HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/20/2021 Item 10, Swigger
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Bettina Swigger <
To:E-mail Council Website; Hussey, Gaven
Cc:Laura Mullen
Subject:Item 10 - Parking Changes
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Dear Mayor and City Council:
Downtown SLO submits this letter in regard to the proposed parking changes in the 2021-2023 Budget to be discussed at
the April 20, 2021 Council Meeting.
The Downtown SLO Parking and Access committee reconvened on an ad hoc basis to review the proposed changes to
parking services and fees Downtown.
At our first meeting, we expressed gratitude for the free parking and additional parking considerations provided for
much of the pandemic. At that meeting, we heard a presentation about the need to adjust rates due to the severe
shortfalls from the pandemic measures and increased projected costs for the structure. One of the proposals was to
eliminate the first hour free in the parking structures to be effective in July 2021. We strongly advocated that this be
postponed to a future budget year as downtown continues to respond to and recover from the pandemic. At our second
meeting, City staff had included that recommendation in their new proposal. Thank you for hearing our concerns.
We know Council approved rate increases prior to the pandemic that would have taken affect in June 2020 and we
appreciate that postponement and understand the need to move forward with the adjusted rates previously approved.
Going forward, if possible, we invite staff to consider exploring tiered parking rates on a weekday/weekend rate to
incentivize visitation by locals to the downtown during lower-visitation times.
We have concerns about how the expansion of hours to 6-9 pm for on-street parking fees will be received, but we hope
the mobile app payment onboarding goes well so that employees and customers at downtown businesses are not
disrupted. We will work with Parking Services to communicate these changes and bring concerns as they arise.
With the elimination of many on-street parking spaces from the installation of parklets (which we support), and a
recovery that is bound to include many visitors traveling by car, we are likely to see problems around parking availability
and perceived parking availability come up soon. For this reason, it is imperative that the new structure construction at
the intersection of Palm and Nipomo begins as soon as possible. We, along with a newly formed group called the
Downtown Cultural District Partners, also believe there is value in renaming the structure to give it a more aspirational
quality –the Downtown Cultural District parking structure.
We are especially interested in exploring marketing and communications for businesses and employees to incentivize
parking in the structures. We would also like to see better signage and a more welcoming environment on the walls of
the parking structures, and we would welcome the opportunity to partner to provide wayfinding and murals in the
structures, welcoming visitors to Downtown and educating them about the various businesses and other activities.
Thank you,
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Bettina Swigger
she/her/hers
CEO, Downtown SLO
1135 Chorro
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
bettina@downtownslo.com
Voice: (805)234-9677
Text: (719)322-6438
Learn about how to support local at DowntownSLO.com
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