Study urges paid parking, shared lots and upgraded enforcement for downtown Delaware

Robert Farren, a consultant with Kimberly Horn, presented the results of a two‑phase downtown parking study to the City of Delaware Parking & Safety Committee on June 24, 2025, recommending a package of short-, mid- and long-term strategies to improve turnover and access in the downtown core.

The plan, based on field counts and community engagement, found that the study area contained just over 1,000 parking spaces (about 201 off-street public spaces) and that peak utilization occurred between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Farren told the committee that systemwide utilization during a midweek observation was about 67% and rose to about 76% on a Saturday, but that several streets in the core were at or near capacity and on-street turnover was lower than optimal.

Why this matters: Low on-street turnover and concentrated demand in the core make it hard for customers to access businesses and for residents to find short-term spaces. The study’s recommendations aim to increase predictable short-term access (customer parking) while steering long-term and employee parking to lots and permit areas.

Farren summarized the analysis and proposed 13 strategies organized by effort and timing. Short-term (0–2 years) recommendations…