Public parking in the downtown area must serve multiple — and sometimes conflicting — purposes. For businesses and restaurants, parking turnover and availability are critical. For residents, reasonably priced overnight options are needed. Customers of all kinds rightly demand safety and accessibility.
Earlier this year, the City, acting on the recommendations of the Business Improvement District and a Parking Task Force, adopted new regulations that, among other things, require 24-hour payment in off-street lots. While these changes have achieved some benefits, I have also received negative feedback, and I believe that additional changes are necessary.
The City will now work jointly with the BID to complete a more rigorous analysis of options, including a review of parking meter technology. To help inform this analysis, I drafted this memorandum and spreadsheet detailing one possible regulatory framework. As you will see, I recommend a more flexible approach that adjusts rates according to variable levels of demand.