At the November DTA Member Meeting, Assistant Director of Community Services Kevin Burke provided an overview of a presentation given to City Council on the formation of a parking management organization, parking benefit districts, and the possible introduction on paid on-street parking in the downtown area. The presentation document is available for download and viewing here.
At the conclusion of the November Council Workshop, Council directed staff to place the hiring of a full-time Parking Manager, the formation of a Parking Management Fund, and the creation of a citizen Parking Advisory Board on its December 4, 2018 agenda, but to postpone any discussion or possible action on the implementation of paid on-street parking until the January 29, 2019 Council meeting. The delayed discussion of on-street paid parking is to allow for a full Council to be seated following this month’s two run-off elections and to allow more time for community outreach by staff.
The DTA Board has sent a letter (copied below) to the City Council supporting the parking organization items on the December 4 agenda while offering some recommendations for the ordinance to acknowledge broader mobility objectives for the downtown and to ensure any net revenues from ticketing or future paid on-street parking stay within the downtown area. Staff has already taken many of the DTA Parking Subcommittee’s recommendations on these items in the draft ordinance, including a seat on the proposed five person Advisory Board to be recommended by the DTA Board.
The DTA Board has not yet issued a recommendation to Council regarding paid on-street parking, but expects to do so prior to the January 2019 Council meeting after consultation with the Parking Subcommittee and reviewing member feedback. DTA members are encouraged to contact the Board via info@downtownassociation.org with any comments or other feedback on paid on-street parking.
For more information about the Parking Management Plan, including the Parking Subcommittee’s prior recommendations, please see the previous News post on downtown parking here.
