Cultural Arts District garage set to open mid‑March with monthly permits and 41 EV chargers

City staff announced a tentative mid‑March opening for the Cultural Arts District parking garage and outlined rates and programs intended to support downtown residents, employees and businesses.

Madeline (public works) told the roundtable the garage has been under construction for roughly two-and-a-half years and the tentative opening date is March 17. Donna King, the city's parking manager, described the pricing structure: a $45 monthly garage permit valid across city garages targeted at long‑term parkers, and a business validation program that allows participating businesses to offer customer parking at $1 per hour (the standard garage rate is $2 per hour).

Donna said the monthly permit will particularly help downtown residents and employees who currently buy 10‑hour meter permits. She also said the garage will include 41 Level 2 EV chargers, the largest concentrated set of chargers in the city, enabling overnight or all‑day charging for commuters and residents.

When asked about overnight parking limits, Donna noted California vehicle‑code limits (72 hours without moving) apply and that a municipal code change would be needed to permit longer-term vehicle storage in downtown garages. Staff said long‑term car storage in the retail hub is not preferred and any change would require council action.

Staff said they will promote business validation and outreach as all four city garages will now offer the program. For validation details, businesses may contact the parking office at the Marsh Street garage or consult the city's website.

The city did not set final occupancy or policy adjustments at the roundtable; staff asked stakeholders to monitor garage use after opening and provide feedback to determine whether further changes (such as designated long‑term parking outside the retail core) are warranted.