The Columbia City Council voted Sept. 15 to adopt an ordinance adjusting parking meter rates after staff briefed the council on outreach to the Downtown Community Improvement District (CID).

Shane Creech, director of public works, said staff and finance met with the CID board and explained the parking utility’s revenue and maintenance needs and the methodology behind the proposed rate change; the district “plan[s] to take no formal action for or against this rate increase,” he said.

Creech told the council that meter rates have been largely unchanged since 2013 and that an incremental increase is intended as an interim step. “When we looked at what we thought we needed to be charging, we didn’t think that, you know, probably what we need to be charging is probably even higher than this,” he said. “We felt like this was a good interim step to avoid doubling that charge.”

Council members and public commentators urged clearer public education about the change. Susan Renee Carter, a Second Ward resident, said many residents misunderstand how the mobile app fees work and urged a stronger public-information campaign. “A lot of people are very confused about the fees that they pay,” she said, urging the city to explain the difference between meter rates and third‑party convenience fees.

Nikki Davis, with the Downtown CID, told council the district had no formal position but offered to help distribute information and work with businesses to explain the changes.

Council adopted the ordinance on a roll call vote; staff said long‑term replacement of physical meters and broader technology updates will be phased in over time.