CityofSantaBarbara
The City of Santa Barbara invites the community to participate in the Parking Preferences Survey (Survey) to provide input for the City’s Downtown Parking Program. Community feedback will help the City as we assess our parking operations and funding model to ensure long-term sustainability of this important community resource. The Survey addresses downtown on-street parking, public parking lots, parking challenges, and more.
The goal of the Survey is to understand the public’s preferences and priorities to assist with:
- Developing a funding model that generates sufficient revenues to fund parking operations and facilities maintenance.
- Increasing operational efficiency and controlling costs.
- Creating an easy-to-use parking system that is accessible to all guests.
- Aligning operations with community priorities.
The Survey will be available through Thursday, November 9, 2023.
To participate in the Survey and for more information on the Downtown Parking Operations and Funding Model Study, please visit the website atwww.SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParkingSurvey.
Based on this it’s clear the City wants to eliminate jobs at kiosks (which we already knew) and start charging a ton for the very limited free street parking that’s currently there. Of course they are…
Took the survey and agree, there is a specific suggestion that we charge people for parking on the streets (probably the awful boxes that you have to walk to and from just to get a ticket). The agenda is to put more people in shops and restaurants I guess. But isn’t it the job of those businesses to produce a product that people want to buy and will come and find? Hard to think a consumer who wants the product is discouraged by slight parking inconveniences.
I usually try to take the bus downtown from Goleta and I think it is fair for motorists to pay for the resources they are using. But I think the latest policies are not helpful.
On a recent drive downtown after a hike, my wife and I parked in a City garage and had lunch. We got back before the 75 minutes were up. But the exit device was broken and there was only one exit to the lot. By the time help arrived, we were over the limit and had to pay $3. They refused to offer us a refund.
I think it should go back to 90 minutes free, to allow time for lunch and for a bit of shopping. I think perhaps $1.50 or $2 per hour after that. The rate should be based on some actual cost. And there needs to be a better system to expedite exiting the lots. Sometimes there is a line snaking all through the lot or garage.
The system at the Paseo Nuevo lot is much better. You pay when you return to the lot, but before getting in your car. This keeps things moving much better at the exit and doesn’t penalize people if there is a problem exiting.