Astoria council withdraws RFP for downtown parking update to pursue broader master plan

The Astoria City Council voted on Feb. 23 to withdraw a request for proposals to perform a technical update of the 2019 downtown parking study so the city can pursue a broader parking master plan.

City staff, speaking through Mister Spence, told the council that staff recommends withdrawing the RFP to allow a global discussion about parking policy and planning across Astoria rather than a more limited technical update focused only on the downtown study.

Resident Lisa Morley criticized the sequence of events in public comment, saying the council had already voted on the RFP and then continued discussion in a work session. "I just feel this whole thing is weird," Morley said, adding that the renewed debate felt like "a bullying tactic." Mayor Mary Fitzpatrick acknowledged Morley’s remarks before the council proceeded to a motion.

A council member moved to withdraw the RFP; the chair recorded the motion as moved by Councilor Conklin and seconded by Councilor Davis. The roll-call record in the transcript shows Councilor Davis voting yes and Councilor Conklin and Mayor Mary Fitzpatrick voting "aye." Councilor Adams’s vote is not specified in the meeting transcript. The chair announced the motion carried.

The council did not detail a revised timetable for a new, broader request or for the planned parking master-plan discussion during the meeting; staff said the withdrawal is intended to allow that broader conversation. Mayor Fitzpatrick then moved on to new business and scheduled a short break before a work session on related matters.

What happens next: the council withdrew the RFP to permit a wider conversation about parking policy. The council’s staff and members indicated they will return to the subject in an expanded forum, but no dates or funding details for a new master-plan process were provided at the meeting.