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City details downtown paid-parking rollout and parking fund plan; council raises access and equity questions
Summary
Assistant city manager presented the phased Park Wichita implementation, equipment and signage changes, event rates and a plan to reinvest proceeds into garage security and maintenance; councilors pressed for clearer public messaging, cash-payment options and validation processes for City Hall visitors.
City staff updated the Wichita City Council on implementation of the 2019 parking and multimodal plan and the Car Park operations agreement adopted in 2025.
Troy Anderson (Assistant City Manager, speaker 8) reviewed phase timing, standard enforcement hours (Mon—Thu 8 a.m.—6 p.m.; Fri/Sat 8 a.m.—9 p.m.; Sunday no enforcement), the $1-per-hour baseline rate and new event rates to be phased in later in the year. Staff said one-time implementation costs in 2025 were about $540,000 (equipment removal/install, electrical, cameras) and that, excluding those costs, the parking fund performed near break-even in 2025.
The council focused on resident concerns: cash payment access for seniors and people without smartphones, signage and clarity about hours, the expense of event fees, and how validation codes at City Hall will be managed. Anderson said kiosks and high-profile sites (Century II, Intrust Bank Arena) will accept coins and some will accept bills; mobile payments are used by a majority of users (staff cited roughly 93% mobile usage for the system). He described validation codes for departments and an internal-transfer process so departments that validate sessions would offset revenue to the parking fund rather than simply waiving fees.
Staff said future steps include rolling out event rates, an RFP for security cameras in downtown garages, continued data collection in 2026 to inform policy adjustments and an ordinance update on hooding fees (fees for blocking spaces for permits/special events). Council members proposed pilot or educational measures (first-time warnings, donor alternatives for first fines) and asked staff to continue outreach.
