PRESCOTT – Prescott City Council approved the communication plan for the proposal to implement downtown paid parking at the July 24 meeting.

City Planner Carter Hayes described the avenues of the communication plan which includes social media posts, a web page dedicated to parking information, a letter to be sent along with the third quarter utility billing cycle, and two public informational meeting dates. The Aug. 22 meetings will be business informational meetings at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and a council public hearing at 6 p.m. Aug. 28; the public is welcome to attend all of them.

The city plans to post the full plan to Facebook and launch the website on Aug. 1; the Planning Commission will review the parking plan and offer recommendations on Aug. 7.

Ten pay stations were shown at various locations with the current proposed rate of $1.25 per hour. A fact sheet will be available to the public and details the purpose and benefits of paid parking for the City of Prescott and highlights how the plan is not to make money off the residents, but to effectively manage the downtown parking inventory. The city is planning to utilize the revenue to fund public improvements. Prescott residents and employees downtown would have the opportunity to self-register for a parking permit which is currently proposed at $10 per year.

Alderperson Darlyn Hintz commented on the visitor day parking permit which is proposed to be $10 per day, wondering if the price is set too low.

“If we’re going to do it then we should charge more than $1.25,” she said.

Hayes mentioned the proposed rate can be discussed and adjusted at a later date.

Alderperson Pat Knox agreed with Hintz, mentioning the feedback he has received is that restaurants want more turnover for better business and offering an all-day visitor pass could hinder that.

“It seems a little low for an all-day pass,” Knox remarked.

He further explained that for the proposed price of the pass, he didn’t think it would lessen the number of visitors that used Prescott parking.

Alderperson John Peterson said he didn’t think most visitors would go to a separate website for an all-day visitor permit since those permits would not be available for purchase on the app. He recommended not offering all-day visitor permits at all.

As the council discussed possible testing and testing sites before full implementation of the parking plan, Hintz added her recommendation.

“I feel the beach might be a good place to test it,” she said.

Mayor Rob Daugherty thought the beach might not be a good idea for a pilot testing site as the plan would be implemented in November or December. Peterson and Knox saod having a testing site may not offer quality feedback anyway.

Peterson brought up the idea of letting residents park for free if the proposed annual price for them is only $10.

“It was an offset to the cost of the permit software,” Hayes stated.

He further mentioned that having free permits leaves a little bit more room for exploitation of people registering any vehicle.

Peterson continued, “I know the biggest pushback we are going to see on this is from residents saying, ‘Why should we have to pay for parking at all?’”

Hintz said, “I agree with that. I don’t think they should have to pay. That’s my personal opinion. But I don’t think we are charging enough for downtown parking and that’s what we can look at.”

“So, your thought is that it should be more expensive for a visitor and free for a resident,” Peterson asked.

“Absolutely. That’s my genuine feeling,” Hintz said.

“Obviously ten dollars a year is a pretty minimal fee for a parking permit,” Peterson said, adding that it’s the principle residents would be opposed to.

Hayes informed the council that the physical materials that mention permit prices wouldn’t go out until the September newsletter, so there would be opportunity to change that in the future.

“I think I’m under the idea that we throw this up and stick it on the wall and see what happens,” Knox interjected.

 “We aren’t finalizing the cost right now,” Peterson said.

Prescott residents asked if they could ask questions about the Downtown Paid Parking plan which isn’t normally allowed out of the meeting order. Daugherty said he would allow it if the council approved.

“My thought would be that today, with as many folks as in attendance when many days we don’t have anybody in attendance, I’d like to give these folks the opportunity,” Knox said.

Prescott resident Melissa Rice asked the council if any groups or businesses approached them and asked for paid parking.

Hintz informed her they receive constant, mainly negative input from residents that there is difficulty parking downtown, especially on the weekends, which Rice said she hadn’t experienced.

Rice also asked if Prescott had parking meters in the past and shared information that showed cities that had removed paid parking and cities that didn’t have paid parking. She explained her thoughts that elderly people that can’t use an app won’t come to Prescott, to which council members informed her there will be options that offer traditional forms of payment for those unable to use an app.

Tom Oss expressed his concerns on unintended consequences from the paid parking. He said many people will drive to the hillside part of town and park there.

“I think it’s going to be a big result,” he said. “It’s going to really adversely affect our lives in the hillside community.”