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Tigard pauses enforcement plan, opts to explore broader parking solutions
Summary
After presenting occupancy and overstay data, staff recommended pausing enforcement and expanding engagement; council instructed staff to explore broader parking-management options and continue data collection through summer.
City staff presented May occupancy surveys and overstay maps for downtown Tigard and the Tigard Triangle, and the City Council directed staff to pursue a broader, longer-term approach rather than immediate citations.
Community Development Director Sam (Sambo) Kirkman reviewed the program status, May data and next steps, saying the project had been collecting occupancy and overstay information and that 85 percent occupancy is the typical threshold for recommending management. Kirkman reported an average of about 41 daily overstays in May, and that 92 percent of overstays lasted four hours or more.
Kirkman said the overstay hotspot maps show concentrated overstays near the corner of 70th ("70 Second" in presentation) and Dartmouth and parts of Main Street. He described a proposed timeline that would have included education and warnings from July through August and citations thereafter, but said staff sought direction from council on whether to proceed, extend data collection or explore alternatives.
Public commenters who had signed up for the meeting earlier urged caution about rigid enforcement. Megan DeSalvo, CEO of the Tigard Chamber of Commerce, asked the council to pause and collaborate with businesses on alternatives such as four-hour zones or targeted permit systems. Kyle Nepper, executive director of the Tigard Downtown Alliance, said downtown redevelopment makes future parking planning important but urged a thoughtful, transparent plan. Whitney Green Bautista and Dr. Alvin Bautista, local business owners in the Tigard Triangle, described mobility and access concerns for patients and staff who need close parking.
Council debate emphasized that the parking problem is multifaceted. Several councilors favored a broader, strategic approach that integrates parking with economic development, wayfinding and the Transportation System Plan, rather than immediate citations. Councilor Schott and others urged folding parking into the city's upcoming downtown reimagine and economic development efforts.
At the end of the discussion, staff recommended Option 3'explore alternatives to city parking enforcement and extend engagement and data collection through the summer'and the majority of council voiced support for that path. Council President Wolff and several councilors said continuing data collection through the busy summer months and bringing the issue into longer-term planning would be preferable to near-term enforcement.
Kirkman said staff would accordingly continue data collection through the summer, integrate stakeholder engagement into related planning efforts, and return with findings and proposals at a later date. The council did not adopt citations or any enforcement ordinance at the meeting.
