City eyes downtown parking changes; ‘surplus’ lots discussed

The city is looking to ramp up parking technology and off-load surplus lots. The planning committee voted to recommend a $200,000 update to parking enforcement technology that would — someday — allow pay-by-phone options.

If the decision is ratified by council next week, the next step would be to explore the creation of a pay-by-phone app or price out partnerships with private companies like PayByPhone.

Councillors also discussed a confidential report on the prospect of off-loading “surplus” downtown parking lots.

The list of saleable asphalt patches won’t be released until after council ratification next week.

Downtown Coun. Jason Farr has said he would like the city to make better use of “underutilized” parking lots in the core — ideally, for redevelopment into commercial and residential uses. The decision is complicated by the city’s light rail transit project along the Main-King corridor, where municipal parking lots may be needed for construction staging or merchants who lose street parking.