HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/7/2023 Item 6a, Bashaw
From:Flo Bashaw <
To:E-mail Council Website; Stewart, Erica A; Marx, Jan
Subject:Downtown SLO Parking
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I am wri?ng on behalf of my fellow ci?zens and merchants of San Luis Obispo about the increase in parking fees. First of
all, this is not my ba?le because I have a Disabled Placard and can park anywhere on the street as long as I wish for free. I
did receive an email from a merchant I frequent and they expressed dismay about the skyrocke?ng price to park
downtown. They stated that their business and other merchants are suffering due to this.
Sure the streets may seem busy but do people actually have ?me to browse/shop/purchase with the parking meter
running? I could easily spend hours in a bookstore but how many can afford to do that anymore? People have a choice
to eat dinner, see a movie, etc. and pay exorbitant parking fees on top of that or go elsewhere. Sadly, that’s what I and
many others have chosen to do. I can drive a short distance to Arroyo Grande to see a movie, go to dinner, etc. and park
for free! What a novelty!
Gone are the days of just wandering around in and out of shops for hours because the parking clock $ is ?cking at $3 to
$4 an hour. No more leisurely strolls for me and many others at the Farmers’ Market. I’ll get my fresh produce, etc.
elsewhere because it just doesn’t make economic sense when you add in the cost of parking.
Also, as far as riding a bike, not everyone lives close enough to ride downtown or is physically fit to do so. A parent on a
bike with a couple of kids following on bikes isn’t a safe op?on either. Nor is it a safe op?on to ride home from
downtown at 11pm when your work shi? ends. Besides I think merchants like people who can fill their cars with
purchases rather than the li?le you can carry on a bike.
I was here in the 70’s as a new Cal Poly student trying to feed a meter downtown on a Sunday when some locals called to
me it’s free on Sundays. Those were the days! I con?nued to visit SLO with my family and vaca?on here on a regular
basis. I moved here with my family in 2014 and sadly I have seen SLO go from a welcoming town to one that has its hand
out instead.
Thank you for your a?en?on to this ma?er.
Flo Bashaw
1536 Eto Circle, SLO 93405
949-322-7741
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