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SLO parking rates double, procedures change

July 1, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

Parking rates in downtown San Luis Obispo doubled effective today, while those parking in the structure at 842 Palm Street now need to pay up front for parking.

Last June, the SLO City Council voted unanimously to double downtown parking rates, effective July 2023, with  plans to build a fourth parking structure. Two-hour street parking in the main downtown core today increased from $2 an hour to $4 per hour while parking in structures rose from $1.50 an hour to $3 per hour.

The city also eliminated its first-hour-free component to parking structure rates effective today. After the public complained, the city instituted a park local program that allows county residents to still get a free hour, as long as they register with the city.

In addition to rate increases, the city is launching its new gateless technology at public parking structures downtown, starting with the historic Chinatown structure at 842 Palm Street. Customers are now required to estimate the time they will be downtown, and pay up front.

The city photographs license plate numbers as vehicles enter the structure. Customers can then either pay at one of the structure’s pay stations or through an app.

Additionally, the city has increased parking and standing fines:

Non-paid or expired parking tickets to increase from $40 to $45.
Standing, stopping, or parking within intersection tickets to increase from $40 to $60.
Standing, stopping, or parking on the roadside of a vehicle stopped, parked, or standing at the curb tickets to increase from $33 to $60.


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This is a downtown business killer. Why would anyone stop for food or coffee downtown when there is a $4 hourly premium attached to it, when there are so many other options with free parking? I certainly won’t.


71

We all know city employees and officials and administrators won’t have to.pay these higher prices, they have their private parking lots to use, “Let them eat cake”….


37

Riding into downtown is a pleasant experience. Get a little exercise, lock up right in front of the business.


You know, all you nimby types probably still have two functional legs and could park for free in the neighborhood south of downtown and walk, like generations of downtown workers have been doing.


Oh right, suburban Karens can’t be troubled… yet still lament their obesity.


-82

If the city is trying get more people to ride and use mass transit as you say that’s good, but then why is the city spending several million on a new parking structure, fewer car in downtown certainly won’t require a new parking structure.


31

Please be a bit more sensitive as some of us have disabilities and cannot walk that far. And finding an available disabled parking spot in the downtown core is next to impossible (as is a regular metered parking spot).


21

Here is a map of all the ADA parking spaces downtown in SLO. Hopefully it is helpful in finding a place to park near your destination.


4

Parking fees, homelessness, crazy bar tabs….SF part deux?


36

Between this and the ridiculous bike lanes everywhere it seems the endgame is to create a carless utopia for downtown SLO. Just bikes and pedestrians.


55

Why would anybody go to Old Town and pay these exorbitant rates and put up with all this nonsense. Best of luck to the merchants who generate far more revenue than these parking fees ever will.


66

This is a prime example of when the Government says inflation is say 4% and dropping and economy is great they are full of SH– as everything has gone up almost 50% like the parking so to me that’s the real inflation number.


55

As if the downtown parking situation isn’t bad enough we now pay double and have to use an app for the Palm Street structure. This is also such a welcoming “hello, welcome to SLO” for tourist.


66

Another SLO attempt to strong arm the cities population into being cyclists like they so desperately want. Pass.


63

I was just in Encinitas and Carlsbad, California and neither of these places had parking meters. I know Palo Alto doesn’t have parking meters. What an idiotic, short-term thinking city council.


74

All parking should be FREE


55
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