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Taos merchants press council for hybrid downtown parking plan; town and critics spar over numbers
Summary
Representatives of the Taos Merchant Group presented a hybrid parking plan that would keep 2‑hour free on‑street parking (no kiosks) and use paid kiosks in lots; presenters said the plan would generate more than the town's $318,000 target in operating revenue. A public commenter later criticized the merchant group's figures as hearsay.
Members of the Taos Merchant Group presented a hybrid downtown parking plan to the council on June 24, calling for free two‑hour on‑street parking supported by license‑plate recognition enforcement and paid parking in lot areas. Presenters said the hybrid approach would preserve the historic district's aesthetic while generating revenue from parking lots to maintain the system and fund improvements.
Yvonne Swartz described the hybrid model: on‑street spaces would be time‑limited (two hours) with no kiosks or QR code signage; enforcement would use a license‑plate recognition (LPR) patrol vehicle to electronically track duration ("electronic chalking"). Parking lots would remain pay‑to‑park using the town's T2 pay system with kiosks or mobile pay, and the group proposed making the first hour in lots free and offering free employee permits for designated lots.
Julie Lake, also representing the merchant group, said their calculations show the hybrid plan would generate roughly $476,000 annually from paid lot spaces (assuming average rates and 60% occupancy) plus an estimated $110,000 from citations — comfortably exceeding the town staff’s cited $318,000 target to operate the parking program.
Town staff at prior workshops provided cost and revenue figures tied to the town’s purchase of T2 parking kiosks and associated enforcement. Later in the meeting, a public commenter (Stevens Hall) criticized the merchant group's numbers as being hearsay and urged the merchant group to obtain and cite primary sources rather than relying on figures “thrice removed.” Stevens Hall urged transparency and to rely on official town numbers or public records.
Why it matters: Parking policy affects downtown merchants, visitors and the historic district's character. The council previously received strong public comments and a petition on parking and must weigh aesthetics, enforcement capacity and revenue needs.
Next steps: The merchant group said it will provide its calculations to the council; staff and the council will review the numbers. The council has agreed to include at least one merchant representative on a parking committee and continue discussions.
Ending: Council members encouraged continued collaboration between town staff and merchant representatives and asked staff to compare and verify the competing revenue calculations and enforcement assumptions before any policy or system changes are finalized.
