Valet's the way, they say
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
With Christmas approaching and the parking situation in Kaimuki worse than ever, area merchants are hoping to expand upon the success of last year's pilot valet parking program, which allowed more shoppers to park their cars with less frustration.
When: 7 p.m. tonight. Where: Lili'uokalani Elementary School cafeteria, 3633 Wai'alae Ave. Why: To discuss valet parking over the Christmas season.
"It's getting scary out there. People are fighting," said D.J. Colbert, owner of Prosperity Corner and a major supporter of the valet parking plan. "People are to a point of complete frustration trying to find parking."
Kaimuki Neighborhood Board meeting
The proposal will need a city permit to use a section of the metered municipal parking lot, and support from the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board, which will discuss the situation at its regular monthly meeting today.
The business district has two municipal lots with metered parking stalls between Wai'alae and Harding avenues. The lots have a five-hour limit. During lunch and dinner hours parking is hard to find for customers, who circle the crowded lots hunting for open spaces.
Colbert said the valet services used only a small area with 15 metered stalls last year and they were able to fit 40 cars into that space.
"What really works is the valet parking," she said. "Why not turn more of the lot into valet and make it year-round?"
Last year, the valet parking cost $3 and was available from from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the Christmas season. Seven merchants agreed to validate, making the parking free for their customers. Signs were set up along Harding Avenue for the drop-off points and parking attendants kept watch over the cars, Colbert said.
Ginny Meade, with the Greater East Honolulu Community Alliance, said the program was a success last year but it needs more support from merchants.
"It would be really nice if it all came together and everyone agreed on it this year," Meade said.
The $2,500 cost for the valet service last year was paid for by Colbert and merchant Bead It Inc. with support from GEHCA and merchants who validated parking.
This year, if the city allows another permit, Colbert is hoping more merchants will validate the parking because it makes room for all of their customers.
"I just can't afford to pay for it all again," she said. "All the merchants up here are stressed to no end and it is really hard to ask them for more money. We have a problem, but at least we have tried this and it worked."
City spokeswoman Carol Costa said the city Department of Transportation Services has not been asked for a permit so she could not say if it would be granted.
The city contracted Urban Works to develop both short- and long-term plans to alleviate parking problems in the busy shopping area last year, and the report, which was released in September, is available on the web at www.co.honolulu.hi.us/dts/kaimuki_business.htm.
The city paid $75,000 for the master plan. The study looked into several possibilities for increasing parking including parking structures, re-striping the municipal lots and creating a valet service, but not ways to pay for those projects.
Reach James Gonser at 535-2431 or jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.
