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Annapolis launches parking reform work group to simplify tickets, payments and enforcement
Summary
City Manager Yolanda Lewis and Transportation Director Marcus Moore outlined a 12‑month parking action plan focused on Wards 1 and 2, citing constituent data and a target to produce formal recommendations within 120 days while continuing community engagement and vendor negotiations.
City officials outlined a new Parking Reform Work Group and a 12‑month action plan on July 8, saying the effort will prioritize a more consistent customer experience, clearer enforcement, and community engagement.
Yolanda Lewis, city manager, told the Transportation Committee that parking is the largest category of constituent complaints handled by ombuds staff between March 12 and June 30 — 303 cases total, 38 percent of which were parking‑related — and cited national research showing drivers spend about 17 hours a year searching for parking. “When parking doesn't work well, it has ripple effects across our entire community,” Lewis said, adding that the initiative will focus in the near term on Ward 1 and Ward 2 while developing a broader framework for the city.
Marcus Moore, the city’s director of transportation and parking, said the work group will examine operational pain points including multiple payment vendors, inconsistent citation practices, resident permit rules and customer service. Moore described examples of user frustration — such as a technology payment failure that led to a major fine — and said the team’s objective is a “unified customer‑centered, fiscally responsible parking experience.” He noted that the Hillman Garage reallocation will add roughly 120 spaces when the project is completed.
Lewis and Moore said the work group will include representatives from the police department, the office of law, finance, public information, the ombuds office, the city manager’s office and transportation; they said contractor and concessionaires will be part of outreach. Lewis said the action‑plan timeline shown to the committee runs from October through January for formal recommendations but staff expects to return with a set of committee recommendations in about 120 days.
Alderman Savage urged faster, narrower fixes, arguing the core issues are a single payment app and the city’s contract terms with the parking operator. “We don't have a shortage of parking in this city,” Savage said, adding that garages are rarely full and that he wants the committee to prioritize app and fee work rather than a longer study process. Lewis replied that contract and technology negotiations are already underway and that the work group will produce a coordinated roadmap so departments and legal staff can present a single package of recommendations and benchmarks.
Next steps: staff will continue contract and technology talks with the city’s operator and concessionaires, develop community engagement plans to solicit residents with lived parking experience, and return to the committee with near‑term recommendations as described.
