Project Results: City Council vote's to reduce parking rates in SLO 

On May 14, 2024, the City Council held a public hearing and voted to make the following changes to make parking more affordable. These changes will take effect on July 8, 2024:

  • In-structure parking rates will decrease by 33% (parking rate reduced from $3/hour to $2/hour and from a maximum of $12/day to $8/day)
  • On-street parking rates will decrease by 25% to 31% (downtown core parking will still be considered premium parking but rates will decrease from $4 per hour to $2.75 per hour; the outer perimeter parking rates will decrease from $3 per hour to $2.25 per hour)
  • Monthly parking structure permit price will decrease by 47% (reduced from $85/month to $45/month) to encourage frequent trips to the downtown and benefit frequent downtown visitors, such as downtown employees.
  • On-street parkers can stay longer: On-street parking time limits will expand from 2 hours to 3 hours in the downtown core.
  • Businesses will get a better deal on parking validation. The City will reduce the price for parking validation by half, which will make it more affordable for businesses to provide customers with parking validation in the City’s structures (businesses will be able to purchase 100 validation tickets for $100 – or just $1 per hour; each ticket would provide one hour of parking).
  • There will be no more free parking.  To allow for the lowest possible parking rates for all users, the first hour free and free Sunday parking in the parking structures will no longer be subsidized. IMPORTANT NOTE: The free 20-minute spaces for the Post Office will remain. The parking designated for the Post Office on the first floor of the Marsh Street parking structure is NOT affected by the recent Council actions. The City has an agreement with the Post Office for those spaces to be designated for post office parking. 

Rate Reduction Implementation Timeline 

June, 2024 

  • Second Reading of Ordinance for On-street and Lot Rate Changes

  • Notices will go out to existing garage permit holders.

  • Purchase of July garage permits will be available starting June 17. Online and in-person purchasing will be available.

July 2024 

  • Reduced garage structure permit rates permit rates ($45)  take effect – July 1

  •  3 hour time-limit on-street downtown core scheduled to be begin - July 1

  • Reduced validation discounts take effect – July 1

  • Rate reduction testing begins for on-street and parking garages  with modified enforcement July 1-8

  • Rate Changes take effect – July 8

Summer 2024 

  • Single mobile payment app implementation

  • Phase 1 sign improvements

Winter 2024 

  • Technology Implementation Plan presented

  • Promotional app discounts

  • Phase 2 sign plan and budget

  • Gated system plan and budget

Other Upcoming Changes to Improve User Experience
The City Council also voted to improve the parking user experience downtown by making some program and operational changes over the coming year, which include:

  • Simplifying payment options by reducing the number of parking payment apps to just one (currently customers can use three) and by adding a pay-by-text option.
  • Increasing the number of parking permits issued.
  • Improving communications before, during, and after any parking service changes, and improving parking signage.
  • Providing promotional discounts that would give locals an incentive to visit downtown.
  • Using a consistent gated system and payment model for all parking structures. 
  • Allowing parking enforcement staff to give customers a grace period before issuing parking citations.

 Questions about how we will be making these changes? Contact us at parkinginfo@slocity.org.

 

About the 2024 Parking Rate Study 

The City’s Parking Services typically conducts a parking rate study every two to five years to evaluate parking operations and to address changing needs in the community. 

With the 2024 Parking Rate Study, we are evaluating how many people use parking facilities, what the current needs are, and how much money the parking funds are generating.  The goal is to make sure parking in downtown stays easy to find and doesn't cost too much.

Public Input Opportunities 

Thank you to everyone who has attended the Parking Rate Study Community Input Meetings. If you were unable to attend the meetings, you can watch the recording of the virtual community meeting using the following links and passcodes. You are also able to review the presentation slides below.

Project Schedule

  • January 2024: Parking Rate Study Kick-Off
  • February – Early May 2024: Community Engagement
  • May 14, 2024: Preliminary Recommendations presented to City Council 
  • June 2024: Final Report presented to City Council