Fourteenth Street vending pilot to offer 35 monthly placements at $75 each; ambassadors to notify businesses

Commission staff and project leads provided an update on a pilot program to open vending and placement opportunities in the Fourteenth Street parking lot; staff said sales will begin on Monday, placements number 35 and the program will employ an ambassador to notify businesses.

The pilot matters to University Hill businesses because it will create monthly paid placement opportunities in a district lot and affect how employees and customers access short-term parking near the hill.

A staff member leading the Fourteenth Street effort said outreach to businesses is underway and described direct contact steps: one email has gone out to businesses, staff are working with the Hill Merchant Association on an email list, and the city is hiring an ambassador to visit every business and leave communications materials. “On the Fourteenth … we're gonna open up the sales and have that active. So, we don't know in advance. It's gonna be first come, first serve,” the staff member said.

The program will offer 35 placements and staff stated the fee is $75 per placement per month. Staff noted they will post signage in the lot and consider options for businesses to purchase multiple permits; the city will determine whether extra space could support self-parking options for hotels that wish to avoid valet. Commissioners asked whether permits could be purchased by businesses for employee parking or to reduce valet demand; staff said those details will be clarified as sales open and as demand is observed.

Staff asked businesses to watch for the second outreach email and noted more information will be distributed as the sales launch.