City Council to make changes to current parking program

PASO ROBLES — Downtown Paso Robles business owners and residents are voicing their concerns over what is to happen next with the Downtown Parking Program.

After a lengthy discussion at the Tuesday, Jan. 31, City Council meeting, the City of Paso Robles paid parking program is currently on hold.

Below is the current status of the Downtown Parking Program: 

  • The WayToPark app has been discontinued effective Friday, Feb. 10.
  • All parking sessions must be started using the parking pay stations.
  • All Downtown parking signs have been updated to direct visitors to pay at the pay stations.
  • The parking rate remains unchanged at two hours free followed by $1 per hour.

Upcoming Changes

  • City Council will be discussing the downtown parking program at their next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
  • Based on the Dec. 20, 2022, City Council meeting the following implementations will be made on March 1 (Pending the Feb. 21 City Council meeting).
    • The two hours free will be eliminated.
    • The hourly rate will be increased to $2 per hour.
    • All payments must be made using the parking pay stations.

Owners of the General Store have sent a letter to City Council opposing the proposed changes: “We wanted to share our strong opposition to the updated parking changes that we’ve been notified of, specifically the lack of an app for payment of parking fees, and the charging of fees for the first two hours.”

The General Store, which will have been operating downtown for 10 years this May, is hoping the city can find a solution that will appease everyone and support local shoppers. 

“Making locals park, walk to a kiosk, enter their license plate info every time, insert their credit card, and then be charged, will absolutely deter business, zero doubt about it,” said the team at General Store. “It will dissuade people from popping into our stores as a part of their daily business, and we fear it will dramatically alter our relationship with our local customers.”

Paso Robles Press spoke with the owners at the General Store, who told us they are happy to have made it through the tough times during the COVID pandemic and struggling economy. 

Finally, the owners added, “The goal of the parking program is to support businesses downtown. This will do the opposite, and we strongly disagree with the decision. We would ask that the City Council reconsider.”

The entire community will be able to voice its concerns and opinions on the parking program at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

To participate remotely, residents can listen to the meeting live on the radio at AM1230 or livestream the meeting at prcity.com/youtube and call (805) 865-7276 to provide public comment via phone. The phone line will open just prior to the start of the meeting and remain open throughout the meeting to ensure the opportunity to comment on each item heard by the council. 

Written public comments can be submitted by email to cityclerk@prcity.com after the agenda posts and prior to 12 p.m. on the day of the City Council meeting. Emailed comments will be posted as an addendum to the agenda. If submitting written comments in advance of the meeting, please note the agenda item by number or name.

City Council meetings will be livestreamed during the meeting and also available to play later on YouTube by accessing the following link prcity.com/youtube.