After county courthouse move, Oregon City weighs three‑hour parking, app fixes and shared‑parking options

City staff presented updated downtown parking data and options to Oregon City commissioners at the Aug. 12 work session after Clackamas County relocated its courthouse in May, removing a major daily employer from the downtown core.

"In May, the Clackamas County Courthouse actually moved," Ryan, the staff presenter, told the commission and said staff compared meter and permit revenue in June and July 2025 to 2024. Revenues were down roughly 20% to 34% in those months, Ryan said; the city had budgeted a conservative $100,000 biennium estimate and was above that projection at the time of the briefing.

What staff presented and commissioners discussed: - Parking study: commissioners were given a ballpark quote for an updated downtown parking study of $30,000–$40,000 (staff said consultant Rick Williams provided the estimate). That work typically includes two days of counts (weekday and weekend), vehicle durations and utilization across downtown blocks. - Consider a three‑hour limit: several commissioners and business owners urged a shift from two‑hour to three‑hour limits in at least the downtown core to accommodate longer appointments (salons, restaurants) and to reduce customer turnover problems. Staff noted physical meters are capped at two hours in many locations and replacement or reprogramming has capital cost; reprogramming via the mobile app was suggested as a lower‑cost interim approach. - Mobile payment (hotspot) and kiosk issues: staff said the city’s hotspot app and kiosk vendor share payment data so enforcement works across systems, but commissioners and business owners reported user complaints about the app and some kiosk reliability issues (paper or printer problems). Staff said machines generate daily alerts and crew members respond to maintenance messages. - Permits and private lots: staff reported typical private-lot permit pricing (Elks lot ~$110/month in early June) and city permit ranges (~$20–$60/month depending on proximity). Current municipal-permit availability counts (provided in the meeting) were: blue 3 available, red 5, green 3, yellow 4, purple 2. Commissioners discussed the possibility of raising permit fees to make municipal permits less attractive relative to private lots to encourage more private‑lot leasing to employees. - Shared parking and validation: commissioners asked staff to pursue shared‑parking options with private lot owners and to study whether businesses could validate parking. Staff also suggested a targeted pilot for limited 15‑minute loading zones to serve food pick‑up and short errands.

Staff and commissioners agreed next steps: staff will return with (a) more data after completing additional counts, (b) a cost estimate for converting meters or reprogramming via the mobile app and (c) options for a pilot three‑hour zone limited to the core or citywide. Staff also will collect additional bids/quotes for a parking study and follow up on the legal/operational status of angled parking spaces adjacent to the old courthouse property.

Commissioners emphasized balancing employee permit affordability with downtown customer turnover and suggested better outreach (postcards, signage) to steer employees toward municipal or private lots rather than street parking. Several commissioners suggested the Downtown Oregon City Association or Doka could help distribute information and messaging to businesses.

Ending: Staff will return with study quotes, cost estimates for meter changes (or app-based alternatives), and pilot options for three‑hour parking and short‑term loading zones.