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City to require event contracts to promote transit and off‑street parking
Summary
City staff told the committee that event and festival contracts will be amended to require organizers to promote transit and off‑street parking options, with the city and C‑Tran supplying premade maps and materials; the change aims to improve weekend turnover and reduce long‑term on‑street parking.
City staff told the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee they plan to add contract requirements for event and festival organizers to promote public transit and off‑street parking options to reduce long‑term on‑street parking and improve turnover for weekend events.
"One of the requirements we're gonna have now is, around promoting, two things, transit or non single occupancy vehicle transportation options and, off street parking facilities," said a Transportation staff member (unnamed). "We're not expecting them to figure this world out. We're gonna do that for them. We're gonna work with C Tran and make sure they have, like, a nice little map or a link...that they can use."
Staff said the change is tied to the city's Access, Mobility and Parking Plan and recent expansion of weekend enforcement; officers began seven‑day enforcement on June 1 and early data show increased turnover on weekends. The contracts will require organizers to post and promote transit and off‑street parking information; the city will provide premade maps and work with private parking‑lot owners to expand shared parking availability on weekends.
Staff also addressed logistics raised by committee members: vendors will be able to load and unload but not occupy curb parking for entire events, and pilot arrangements are being tested with the farmer's market using an off‑street lot for vendor parking. Committee members asked for clear wayfinding materials and suggested the city provide editable assets organizers can use on websites and social media.
Staff reported there are about 14,000 downtown parking spots (including garages and on‑street spaces) and said waterfront garages currently allow paid eight‑hour parking; however, staff acknowledged real‑time parking‑availability technology is a future investment and not likely in 2025–2026.
Implementation will happen at the contracting stage for events; staff asked the committee for feedback but sought no formal vote. The city will continue to coordinate with C‑Tran and private lot owners and test unloading/loading protocols for vendors.
Why it matters: Requiring promotion of transit and off‑street parking aims to improve parking turnover, make event access more reliable for attendees and reduce impacts on downtown businesses.
