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Downtown parking task force outlines managed‑parking options; open house set for March 26
Summary
Staff and a limited‑duration downtown parking task force summarized data‑driven options including a downtown parking management area, permit program and reallocation of free/paid spaces; a public open house is scheduled March 26 and final recommendations will come to council April 21.
City transportation and public‑works staff updated the City Council on March 17 about work by a downtown parking task force that has met eight times and reviewed recent parking data, best practices and case studies.
Lisa Sherf, a city staff member leading the task‑force effort, said the group’s charge was to “review the state of parking in downtown, discuss best management strategies, and seek community input on a set of final recommendations to improve public parking within downtown.” The task force includes downtown business owners, League of Women Voters representation and other community members, Sherf said.
Staff and the task force reviewed April 2023 parking data collected across a recommended downtown parking management area and asked a consultant to provide an implementation guide with short, medium and long‑term strategies. The presentation to council summarized several recommended actions that staff will refine with public input and the task force:
- Create a defined downtown parking management area that is actively managed. - Simplify time‑limit categories to improve turnover and the parking experience. - Improve wayfinding and signage. - Create a permit program for city‑owned lots for employees and residents. - Consider redistributing free and paid parking within the management area to match land use and demand; staff presented two options and the task force produced mixed views on this proposal.
Sherf said the first four recommendations had broad task‑force support; the fifth—relocating paid and free parking—divided members. The task force showed general support for the concept of a benefit district that would return net revenue to the area where it is collected after operational expenses.
Councilors and members of the task force raised equity and accessibility in discussion. Sherf said a consultant review of recent federal guidance on on‑street ADA parking concluded that full compliance in the downtown area would require roughly doubling the number of ADA parking spaces in the core; staff characterized that as a multi‑step implementation to be phased with other improvements.
Next steps and public outreach: staff scheduled an open house for March 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a consultant presentation at 5:30 p.m., a probable final task‑force meeting on April 8 and return to council with final recommendations on April 21. Sherf said staff will post materials and an online questionnaire before the open house and keep it available afterward for those unable to attend the in‑person meeting.
Ending: No policy changes were adopted at the meeting. Staff asked council for preliminary feedback and said any code amendments or changes to municipal code will return after public input and additional analysis.
