People Frustrated With Downtown Parking Sound Off To Council

Parking in downtown Yakima. It's on the top of the agenda of the Yakima City Council as council members search for answers to help make parking more affordable for many who work in downtown.

CITY COUNCILMAN MATT BROWN SAYS THE CITY WILL COME UP WITH AN ANSWER

The council held a study session at the former Bank of America building on North 2nd Street Tuesday night where council member Matt Brown told those at the meeting the council is determined to come up with solutions.

THE CITY HAD A PLAN IN PLACE LAST YEAR BUT IT WAS TOO SPENDY

Brown and other council members did approve a plan last summer which increased the cost of monthly parking in city owned lots from $40 to a monthly cost of $50. That upset many people who work downtown saying the cost was too high. Lots of business owners agreed that the cost to park was high and needs to be more affordable.
Some business owners want the two hour free parking increased to three hours for shoppers to spend more time downtown.

NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL TUESDAY OTHER THAN TO EXTEND THE HOLD ON ENFORCEMENT

The council members listened but took no immediate action concerning the parking policy downtown. The council did ask city staff to create a resolution to continue the hold on parking enforcement until early April giving the council and the community more time to create a plan downtown that would be affordable and workable for everyone who parks in the downtown Yakima area.
The council will meet next on February 6.

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