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Downtown Parking Remains Contentious

Changes to downtown parking have been under discussion for roughly two years, starting with an analysis by downtown business owner Peter Miraglia released in 2015.

Miraglia conducted 17 surveys over several months in 2015 on on-street parking, surface lots and the three downtown parking ramps. His analysis showed there were 168 on-street free parking zones that were filled 67 percent of the time during weekdays. The 447 two-hour metered parking spaces downtown were used 32 percent of the time and the 256 12-hour meters — mainly along Fourth, Fifth and Sixth streets — only used 8 percent of the time. He said of all the on-street parking spots downtown, utilization was only 33 percent.

The 2015 analysis led to creation of the ad hoc Parking Advisory Committee, which has spent the last two years discussing ways to increase use of downtown parking spaces and make it easier for tourists to find parking. The plan was finally finished and unveiled in November. Among its highlights are no increase in parking rates and fines, conversion over time from coin-operated parking meters into meters that accept credit cards and a PaybyPhone app along with coins, and a new wayfinding and sign program to direct people to available parking.

It comes as no surprise, though, that the bulk of discussion this week has centered around the proposed elimination of two-hour free parking zones downtown. Miraglia’s analysis led him to reason two-hour space use would increase if people weren’t having to move their vehicles every two hours. Other business owners say their customers like the two-hour free parking and don’t want to see it changed. Others say eliminating the free parking is a money grab by the city and that additional parking tickets would be the death knell for downtown businesses and those who live downtown.

Given the differences in opinion, City Council members made a good decision last week to hold off making any changes to the free parking downtown in favor of giving anyone interested in discussing the issue an opportunity to speak their minds.

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