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Portsmouth delays parking rate hike, schedules Aug. 17 work session amid WRAP pilot backlash
Summary
Council opened and continued a contentious public hearing on proposed on-street rate increases and the WRAP worker-parking pilot, removed WRAP-specific language from a fee motion and scheduled a full work session Aug. 17 to consider rates, micro-transit options and use of additional parking revenue.
A packed public hearing on Aug. 3 turned into an extended council debate over proposed changes to on-street parking rates, the WRAP worker-parking pilot and how any extra parking revenue should be used.
Multiple speakers — including Kevin Dwyer, downtown business owners and residents — urged the council to consider impacts on hospitality and lower‑paid workers. "Workers feel left out, and this feels like 1 more obstacle to work in town," Kevin Dwyer told the council during public comment on the WRAP pilot.
Councilors and staff discussed the fee-study committee's recommendation, the city's pilot wrap program, and how changes interact with recently raised garage rates. Staff advised that the wrap pilot was planned to maintain a $2/hour pilot rate, but the fee committee had discussed parity with on-street pricing. Council ultimately voted to amend and re-notice the fee motion (removing specific RAP text and correcting the code citation) and to continue the public hearing to Aug. 17 alongside a council work session focused on on-street parking rates, micro-transit (shuttle) pilots and potential revenue uses.
Council members emphasized outreach and clarity. "If we vote tonight to raise on-street parking by a dollar and nobody in the community is aware of it, I think that we need to get the word out," Councilor Bagley said. Several members asked that any additional revenue be considered for worker-parking solutions, a micro-transit shuttle pilot and other visible benefits for downtown workers and residents.
Staff and the parking director said micro-transit evaluation work already exists in the CIP and that a shuttle pilot is feasible if revenues are reserved for that purpose. The council directed staff to convene a work session on Aug. 17 (6:00 p.m.) to present options and take public input before final vote.
Next steps: the council will continue the public hearing on the amended fee motion at the Aug. 17 meeting after the work session; staff will provide details about micro-transit evaluations, fee-study findings and options to dedicate parking revenue to transit or workforce-parking programs.
