Parking study recommends demand pricing, wayfinding and enforcement upgrades

Consultants told the council that downtown friction is driven less by an absolute shortage of spaces and more by how spaces are deployed and priced. The plan reports 14,806 total parking spaces in the city, peak utilization of the New Rock Garage at about 52% and Transit Center around 65%, and a large share of parking complaints tied to on‑street spaces. "In your downtown there are 14,806 total parking spaces," the consultant said during the presentation.

Recommended short‑term actions include a wayfinding program to route drivers to underused off‑street facilities, a three‑tier demand‑based pricing pilot (zones at $2.00/hr, $1.50/hr and $1.25/hr), targeted enforcement improvements (including updated meter hardware and adjudication software) and amendments to valet and mechanical parking regulations. Longer‑term proposals include automated license-plate readers for enforcement, a residential permit program that may require a home-rule petition to the state, and standards for parking‑structure design. Council members raised concerns about mechanical‑valet queuing in already-approved buildings and the equity impacts of raising on‑street prices; staff said changes would be phased and will include community engagement and comparisons to peer cities.