Front Page  »  

Paso Robles to revisit controversial paid parking program

November 20, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

The Paso Robles City Council is scheduled to discuss the controversial downtown paid parking program on Tuesday, according to the meeting agenda.

In the downtown core, the city currently provides two free hours of parking with each additional hour costing $2. Payments are made through kiosks located throughout the downtown area where you enter your license plate number.

The program was put into place to stop employees of the different businesses from parking in the downtown area. However, the program has generally lost money and most business owners argue it has led to fewer customers visiting their stores.

In response to multiple complaints, the Paso Robles City Council established an Ad Hoc Committee for the purpose of reviewing the parking program.

On Tuesday, the city council will consider making no changes, modifying or ending the paid parking program based on recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee.

Proposed modifications include:

  • Offer free parking on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to encourage increased midweek downtown
    visitation.
  • Increase the cap on annual senior permits to encourage increased downtown visitation by
    seniors
  • Replace existing signage with updated messaging that clearly reflects parking regulations.
  • Develop an outreach campaign to support downtown businesses midweek and an education
    campaign to better inform customers about downtown parking regulations.

 


Loading...
Subjects:     
Related:


5 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

It seems like the city should have been able to work with the business owners about employee parking rather than punish the patrons of those businesses. It’s just poor leadership on the cities part by not realizing locals wouldn’t be happy about it and choose to go to businesses in a different part of the city that offers free parking rather than dealing with an annoying unnecessary task of a parking kiosk. Not to mention the ridiculousness of the security people walking around scanning plates all day everyday so the city can get a giant fine out of someone.


7

Just stop it with the hair brain solutions. They’re throwing at the wrong dartboard. First they required you to use a parking app. Duh, you want me to pollute my phone with a lame app so I can pay you to park?

Now you have to write down your license plate number and walk to a kiosk and use your card there. Getting closer, maybe.

How about installing meters that allow you to pay at the parking place.

Maybe, just maybe build a fking parking structure. No, let’s wait until there’s no logical location left for that.

I don’t know if we have a planning department in place but how about some zoning.

When is the last time you said “let’s buy some real estate.” Of course, they sell real estate at the city park. Move them to somewhere that makes more sense and all of the cars that go along with it will move too. Scott and Brian are on Vine Street and it doesn’t seem to hurt their sales.

If you want to win at Chess you have to think more than one move ahead.


6

Hey SLO City council, are you listening?


16

Listen to what?

Paso’s ideas are just as stupid as SLO.

It’s an echo chamber.


16

My point …”the program has generally lost money…and fewer customers etc”


4