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Santa Rosa staff propose parking rate changes, new permit options and validation program to address downtown demand
Summary
Parking division recommended raising premium meter rates, standardizing garage pricing, expanding permit options, adding EV chargers and replacing first-hour-free garages with a targeted validation program. Staff estimates net parking-enterprise revenue increases and will return with an implementation schedule for Jan. 1, 2026.
City parking staff presented a two-year curb‑management and access study Sept. 9 and proposed a series of parking-rate, permit and program changes intended to manage demand, increase garage use and address safety concerns.
Chad Hedge, parking division manager, described issues that prompted the study: “First-hour free parking that was offered in our garages … has not incentivized garage use over street parking, while showing increases in loitering and safety issues in the garages,” Hedge said. The study, funded in part by a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant, combined internal analytics, a public survey (nearly 1,600 responses) and outreach to businesses and district stakeholders.
Key elements of the staff proposal include: raising premium on‑street/depot-meter rates (example: premium meters from $1.50 to $2.50 per hour in Railroad Square),…
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