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Oshkosh committee recommends ordinance updates to enable app- and web-based parking permits
Summary
The Transportation Committee voted unanimously to recommend changes to municipal parking code to allow web- or app-based permits, digital daily permits, integration with license-plate readers and other code cleanup to replace physical hang-tags and obsolete meter language; the recommendation will go to the Common Council for two readings.
The Oshkosh City Transportation Committee on March 11 recommended ordinance changes to modernize the city's parking permit and enforcement system, moving away from paper hang-tags and legacy meter language toward a web- and app-based platform.
Committee members approved a motion to proceed with code updates that would allow digital permits, integrate license-plate reader enforcement and streamline permit issuance. The recommendation was unanimous and will be forwarded to the Oshkosh Common Council for the two readings required by ordinance.
The committee's staff presentation said the city has partnered with a commercial parking-management vendor, Passport, and will implement that vendor's permit software as the platform for online permit applications, payments and daily permits. Jim, City staff, described the system as a secure online portal and mobile-friendly app that will allow residents and businesses to apply for, renew and pay for overnight, monthly, annual and daily permits and for businesses to issue single-day validation codes for visitors.
The proposed code changes are written generically to allow for 'web- or app-based' permit administration, not to lock the city to a single vendor; the committee's motion was to recommend ordinance amendments that remove obsolete references to meters and hang-tags and replace 'display' or 'hang tag' language with web/app-based permit management and license-plate-reader enforcement.
Committee members discussed practical impacts and customer support. Staff said police and parks lots do not allow overnight parking without a permit or lease; private lots behind some buildings remain an option when available. Staff also said the police department can give short-term permission for one or two nights by phone, and that front-desk staff can help customers who do not use smartphones.
The committee also discussed fee settings that are not part of the ordinance package but will be set in a separate fee schedule. Current figures cited by staff include a $1.50 daily permit (plus an estimated $0.37 transaction fee), an existing on-street rate of $1.25 per hour in the university area, a $30 monthly permit and a $10 overnight permit; staff recommended the council consider raising the daily lot permit toward $3'$5 to better align with nearby cities and recover processing and administrative costs.
University-area streets on High Avenue and Osceola Avenue currently were administered under a 2004 agreement with the university that allowed the university to manage payment stations and collect revenues until machines were paid off. Staff said the city plans to take management of those two streets back into the city's single system so users can rely on one app and one enforcement process; staff proposed providing the university 90 days' notice before switching paid-parking control so the change comes between semesters.
Votes at a glance: The motion to recommend ordinance changes to permit web- or app-based parking management and associated code clean-up passed on a committee roll call: Staple, Armstrong, Hartman, Eslinger and Martin all voted aye. The committee will forward the recommended ordinance changes to the Common Council for the two required readings.
The committee said it will continue to identify and correct remaining references in Chapter 27 of the municipal code (for example, references to 'display' or 'meters') before the Council consideration. Staff indicated phased implementation is possible; license-plate readers and digital permitting could start in spring and be further refined over the summer.
The recommendation is advisory; the Common Council may accept, modify or reject the committee's proposed ordinance changes during its two readings.
Ending: With the committee's unanimous recommendation, the next step is Common Council consideration over two readings. Staff said it will bring a proposed fee schedule separately to address daily, monthly and validation pricing after further analysis and consultation with council and stakeholders.
