City Council to pilot $70 discounted commuter permit in Ortega garage

In a recent meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council's Finance Committee, officials discussed a new initiative aimed at addressing the parking needs of downtown employees. The proposal involves piloting a discounted commuter permit program in the Ortega garage, a response to the removal of the Code A lot, which had previously served as a vital resource for affordable parking.

The Code A lot was the most popular location for permit parking, offering low-cost commuter permits at $70 per month. With its closure to facilitate the construction of a new police station, many legacy permit holders were relocated to Lots 10 and 2, where they retained their original rate. However, feedback from downtown stakeholders highlighted a pressing need for affordable employee parking options.

To address this concern, the committee proposed reducing the permit price in the Ortega garage from $145 to $70 per month. This change is expected to generate an estimated revenue loss of $65,000 annually, but city officials are optimistic that the lower fee will attract more permit holders, ultimately increasing occupancy in the garage.

Additionally, the committee discussed the existing 24/7 permits available in several parking lots, which are priced at $250 per month. These permits cater to residential users and differ from the monthly commuter permits.

The discussions reflect the city's ongoing efforts to adapt its parking strategies to meet the evolving needs of the community, particularly in light of recent changes to parking availability. As the pilot program moves forward, its success will be closely monitored to determine its impact on downtown parking dynamics and employee accessibility.