Paid parking is on its way to the streets of downtown Port Townsend.
On Feb. 10, city officials, including Public Works Director Steve King and Police Chief Thomas …
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Paid parking is on its way to the streets of downtown Port Townsend.
On Feb. 10, city officials, including Public Works Director Steve King and Police Chief Thomas Olson, met with members of city council to discuss the impending parking pilot program for much of downtown, which is expected to take shape in May.
“Back in September of 2024 we held a council workshop because we were getting ready to prepare for the budget, and parking management plans have been a discussion point for a long time,” King said to the council.
Several parking management options were discussed at the time, but the city council, with a recommendation from staff, ultimately gave their approval of the pilot program, which will last for 18 months.
“I want to remind everybody that this is an implementation action in our comprehensive plan to consider parking pricing policies for on-street parking to reduce the impacts from parking in downtown and to promote alternative transportation modes,” said Emma Bolin, the city’s planning director. “This is consistent with the comprehensive plan.”
Similar to the parking lot at 1st Security Bank, the pilot program would establish signage with QR codes prompting drivers to pay through a mobile device, which will collect data to inform future parking management strategies, King said.
King presented a draft parking management map, suggesting which streets should be included in the program. Water Street from the ferry terminal to Monroe Street was highlighted along with several high-traffic side streets including Tyler, Taylor, Adams and Quincy streets.
Notably, Madison Street, in front of City Hall, was excluded.
Chief Olson recommended a $2 per hour parking fee between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily, along with raising the parking fine from $15 to $65. He is collaborating with parking enforcement companies to get itemized quotes for the implementation of the program, with an estimated project cost of $20,000.
Scott Walker, a long-time proponent for parking management within the city, recommended staff include Madison Street in paid parking and implement a variable rate for parking based on which spaces are more desirable. He also recommended extending parking fee hours to 7 p.m.
The city council will have the final say on parking rates and which streets will be included, with a discussion and decision expected in March.
