Bethlehem plans parking permit for IronPigs

By Nicole Radzievich

The Morning Call

July 01, 2008

First, the Hotel Bethlehem was named the official home-away-from-home for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs opponents.

Now, Bethlehem parking officials are getting ready for hometeam players who want to make the Christmas City their summer home.

While the 'Pigs play ball in east Allentown, players on the Valley's new AAA team hail from as far away as Australia to as close as Montrose, Berks County, near Reading.

Those players who rent houses or apartments for the season in Bethlehem already are causing a parking dilemma for city officials.

Players, including some who bring their families, are staying in certain residential neighborhoods that require a permit to park more than two hours on the street. But what type of permit should they get: A temporary permit that lasts an entire summer? A student permit for residents who aren't going to school? An employee permit for someone who doesn't work in the city?

And what about the players who don't stay a whole season, maybe even just two weeks before they head elsewhere?

Those questions were answered last week.

Call it the baseball rule.

The landlord for pitcher R.J. Swindle, whose year-round home is in South Carolina, appeared before the Bethlehem Parking Authority last week for guidance.

After talking through a few scenarios, the authority eventually decided to issue a $20 permit -- the same cost as a summer student permit -- only by appeal so that the authority could exercise oversight more closely.

Parking Director Hector Nemes said the baseball appeal applies only to IronPigs employees -- players, coaches and other staff.

''We wanted to make sure they pay their fair share, but they didn't really meet the qualifications of the permits we have. They meet some of the qualifications of a student, a resident and a baseball player,'' Nemes said. ''It's a triple play.''

IronPigs spokesman Jon Schaeffer said he did not have a breakdown of the players' local residences.

But Jim Ferry, Swindle's landlord for a Center City property, told the authority to be prepared for other IronPigs to follow as they find Bethlehem a good place to spend the summer.

The fact that the debate was happening in Bethlehem, as opposed to Allentown where the stadium is, was not lost on parking officials.

Bethlehem already gets foot traffic on Main Street from the opponents staying at the hotel, and its municipal golf course was named the official IronPigs golf course.

''Should we start calling them the Bethlehem IronPigs?'' authority Chairman Joe Hoffmeier joked.

nicole.mertz@mcall.com 610-861-3614

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