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Ferndale to switch downtown paid parking from pay-by-space to pay-by-zone; free transition week and kiosk replacements planned
Summary
Staff outlined a transition from pay-by-space to a pay-by-zone parking system, with license-plate enforcement integration, new kiosks on the east side of Woodward, a one-week free-parking transition and accessibility-focused signage developed with the Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Commission.
City staff presented details of a planned transition of the downtown paid parking system from pay-by-space to pay-by-zone. The change uses zone codes and license-plate records rather than individual space numbers and is intended to improve enforcement efficiency and reduce the number of physical kiosks.
Staff said the Park Ferndale app will continue to work and that existing app users will be asked once to store their license plate in the app; after that the app experience remains the same. Enforcement staff will use automated license-plate recognition (LPR) integrated with the new system; staff said the system will avoid enforcing a wrong-zone entry when the plate shows a valid session associated with a nearby zone.
The city plans a one-week transition period during which parking will be free while new signage is deployed. Signage and sidewalk wind-master signs will alert drivers to the change; each block face will receive a unique zone code to be entered on kiosks or in the app. Staff said most current kiosks were purchased in 2014–2015 and some are being replaced on the east side of Woodward this year, with additional kiosk purchases planned in July.
Staff emphasized that the DDA and city communications coordinated the rollout and that the Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Commission reviewed signage to ensure visual accessibility and to help people who are neurodiverse. City staff noted app adoption is above 70%, reducing hardware needs and costs.
There was no formal council vote; staff asked council to note the operational plan and asked for feedback on possible future policy changes such as variable hourly rates and longer parking stays in lots with higher fees.
