HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/7/2023 Item 6a, Wiest
From:LynAnne Wiest <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:: 11/7/2023 Council meeting: 6.a PARKING PROGRAM UPDATE AND AUTHORIZE
ADVERTISEMENT OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A PARKING RATE STUDY
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Dear San Luis Obispo City Council,
I am writing to express my support for a free hour of parking in all downtown SLO parking structures. I am the manager
of HumanKind Fair Trade, a retailer with a storefront in downtown SLO. Our organization has always advocated for this
free hour, arguing that it incentivizes our customers to park in the structures, which is beneficial to our business
community. I recognize that the Park Local program was an effort to bring this free hour back, its technological
challenges made it inaccessible to many.
I would also like to express that the transition to the new kiosks and gateless parking structure has been extremely
challenging. The new systems are complicated. The user experience desperately needs to be simplified and streamlined.
If we are going to raise parking rates, it should at least be easy to pay. It should be noted that paying with a smartphone
app is not accessible to everyone. And in terms of communication around the apps, having multiple app payment
options may be good for tourists who may already have one of the apps on their phones, but it creates another layer of
complexity for locals who now need to choose one and download it. In this small way, the user experience for a tourist is
prioritized over the experience for a SLO resident. If we are going to continue offering mobile payments, I recommend
that the Parking Department prioritize communication around one app that has the best user experience.
Looking to the future, I understand the need for additional funds to build the new parking structure, but I believe our
community has reached the limit that they will pay for parking downtown. I don’t think we can bear the rate increases
that the city has planned. The current model of parking fees being the only source of funding for additional parking
structures is not going to create a sustainable downtown. We need to look at additional sources of funding from the city
in order to keep the thriving downtown business community that I believe the city wants to support.
Sincerely,
LynAnne Wiest
Manager
HumanKind Fair Trade
805-594-1220
974 Monterey St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
www.humankindslo.org
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