Commission tables proposal to raise residential parking permit to $85 after public objections

Commissioners deferred action on a proposed $20 increase to the annual residential parking permit (from $65 to $85) after extensive public comment and requests for clearer financial data. The motion was moved and seconded at the April 23 meeting but the commission opted by consensus to table the item until it can review an itemized cost/revenue table and additional enforcement data.

Staff member Jody said the residential permit program’s primary goal is cost recovery and that the parking plan recommended incremental increases rather than a single large jump. "We chose the recommendation that would increase the price by $20 per year rather than jumping at $100 in that first year," Jody said, noting prior increases moved cost recovery from about 27% to roughly 66% so far. Staff reported FY26 program costs just under $85,000 and permit revenue of about $56,000 to date, figures that prompted public follow‑up questions about the calculation method.

Several residents asked the commission to reconsider enforcement practices on South Third Street (the "hipstrip") and sought options such as grandfathering long‑term residents or creating a targeted residential permit for small buildings (the Penwell building was mentioned by name). Shane Rooney urged the commission "to not have enforcement on any block when there is parking available," saying abrupt enforcement has caused hardship and safety concerns for some residents. Peter Rutledge (online) and other commenters also asked whether a small, building‑specific permit or exemption could be created for affected residents; staff replied that any residential permit program would carry an annual fee and would be brought forward as a recommendation later in FY27 after evaluation.

Public commenters also identified a discrepancy in staff’s on‑screen revenue figure. A commenter calculated current permit revenue at $73,775 (1,135 permits × $65) while staff said their $56,000 figure reflected permits sold to date (staff later clarified that 864 permits had been sold to date, which produced the $56,000 figure). Commissioners said the public and the commission deserve an explicit table of costs and revenues and requested staff provide that breakdown; one commissioner suggested calling it due by May 1 to allow consideration before the June budget meeting. The motion to increase RPP fees was tabled by consensus; the commission will revisit the item after staff supplies the requested financial reconciliation and enforcement data.