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Ferndale council debates valet pilot and new on‑street parking as businesses press for relief
Summary
The DDA and city staff proposed a three‑month valet pilot (3 months, $30,000 cap, $10 flat rate) and identified alternatives to create 8–9 on‑street spaces on Bermuda/Breckenridge; council members expressed concern about cost and taking existing parking away and asked staff to gather more business and resident input.
The Downtown Development Authority presented a proposed valet pilot and a set of lower‑cost alternatives after businesses expressed concern about downtown parking capacity following private lot losses.
DDA staff explained a pilot proposal for a three‑month valet program costing up to $30,000 with a $10 flat rate, staging at Bermuda/Vester and use of city and leased spaces in Lot 11 (between library and city hall). The DDA estimated about 40 cars per day and projected the pilot would run at a modest monthly loss (roughly $5,000–$6,000 per month) under the initial assumptions; DDA framed the pilot as “tuition” to learn whether a valet service meets user demand and price sensitivity.
Staff also presented lower‑cost on‑street options: converting the west side of Bermuda between Vester and Breckenridge to allow parking (about 8–9 spaces) with a one‑time signage/striping cost estimated between $2,000 and $4,000 and an annual enforcement cost of about $3,500; limited modifications on Breckenridge could add a few long‑term permit spaces. Parking staff provided utilization figures showing peak weekend use of the library lot and the Como’s lot often runs 90%–97% capacity during busy times.
Council members questioned the pilot’s cost and the effect of removing existing public spaces for valet staging. Several members preferred pursuing the on‑street Bermuda changes first, which staff said could be implemented quickly with modest one‑time costs and an annual enforcement expense. Some business owners oppose removing existing publicly available parking for valet operations and instead urged exploring additional surface‑lot leases with private owners such as Credit Union 1 and Anna’s Uniforms.
Next steps: staff and the DDA will meet with businesses this week, pursue follow‑up with potential private lot partners and return to council with refined options; council indicated it would likely bring the matter back for action at the next meeting after receiving more input.
