Asheville committee hears parking services budget breakdown; council asks about ADA access and long-range garage planning

Sabrina Tolle presented the Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee with a year-to-date operating-expense breakdown for Parking Services on April 21, showing purchase of supplies and services and employee wages and benefits each at about 33%, transfers to transit at 16%, debt service at 11% and capital outlay at roughly 7%.

Tolle said the department is aiming to push the annual transfer to transit closer to $1,000,000 (roughly 14% of the total budget) and that, overall, revenues are on track while some expense lines are over budget. "To give you a sense of our annual spend expenditures, the largest category of expenses is purchase supplies and services at 33%... employee expenses with wages and benefits also at 33%." she said.

Council members used the update to press for policy and planning clarity. Chair Maggie Ullman relayed questions from Councilmember Turner and asked staff and Assistant City Manager Ben Woody to bring forward council-level transportation goals and a 10-year capital planning approach. Ullman also asked equity staff to examine the impacts of nonmetered ADA parking spaces, stressing that the issue is about access rather than revenue.

Tolle responded that the city has not done a recent comprehensive siting study for new garages, that some current capacity remains, and that the city should first consider better utilizing under-managed surface lots and off-street resources before investing in new parking decks.

The committee moved on to the small-business support program after the exchange; there were no votes on parking policy at this meeting.