City showcases parking meters on St. Armands

Parking meters are coming to St. Armands Circle today — but just for some testing, for now.

The city will showcase six different parking meters from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. Staff is gathering public feedback for a forthcoming paid parking program on St. Armands Circle, which will help pay for a parking garage on North Adams Drive.

The models will include three single-space meters and three multi-space pay stations, according to a release. The city has said it wants to publicly vet meters following complaints regarding a previous effort to implement on-street paid parking.

The city will ask the public to share their thoughts and preferences regarding the different types of meters.

The display will be located at the Seven Virtues statues along John Ringling Boulevard across from St. Armands Circle Park. The city plans to hold additional meter demonstrations on St. Armands in the future before selecting a vendor.

The city plans to begin charging for parking on St. Armands after the parking garage is completed in December 2018.