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Residents and council revisit parking study; mayor says parking garage costs may exceed $20,000 per space
Summary
A resident asked whether a prior parking-structure study is still valid; the mayor said the 2019 study estimated a long payback and that construction costs could exceed $20,000 per space; council clarified RACP funds are for downtown improvements, not a parking garage.
A resident who signed up during public comment asked whether the borough’s prior parking-structure study remains valid and what would be required to begin a parking garage project.
Mayor Billy Lutz said the study — completed in 2019 — estimated needs out to 20 years and remains usable. He said building a parking structure would require the borough to decide it wants the project, identify and possibly purchase a site, and secure substantial funding. “The figure that was quoted to them was over $20,000 per parking space,” Lutz said, and later repeated that figure as a conservative estimate.
Council members and staff said the borough has discussed grant and public–private partnership options. Councilmember Derek (surname not specified in the transcript) noted RACP funding the borough received was targeted “for downtown parking improvements” such as traffic flow, signage and meters — not for construction of a parking garage. The council indicated an updated feasibility assessment, site selection and funding strategy would be required before moving forward.
Resident questions also raised whether the borough could use existing surface lots to site a garage; council members said acquiring land or partnering with current lot owners would be part of any plan. No formal action or funding was approved at the April 8 meeting; councilmembers said the topic would remain on future workshop agendas.
