HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/7/2022 Item 6a, Rowe
Delgado, Adriana
From:slopatti@charter.net
Sent: 29 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:RE: Downtown Parking rate increases
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For your consideration regarding Agenda item 6.a #3 - Proposed ordinance to increase street and garage parking rates:
I work for a downtown small business that is owned by locals.
Part of my wages go to paying for parking.
I am not alone seeing part of my earnings go to just being able to park for work.
It's hard enough for businesses to find employees without having to deal with the burden of that extra cost being a
deterrent.
Almost daily, customers who live within the County say they hardly ever come downtown anymore because of the cost
of parking. Locals and visitors alike complain about the stress of not being able to spend as much time browsing or
enjoying a meal because the clock is ticking on the cost of their parked car.
Over recent years, areas that used to be parking are now hotels or franchise businesses. I see people park in loading
zones for an hour or two and not get ticketed.
Bottom line? What is the point of having another parking structure or charging even more when these actions are
actually driving people away? Is the goal to change SLO's downtown into strictly a tourist attraction, and a place that is
nothing but parking lots, hotels and franchise stores?
I worked for the SLO Chamber for several years back in early 2000. I remember the uproar to not allow big box stores
downtown because it would "ruin the character" of our town center. Seems that isn't so much of a concern anymore.
Please consider leaving things as they are, allow businesses to recover from the pandemic and thrive, and make SLO's
downtown more inviting for all to enjoy, not drive them away.
Thanks for reading my comments.
Patrice Rowe
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