Starting July 1, the cost of parking in all of downtown San Luis Obispo increased.
The cost of parking in downtown San Luis Obispo for two hours went from $2 per hour to $4 per hour.
The cost of parking in a 10-hour spot went from $1.50 to $3 per hour.
For parking structures in downtown San Luis Obispo, the rates start at $3 per hour and max out at $12 for the day.
Previously, the city used to offer one hour of free parking for anyone that came to one of the three garages.
Officials with the city said that the rate increases are to help pay for the new parking structure coming to Monterey, Nipomo and Palm streets.
Andrea "Andy" Pease in a May opinion piece for The Tribune said it was "one of the most difficult votes [they have] had to make" but "believe[d] it was necessary."
Also starting on July 1, the new Park Local Program allows SLO County residents to keep their hour-free parking in the Chinatown parking garage if they register for the program.
SEE MORE: Work to begin on new downtown San Luis Obispo parking structure.
As of now, it is only for San Luis Obispo County residents who sign up for the new plan. To sign up for the plan, you must register with your license plate and proof of residency.
“We’re definitely looking at expanding our technology. We use it to help us provide parking to our community,” Gaven Hussey, San Luis Obispo city parking program manager said.
On Saturday, the city also removed the gates that allow people to enter and exit the Chinatown garage on Palm Street.
“We’ll be rolling that out to our other two parking structures: the new Palm parking structure and the Marsh Street parking structure later this year,” Hussey said.
Some community members are not thrilled about the changes.
“I don’t understand why they’re doing so many changes to it,” Mary Lewis, an Oceano resident, said.
“I won’t be coming down here anymore,” Chris Mcelrath, Santa Maria resident, said.
“Being a college student I don’t have a lot of money, so knowing that the prices are being raised I’m probably going to go somewhere else,” Colton Myles, Paso Robles resident, said.
“I’ll do my shopping in Pismo where it’s free,” Mcelrath continues.
Others are fine with the changes.
“If they raise the prices for parking downtown, it is a little bit of a deterrent. Maybe more people will walk or bicycle,” Bryan Brown, San Luis Obispo resident, said.
The city says that they are trying to make downtown parking a more efficient process, all you have to do is park, play, pay, and then drive away.
According to the city, their goal is to have all three parking structures completed by next June.
