The Old Orchard Beach Town Council has made some additional changes to downtown parking, including shortening the parking meter season.

During the summer months, the town charges parking fees in designated areas in the downtown. On Tuesday, the Town Council voted to shorten the parking meter season from May 1 to Sept. 30 to May 1 to Labor Day. This gives locals and others who visit in the early fall about a month of free downtown parking before Indigenous People’s weekend, when many businesses close for the season.

Last month, the Town Council voted to create more free short-term parking downtown, designating all on-street parking on Old Orchard Street, except for nine one-hour handicap spaces, as free 30-minute parking. The free, short-term spaces are tailored to those who are making a quick stop downtown to pick up take-out food orders.

The Town Council on Tuesday also changed the benefits of the $75 residential parking permit. Now that parking on Old Orchard Street has been changed to free short-term parking, a previous benefit that allowed two-hour parking on Old Orchard Street has been removed. Residents who own this pass can now park at metered on-street parking for up to six hours at a time.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.