Consultants tell Palm Springs council downtown has ample parking; recommend better wayfinding, lighting and targeted enforcement

A parking assessment funded by PS Resorts found Palm Springs' downtown has more off‑street parking than many visitors realize, but poor signage, lighting and garage visibility push drivers to stay on surface streets, consultants told the City Council on Feb. 23.

Julie Dixon of Dixon Resources, presenting remotely, said the firm’s block‑by‑block study used license‑plate recognition and drones and set a baseline for ongoing data collection. "This is an important baseline," Dixon said. "Parking continues to be an impact in Palm Springs, and our recommendation is that you continue to collect data."

The consultant and city staff framed the problem as one of visibility and management rather than supply. Dixon said the city’s garages are often underused and that people usually can find a space within one or two blocks of downtown destinations, but that visitors often mistake some garages for private hotel lots. She recommended better wayfinding (static and digital signage), brighter lighting, paint markings to standardize stall spacing and use of license‑plate recognition to support enforcement and data collection. "If we manage parking effectively, it makes it easy for everyone to be able to follow the rules," Dixon said.

Dixon also suggested targeting on‑street time limits to increase turnover and pushing longer‑stay parking into garages through an expanded employee permit program and shared after‑hours agreements with private lots. For large events, she proposed special‑event paid parking to fund traffic control and event‑specific needs. On enforcement technology, she said exterior digital counters that show available spaces would be a cost‑efficient first step; the red‑green in‑space sensor systems would cost "low end, at least $400,000" for an above‑ground garage, while a digital exterior counter could be under $25,000.

Councilmembers raised safety and branding. Councilmember Bernstein asked whether strategies differ for underground versus above‑ground garages; Dixon said lighting and signage are crucial in either case but noted underground garages usually require a larger investment to make them feel safe and navigable. Councilmember Garner urged that any new downtown signage “go with the Palm Springs brand” and said the employee permit program may be underpromoted.

City Manager and staff said they will review budget availability and existing resources and work with engineering, public works and communications on an implementation plan. Several councilmembers suggested bringing the parking study and a proposed implementation plan into the council’s upcoming priority discussions and budget process.

No formal action or ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Council directed staff to return with implementation options and budget implications for council consideration.