PORTLAND, Maine — Adam Sousa had secured a prime parking spot on Tuesday at the beginning of his shift as a bar manager at Blyth and Burrows in downtown Portland. His car was parked on the street, within one hundred feet of the cocktail bar.
However, Sousa said this luck was very temporary, as he'd have to start the search for parking all over again two hours into his shift. This is because parking in downtown Portland is restricted. Most areas place a two-hour limit on how long people can park there. For employees like Sousa, the rules can result in them having to move their cars up to five times in one work day.
This is something Sousa considers a big problem, especially because the rules restrict more than just the time, but also the location. For three hours, you are not allowed to park on the same block where you had parked previously.
"I've spent times driving around for 20 to 30 minutes trying to find a new parking spot," Sousa said.
If workers don't oblige with the ordinance, they can face hefty fines or risk their cars getting towed.
"It makes it really difficult and unfortunate when you do get nailed with like $50-60 worth of parking tickets and you're just in here trying to make money," Sousa explained.
Recently, Sousa and some other employees took this fight to the city council. They spoke out during the public comment section of the May 6 meeting, asking officials to consider alternatives that would ease these problems for downtown workers.
The city, in response, said street parking was intentionally designed this way and it was never meant for employee parking. Jessica Grondin, a city spokesperson, told NEWS CENTER Maine in a statement, "The parking ordinance restrictions were put in place based on the fact that we want the parking spaces to turnover to provide parking opportunities for as many people as possible who are conducting 'business' in the city."
On the city's website, it states that parking is meant to support the growth of businesses in the community. However, workers like Adam Sousa say this convenience comes at a difference price, paid by the working class.
"It feels like these regulations and enforcements are definitely targeting people that work downtown," Sousa said, adding he has seen the parking situation chase potential employees away, a problem other businesses say they've also experienced.
Gudren Cobb, owner of Uncommon Paws, across the street from Blyth and Burrows, said she's been looking to increase staffing at her shop ahead of the busy summer season, but the parking situation seriously narrows down the pool of potential employees.
"Nobody can really jump out every two hours and repark their car," Cobb said.
The city proposes employees utilize other transit options, like walking, taking the bus, or getting a parking spot in an off-street garage. However, employers say if you don't live in the city, or feel unsafe taking a bus, parking is your only option and a garage might not be realistic.
"Even the parking garages are getting more and more expensive. I've had people not take the job because of that," Cobb added.
At Angelo Acre's Lot, the city offers a lower, fixed parking rate of $5 a day, but for some that would require walking almost a mile to work downtown. Sousa believes these factors are working against Portland's businesses, when workers consider taking up seasonal positions in the city.
"They could go across the bridge into South Portland or go into Westbrook and work there for two months, make the same amount of money, and not have to worry about jumping through all the hoops," he said.
Sousa and his coworkers said they're hoping the city will hear their concerns and make some sort of exception for those who work on the same street they're parking on.