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Council weighs phased managed‑parking plan, dynamic pricing and permit structure for downtown
Summary
Staff and a consultant recommended a phased managed parking program using the Passport platform, zone‑based enforcement, kiosks and dynamic pricing ($1.50–$2.00/hr on‑street), with staff proposing affordable employee permits and a 15‑minute free pickup window; council raised questions about revenue models and a $4 million annual parking‑garage debt obligation.
City staff and a consultant presented a phased managed‑parking program for downtown designed to improve turnover, reduce circling and fund maintenance of parking assets. Consultant Robert Fairman said a 2021 study found system‑level peak occupancy near 50% but localized hotspots on 25th Street exceeding 85%, which harms business access and motivated the push for management.
Staff proposed using the Passport platform (mobile app, kiosks and text‑to‑pay) with zone‑based pay‑by‑license‑plate enforcement, Passport signs and mid‑block kiosks. Key program elements include a 15‑minute free short‑stay option for quick pickups, timed free peripheral stalls (two‑hour timed zones on the periphery), affordable monthly employee permits (staff proposed $10 per month processing and $80/month for unreserved WonderBlock monthly permits), and bilingual app/kiosk interfaces. Staff said kiosks will be located near ADA stalls and high‑use blocks, while Interstate Parking and a team of parking ambassadors will focus on education before enforcement and assist with app/kiosk use.
Proposed rates presented were dynamic: on‑street $1.50–$2.00 per hour, off‑street $1.00–$1.50 per hour, EV charging about $2.75–$3.00 per hour, and a daily maximum of $15–$18. Staff also proposed enforcement Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. with overtime penalties and an existing citation discount structure for early payment.
On revenue, staff showed conservative and aggressive models. Under conservative assumptions (30% utilization in the managed zone and two‑hour average stays) net operating income covers routine operations but would not fully cover the parking‑garages’ bonded debt in early years; more aggressive utilization and gradual increases could move toward covering debt service over time. Several council members warned the city must be cautious relying on downtown paid parking to service roughly $4 million annually in bond payments tied to parking garage financing; one council member said the shift from the original larger Phase‑1 footprint to a narrower Phase‑1 raised concerns about whether projected revenues will materialize.
Council members requested more detailed phased implementation timelines, further revenue sensitivity analysis and clearer linkage between revenues, debt service and any proposed use of BDO lease revenue or other city funds.
