Commission delays townwide parking counts; staff will return with revised late‑summer schedule

Tom Dancy presented a proposed action plan for a parking study to inform changes to the town's parking standards. He described a two‑step approach: first inventory off‑street and on‑street spaces, then perform systematic counts at multiple times of day and across several day types to calculate utilization rates.

Tom said the town's prior practice was to count at four times of day — “10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 pm and 7 p.m.” — and to sample weekdays, weekends and holidays so results can be compared year‑over‑year. Given current staffing constraints, Tom and staff recommended postponing the counts until late summer and the Labor Day holiday period to ensure the study captures peak visitor demand. Commissioners asked practical questions about distinguishing vehicles parked for Zion National Park visits versus local businesses; staff said the primary proxy is vehicle location (on‑site business lots v. on‑street) and noted dwell‑time tracking is not feasible with current resources.