Montclair officials adopted three ordinances updating parking fees, permits and operating hours at the township’s May 19 Council meeting.

The township said the changes are intended to improve parking availability in high-demand areas, reduce congestion and double-parked delivery vehicles, and better manage evening parking demand.

Meter rate changes are scheduled to take effect July 6, pending new signage. Permit fee changes will take effect during the July billing cycle, and current permit holders will be notified by email.

Under the changes, standard on-street meter rates will increase from $1 to $1.50 per hour, while metered rates in surface lots will increase from 75 cents to $1 per hour. Meter hours will shift from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A $3 hourly rate will apply during peak hours in the downtown Special Parking Zone from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

"For people who have to come in pretty much every day it's pretty rough I think, because it just increases the premium," said Karin Sridhar, who frequently has to park in Montclair. "I think for people like me it's not that bad because [I] come in twice a week or something like that, but for people who have to come in every single day for eight hours at a time I think it's a bit brutal."

Permit fees will also rise across township parking facilities. Surface lot non-commuter permits will increase from $50 to $60 per month, commuter permits from $60 to $70 per month, and overnight permits for on-street and surface lots from $45 to $50 per month.

At the Bay Street Deck, 24-hour access permits will increase from $100 to $125 per month. A new $65 monthly overnight permit will allow access from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday.

Hourly rates in the parking decks are not changing.

A third ordinance extends loading zone enforcement hours from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday to match the new meter hours.