Hull Approves 900-Car Limit for HRA Parking Lot
Select Board votes to maintain parking capacity while Town Manager outlines $54.7 million balanced budget with new reserve funds
HULL - March 12 - The Hull Select Board approves a 900-car limit for the Hull Redevelopment Authority (HRA) parking lot for the upcoming 2025 summer season, maintaining the same capacity as last year despite some concerns about traffic congestion.
The decision comes after HRA representatives explained that even with the 900-car limit last year, the lot only reached near capacity once during the summer season, with 843 cars on Juneteenth. Most other busy days saw only 400-500 cars in the lot.
"Last year was a wet summer," said an HRA representative. "They had one day that was 843 cars. I've been around long enough to see days where if you could have parked 1,500 cars, you could have put 1,500 cars in there."
The HRA notes that the town receives $50 per car in permit fees, generating $45,000 in revenue with the 900-car limit. Reducing the limit would directly impact this revenue stream.
"If you cut 40% off of what that bid is, you do the math, and we're losing money. At that point, you might as well just close it and let them park all over town," the individual added.
Select Board Chair Irwin Nesoff supports the higher limit, arguing that insufficient parking creates its own problems.
"If the spaces aren't there, the people are going to be driving around town looking for spaces," Nesoff says. "Not enough parking is a bigger quality of life issue. If people can't find a space to park, they're going to be just circling around town and eventually parking in front of somebody's house and risking a parking ticket."
The motion to approve the 900-car limit passes with a 4-1 vote, with Board member Greg Grey voting against it. The approval includes a condition that the HRA work with plover ambassadors to ensure all people parking in the lot receive appropriate information about the protected shorebirds.
In other significant business, Town Manager Jennifer Constable presents a balanced budget of $54,740,279 for fiscal year 2026, with revenues and expenditures both up 4.78% from the previous year.
"We are presenting a balanced budget this evening," Constable says. "Revenues are up about 4.78%, which matches our expenditures."
The budget draws from the town's tax levy, state aid, excise taxes, ambulance receipts, and building permits. Major expenditures include health insurance with an anticipated 6.5% increase, debt service for projects like the seawall and Fort Revere water tower, and the pension liability which is scheduled to be fully funded by 2030.
Constable highlights several new reserve funds being proposed at the upcoming town meeting, including:
- An injured on duty fund ($100,000)
- A workers' compensation fund ($100,000)
- An unemployment compensation fund ($100,000)
- An employment liability reserve fund for employee separations
- A grant match fund ($250,000)
These funds aim to prepare the town for anticipated expenses and potential changes in grant funding requirements.
"If revenues decrease on the state side, whether at the state level or federal level, grant matches have the potential to go up in order to continue to get money to local municipalities," Constable explains.
The town is also adding to existing reserve funds, with $150,000 going to the general stabilization fund and over $200,000 to the capital stabilization fund.
Constable notes that Hull is in a strong financial position compared to many other municipalities in Massachusetts.
"As I understand, I believe there are 61 municipalities in the Commonwealth that are seeking operational overrides this year," she says. "We are in a comfortable position, and that has a lot to do with my predecessor's work, the finance team's work, and going forward being prepared for the unknowns."
The budget includes funding for additional personnel, with plans to add two paramedic/EMTs to Hull Fire, bringing them to full complement, as well as a patrol position and desk clerk for the Hull Police Department.
Capital expenses in the budget include IT system upgrades, website redesign for both town and school, replacement of public safety vehicles, a columbarium at the cemetery, repairs to the Draper Ave pump station, repairs at the salt shed and DPW barn, and fencing throughout town, primarily at the L Street fields.
The Select Board will sign the town warrant, which includes the FY26 budget, on March 26, before it is presented to town meeting for approval.
Other notable items from the meeting include:
- The town was awarded a community resilience and recovery project grant to work with Scituate, Cohasset, Hingham, and Norwell on regional emergency preparedness
- The Affordable Housing Committee held a successful presentation on Affordable Housing 101 with 35 attendees
- The board discussed potential traffic issues with school buses queuing behind the middle school