s it in a nutshell,” Paone said. “A lot of people don’t have that app. I don’t. If I lived in DC, a big huge city, perhaps I would have it. Not here.”

Alderwoman Elly Tierney, D-Ward 1, did not immediately return calls for comment.

A spokesman for SP+, the city’s parking vendor, directed all inquiries about the proposed changes to the city.

The city’s announcement came several hours after the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and local news blog Eye on Annapolis reported more significant parking changes. City officials said those reports were not entirely accurate before announcing the official changes.

Downtown Annapolis Partnership Executive Director Erik Evans initially reported more severe changes to the program in a newsletter, citing confirmation he received from the city. Those changes included reducing free days to just Thursday through Sunday.

Putting the program on the parking app is concerning because some drivers don’t have a smartphone or are uncomfortable using a parking app, Evans said.

“Honestly we wish that this applied to everybody and not just those that know about the discount,” he said. “We want the program to be offered to as many people as possible as it had in the past.”

City spokeswoman Mitchelle Stephenson disputed those facts in that newsletter. When asked to clarify what parts of the report were inaccurate, she declined to comment because discussions about the changes were ongoing at that time. She later released the city’s approved changes.

A link to the parking update was shared on a popular Eastport Facebook group, garnering reactions from residents including one person who wrote, “So tired of everything in life involving an app!”

Evans said he will continue to push the city to change the proposed plans or “hope they change their mind.”

City residents are still welcome to park for free for up to two hours in the city’s four downtown garages, and the city’s Park Shop & Dine program, which offers up to four hours of free parking vouchers from local businesses, will remain in place as well, officials said.