The Parking Ad Hoc Committee. appointed by Paso Robles City Council members. met for the third time on Monday with the purpose of discussing and evaluating the Downtown Parking Program.
The meeting at the public library allowed committee members and local community members to voice their opinions on the program with the majority of the community in favor of scrapping paid parking altogether. However, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon.
“It was a failure," said Dale Gustin, Main Street Association Member.
Gustin has followed the parking program since 2018 and even presented a different option to the city. He, like other residents, believes the parking program has driven away locals. He doesn’t live within the city limits so he is unable to receive a parking pass.
“If I can hear from someone who is struggling with the program and they can hear how it's working for our store at General Store Paso Robles, I think that hopefully, we can find some middle ground," said Joeli Yaguda, Parking Ad Hoc Committee member. "It’s a challenge and we're just going to keep showing up.”
Committee members say they’re nowhere close to bringing a recommendation to the city council about the future of the parking program.
While the meeting may not have solved any immediate issues, Yaguda says that’s to be expected.
“We have a work in progress," Yaguda said. "We had no parking policy at all. Nothing. We're one of the only towns of our size that had not even a single meter, so we're starting from scratch and we're learning and implementing. I think we're trying really hard to hear each other and create something for our customers.”
An ambassador for the Main Street Association said her neighbors refuse to pay to go downtown.
“Taxpayers are paying $5,000 a month to have two full-time parking attendants and one part-time go by," said Sharon Foster. "We will always be paying for the maintenance on these machines. It is a huge drain. Plus, then where is the money for those $50 tickets going? It's not going back in to defer the cost.”
Foster said problems with the app and the kiosk itself give the city a bad reputation among tourists who come to visit
“I love this town," Foster said. "I truly just want what is best for it, and we need to look at other methods, but we need to scrap this system that is just killing everybody.”
Several business owners downtown feel that since paid parking has been introduced, it’s hurt their businesses. So much so, that a representative from the Downtown Wine District gathered 27 signatures representing wineries that believe paid parking should be abolished.
When the Parking Ad Hoc Committee reaches a recommendation, it will then be brought to the Paso Robles City Council.
