Berkeley to study free parking for hybrids, Mercury News art

Coincidentally, I realized that the San Jose 'free parking' program expires this year.

3/10/05
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ws/11101976.htm

Berkeley to study free parking for hybrids

By Eric Kurhi

STAFF WRITER

Berkeley is looking into the possibility of giving people who drive hybrid vehicles the equivalent of a free lunch -- free street parking for a year.

The City Council Tuesday assigned a commission to look into the feasibility of such a reward for drivers of the energy-efficient vehicles. The idea is still in its nascent stages, with officials hammering out details such as whether the bonus should be granted to all hybrid car owners, or only for owners of such cars bought in Berkeley.

Councilman Kriss Worthington said restricting it to Berkeley-bought vehicles could be a tremendous boon for local car dealerships.

"This is something the city could do that would help local business," he said. "I can't think of a better selling point than 'Buy here -- get free parking.'"

But should the city adopt such a resolution, it wouldn't mean hybrid car owners could be complete parking scofflaws -- time limits would still apply.


And Councilwoman Dona Spring pointed out that before anything, the city has to see how feasible it would be. Enforcement -- or in this case, non-enforcement -- could pose an increased burden on parking enforcement officers that would make the plan unrealistic.


Officials say the plan would help the city reduce gasoline consumption in accordance with the Kyoto Accord, an international treaty aimed at curbing global warming.