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Council hears parking committee recommendations; staff recommends Dec. 1 reimplementation and locals permit
Summary
Town staff reported roughly $92,000 in parking revenue from June through September and recommended amendments to the paid-parking program, including a $100 annual residents’ permit (two vehicles), an expansion of the merchant permit area and a December 1 enforcement reimplementation date if council approves the resolution.
Town staff presented data and amended policy language on the paid-parking program and asked the council for direction on a draft resolution.
Assistant Town Manager Mark Pilatus told councilors the system generated about $92,050 from June 6 through Sept. 30, with 22,957 paid uses recorded. He provided a lot-level breakdown: Laredo lot was the highest earner (about $20,000), Guadalupe and Dun lots collectively produced high use, and Taos Plaza lots recorded heavy turnover. Pilatus said the $2 first-hour charge covers credit-card merchant fees; the parking committee recommended allowing a $1 first-hour rate for cash payments at kiosks (the software cannot accommodate fractional-dollar coin change and credit-card fees preclude lowering the $2 card rate).
The committee recommended a locals annual parking permit at $100 (two vehicle plates) to give residents who frequent downtown a discount, and a merchant/employee permit that covers three vehicles; staff clarified the merchant permit previously discussed at $15 was a monthly option but committee language is flexible and council members asked for the permits to be consistent (annual versus monthly). Staff also recommended adding the Guadalupe lot to the merchant/employee permit area to give closer access to the plaza.
On free parking, the committee recommended designating Kit Carson Road and several municipal lots (Bedford Lane lot, Town Hall/Library lot, Kit Carson Park Lot 1 & 2, Kino Street) as free spaces. Pilatus said the town will also set a schedule of “community days” when all town-operated parking is free and the town manager may add or modify those days.
On enforcement and timing, staff proposed reimplementation of enforcement on Dec. 1 to allow time to outfit equipment and provide clearer signage and kiosk instructions for users. “This program will not work without enforcement,” Council Member Oswald said; staff agreed to make the Lightning LPR/vehicle patrol unit a marked enforcement vehicle and to update kiosks with clearer stickers and technical-assistance contact numbers.
Councilors asked that staff provide a clearer net-revenue accounting that includes credit-card fees, data-plan and kiosk costs, and staff time for reconciliation. Finance Director Jonathan Montoya and staff noted credit-card fees in recent months were visible in merchant statements (one month’s Elavon fees were about $1,826 on $21,282 of card volume) and that utility-billing staff spend several hours daily reconciling parking receipts.
Ending — Next steps
Staff asked council whether to return the amended resolution to the next council meeting for adoption. Council directed staff to: (1) clarify residence eligibility (council discussion favored Taos County residency); (2) add or clarify permit durations (councilors asked consistency between business and local permits); (3) provide a detailed accounting of gross revenue and net revenue (including merchant fees, kiosk/data costs and staff time); and (4) prepare to reimplement enforcement on Dec. 1 if council approves the resolution at the next meeting.
