Not sufficient time to get haircut and run an errand before shopping prevention officers in cart give a "Welcome to Andover" ticket.
Need better balance between need to "turnover" vs time to spend $$ with Andover businesses. Let's not drive remaning business to free parking at malls.

Whoever conceived the ludicrous centrally-located parking meter concept in the public lots is, well, a complete moron. And complete morons are rare.

I own a retail store facing a municipal pay to park lot. I have never had a customer compliment the parking system once in six years of business. All complain about the hassle of having to use the ticket machines which are either broken down or eats money. Placement of ticket machines is poor. Customers constantly ask why they weren't placed at the entrance to the lot so you can drive up, roll down car window and grab and go. Safety is another concern at night time in the dark. Trees in that lot along the OAV building haven't been trimmed up in years so they block all the light posts and the handicapped parking signs. Town's responsibity to trim them to a height above the lights and signs. Only plus is a few 15 minute parking spaces that customers are grateful for...if you could actually see the signs through the trees!

And I have to personally ask: What's with the little white signs posted 10 feet high at the entrances that state parking is enforced in the lots 8am-8pm? Do we actually have parking officers on duty ticketing after 5pm to enforce this? If so, shouldn't the sign be on the machines stating hours enforced so it's more noticeable?

Parking situation is awful, and it's clear the town relies on the revenue generated as they'll aggressively go after you for sticker violations and anything they can making going into town hostile. Then if you have two errands to do and park in the lot of one of the stores, you get reprimanded for leaving your car there or parking and heading to your other establishment.

The Town was built for around 10,000 people. We've way overstrapped our infrustructure with, what, around 35,000 people here now? With the limited space and heavy traffic it's clear coming in to accomplish something is a challenge.

Most trips into town are to pop in for something quick. The quick in and out should not require a fee. There should be 15 minute free parking in more places. The lots should be for longer stays but the signage and machines are a total hassle. Given the congestion downtown, it is also difficult and time consuming to continue to loop around to find spots.

It is insane and the two meter enforcers make an unpleasant experience even worse. They hover and god help you if your meter expires while you are coming back to your car, cause they slap a ticket on immediately. I volunteer downtown and usually end up donating my time which I am happy to do as well as paying $20 for a parking ticket which I am not happy to do. Having to feed the meters until 8PM is also insane. They should stop at 6PM at the latest. Andover is not welcoming to shoppers at all. Customers in the shop I volunteer at are constantly rushing through because of the meters-it should not be that way. They hurt business all over town. OH and the lovely machines? They do not give change which is even more ludicrous. So if you do not have one dollar bills, you have to go to town hall for change. Absolutely crazy. In nice weather, I think the meter people should be walking not riding, save gas, save taxpayer money and would be much healthier for them as well.

i unfortunately live uptown and our land lord offers no parking so we are forced to park in the municipal lots and pay out the nose for it and god forbid there is a snow storm, they won't allow you to park over night w/out a minimum of a ticket and in a large storm they will tow you,i live here and pay my taxes and support the local economy and find this unacceptable! there should be a resident parking permit you can purchase to cover you monthly even in the winter or at least a resident parking only section for those of us that are not offered parking where we rent instead of having to navigate and manipulate the nightmare that is parking in uptown andover