Downtown parking working group narrows focus to short-term management and a public–private partnership plan

The downtown parking working group reported that its early meetings focused on defining problems and values, and that it has shifted from immediate large-structure solutions toward short-term inventory and management strategies.

Emily, a staff member, said the group reviewed short-term actions including expanding two-hour parking across parts of the URD, piloting 15- and 30-minute zones in targeted locations, and pursuing an employee permit program to move worker parking off Main Street into allocated lots — possibly including the top floor of the municipal parking garage or other public lots.

The group is developing a shared-use pilot to coordinate private property availability for short-term parking, and will outline long-term PPP parameters that could use URD funds for inventory additions. Emily said City staff and City Legal have given a preliminary nod to begin framing a PPP; the parking group will complete details and present an action plan for review by the BID and DBA boards and the transportation board.

Committee members asked about an existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) for county-owned space behind the courthouse; Emily said she would check the MOU expiration date and noted the working group is not relying on building a large garage as its immediate priority because of funding constraints. Members noted that public-use of county land and the timeline tied to ownership and project completion would affect longer-term options.

Next steps: the group will finalize short-term measures and the PPP parameters, produce an action plan and return to the partnership and transportation board for approval before moving to implementation.