HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/7/2023 Item 6a, Pratt
From:Bev Pratt <
PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Downtown Parking
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Dear Council Members
Growing up in San Luis Obispo and a local business owner, i am very concerned about the downtown. Lately, it has
become a ghost town on weekday evenings. I strongly feel the current parking rates and times are to blame.
I used to meet family or friends for dinner downtown all the time, but that was when parking was free after 6pm. Now,
with parking at $3 an hour in the evenings, it is a minimum $6 parking fee added to each diner that parks
downtown. Or $9 if we decide to wonder around downtown before or after dinner.
The higher hourly parking fee is also impacting the expense of daytime activities downtown. Last month, my sister,
nephew and i went to lunch downtown on a Saturday. We each drove separately and lunch was just over an hour, so we
collectively paid $18 in parking fees plus lunch. Then my nephew and I went to see a 3 hour movie at Downtown
Cinema costing an additional $12 (4 hours) in parking for each of us. A great day downtown with family, except that
collectively the cost of parking was $42. That just feels excessive.
In the "old days" when Sunday parking was free, friends and I would go downtown at least one Sunday a month for a
movie, shopping and a meal. These days, that lazy Sunday afternoon would cost me an additional $12 to $15 in parking
fees.
I hope you can find a way to mitigate the parking fees and bring the locals back downtown. Driving through downtown
during the week recently, i noticed it was very quiet and there was plenty of parking. But then, many people are not
meeting downtown for dinner anymore... do you ever wonder why ?
Sincerely,
Beverley Pratt
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