Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parking Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Downtown parking study recommends keeping on-street free with longer limits and more enforcement
Summary
Consultants recommended a patron-focused hybrid: keep on-street free (extend from 60 to 90 minutes), provide first hour free in garages, expand enforcement hours and introduce zone-based reparking to improve turnover — implementation would take about 9–12 months and need code and equipment changes.
A year-long downtown parking study presented to Roanoke council recommends a patron-focused hybrid policy that retains on-street free parking while extending limits and strengthening enforcement to improve turnover and support downtown businesses. Consultant John Forrester said the team evaluated over 1,000 survey responses, occupancy counts and stakeholder meetings and found downtown peak occupancy at roughly 52% with significant privately held unused capacity.
"Maintain that free parking on street... with longer time limits and extended enforcement hours and some targeted free parking off streets," Forrester said, describing the favored option as a middle path between installing meters citywide and expanding entirely free parking. The plan includes a 90-minute on-street limit, a first-hour-free policy in parking structures, consistent rate tiers in garages, and zone-based reparking intervals to prevent drivers from 'gaming' time limits. The consultant and Park Roanoke staff cautioned the approach will require legal code updates, equipment and staff changes and an estimated 9–12 month rollout.
