Neighborhoods, Main St. businesses priority in parking plan options being discussed at council meeting

Park City Traffic. Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — Winter transit and the complications created by parking and increased traffic have been critical topics for city officials throughout the fall. The conversation will continue in Thursday’s City Council meeting with a presentation on potential options and gaining input from the council on two alternative plans under consideration. The discussion comes after city staff sought feedback from Park City residents, City Council Liaisons, the Historic Park City Alliance (HPCA), and other stakeholders.

A key consideration with any potential plan has been putting in place protections for neighborhoods. Public feedback showed an interest in increasing parking restrictions with minor adjustments for unregulated neighborhood streets and other areas. The feedback prompted adjustments to the potential plan, with concerns about the need for additional and more consistent signage related to parking being addressed.

Protecting businesses on Main Street is a more difficult task for staff as many businesses and restaurants are affected. After talking with the HPCA, the option of a new daytime paid parking plan, or continuing with the current parking program, would be the two prominent options for the council to decide from.

A new daytime paid parking option would run from November 13 to April 16 and respond to the potential of day skier parking overwhelming downtown, limiting opportunities for Main Street visitors. Under the plan, the China Bridge garage would have a day rate of $1 per hour from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., with any amount of time longer than 4 hours considered all-day, prompting the all-day rate of $30. The evening rate would be $3 per hour from 6 p.m. to midnight. There will be a continuation of free designated parking stalls in China Bridge that carry a max of two hours, with violators receiving a $50 ticket and being towed if found to be a repeat offender.

Like the parking garages, Main Street and other surface lots, including Flagpole, Bob Wells, and Swede Alley, would have differing day and evening rates but carry a 4-hour max at surface lots and continue the current 3-hour maximum on Main Street.

In discussion with the HPCA, the topic of employee parking led to a potential solution of having employees receive parking permits at either the Flagpole parking lot or China Bridge. This option would follow a similar tactic used during the Sundance Film Festival. Currently, parking permits for employees are available to Old Town employees with proof of employment for $30 per month. Businesses have access to transferable permits at an annual cost of $400.

An important note is that either option under consideration by City Council can be funded under the existing Fiscal Year 2023 budget requiring no additional funding.