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Walker parking-rate study presented; comments open through May 11
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Summary
Parking staff summarized Walker consultants' recommendations for tiered, zone-based on-street rates, upgrades to payment and enforcement technology, and a branding campaign. Staff set a public comment deadline of Monday, May 11; city clerk and commissioners raised concerns about missing financial and ParkMobile data.
Michelle Wall, Bloomington's parking services director, presented Walker consultants' final parking-rate study and comprehensive review to the Transportation Commission and said the report is intended as a foundational document; no action was required at this meeting.
Wall summarized Walker's main recommendations: zone-based on-street pricing to encourage turnover, differentiated rates for high- and low-demand areas, a multi-space pay-by-plate system for on-street parking, migration to license-plate recognition for enforcement, transition to digital permits, and a communications and branding program to make parking easier to use. Walker also proposed phased rate increases in a 10-year schedule and recommended operational targets and key performance indicators.
Wall said Walker will present the findings to city council and staff will convene stakeholder focus groups and administration review to determine which recommendations should be proposed as Title 15 code changes. She asked commissioners and the public to submit comments in the provided Google form or via meeting notes; staff set a comment deadline of Monday, May 11.
Commissioners pressed staff on data gaps. Several raised concerns that the report lacked the full underlying financial dataset and did not analyze ParkMobile (the pay-by-phone system) revenue breakdowns or include a full occupancy analysis combining ParkMobile and meter data. Chair and Commissioner Flaherty noted that ParkMobile accounted for a growing share of meter revenue in prior reports and asked why Walker did not include a ParkMobile revenue table. Wall said she will pass the commission's comments to Walker and that if errors are identified Walker will correct them.
City Clerk Nicole Bolden told the commission the clerk's office had reviewed Walker's report and found some incorrect or partial appeals and citation data; the clerk asked staff to give her office an opportunity to submit corrections so the council receives accurate data before the report is considered.
What happens next: staff will collect comments through May 11, work with Walker to address factual errors and clarifications, assemble stakeholder input, and return revised recommendations and proposed Title 15 changes for later commission and council consideration.
Speakers quoted or referenced: Michelle Wall, Parking Services director; City Clerk Nicole Bolden; Commissioner Flaherty.
Ending: No changes to code were adopted tonight; the report will proceed to additional stakeholder review and then to council with staff recommendations.
