DIA outlines downtown parking changes: kiosks, variable pricing and license-plate technology planned

Lori Boyer, chief executive officer of the Downtown Investment Authority, and Peter Sherwill, chief of the Office of Public Parking, gave a wide-ranging briefing to the True Commission on the authority’s approach to managing downtown on-street and off-street parking.

Boyer said the Office of Public Parking "reports to the Downtown Investment Authority" and that the office manages meters, loading zones and many city-owned garages while noting exceptions such as privately managed stadium lots and the JEA garage. She told the commission the city has "way, we have a significant surplus of parking spaces in downtown," but that those spaces are often not near residents' doors and that geographic mismatches drive complaints.

The presentation and public discussion focused on several persistent issues: high monthly occupancy in employee-focused garages, unpaid use of on-street meters by marked and unmarked official vehicles, downtown event pricing, and technology upgrades. Sherwill said some garages are "over 100% subscribed in monthly parkers" and maintain wait lists; the Ed Ball garage was cited as heavily subscribed with limited daily availability. Boyer explained council had adopted an ordinance that reduced employee rates to 50% of market, a policy she said changed market dynamics and contributed to long wait lists for garages closest to workplaces.

Commissioners and members of the public pressed staff on the frequent presence of Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office vehicles at meters and on who pays for fleet parking. Boyer said some vehicles can park without paying because of "state statute provisions" or local ordinance and acknowledged that the practice makes planning and revenue forecasting difficult. Sherwill described a current practice that requires an affidavit and supervisor sign-off when an unmarked vehicle is ticketed and later shown to be on active duty.

Boyer described near-term operational changes and proposals: a forthcoming ordinance to allow variable (on-demand) pricing and to permit charging meters during higher-demand evenings and event times; phased installation of kiosk pay stations across downtown as streets are resurfaced; continued availability and incentives for shared-use arrangements with private garages (for example, night and weekend public access to office garages); and pilot upgrades to garage equipment including license-plate recognition to reduce lost-ticket revenue. She said kiosks are being phased into high-density areas and will coexist with mobile-payment options.

On enforcement and fleet use, Boyer said the DIA and Office of Public Parking have begun charging departments for placards and are working with court staff to allow certain state employees (for example, probation officers) to use reserved juror spaces without reducing public revenue. She also said some agencies have declined offers of voucher or pass programs intended to better allocate monthly parking spaces.

Sherwill said his operational target is to drive garage occupancy toward an 85–90% range for a mix of monthlies and daily parkers and is studying wait-list management and overselling practices to improve utilization. He also described interest in technology upgrades to automate ticketing and exit fees via plate recognition similar to airport systems.

Why it matters: downtown parking affects employee commutes, visitor access to restaurants and courts, and a revenue stream for maintenance and programming. Commissioners requested follow-up information and further detail on lost-meter revenue, fleet usage by agency and location, and the proposed ordinance language before it goes to council.