YAKIMA, Wash.- The proposed downtown parking plan is underway for the foreseeable future. The city council voted unanimously in favor of the plan. The parking plan will increase the monthly parking payment for business owners from $40.00 to $50.00. The City of Yakima will use that revenue to fix and maintain the five downtown parking lots and on-street lots.
“The estimate is that it will generate around $230, maybe to $250 a year, with that money specifically earmarked to doing maintenance in those five lots,” said Randy Beehler, Communications & Director for the City of Yakima.
The parking plan proposed by Ben Hittle, Steve Mercy, and Joe Mann is already getting business owners and employees excited. Alexis Ponce, manager of the Little Soapmaker said that parking was affecting many customers.
“I know we have been a lot of asking, a lot of requests for parking. I know customers have been leaving because they don’t see any parking around,” said Ponce. “And I know that’s a problem, and it’s an issue. We’re local businesses and we’re working very hard to provide you with the best quality that you can get.”
Joe Mann says that this would create 260 spaces out of 429 spaces in the five parking lots for a monthly permit for parking and would leave over 1,000 parking lot spaces for free, two-hour use by customers and downtown visitors. Mann stands by his position and says it’s great, but not everyone is happy to pay for parking.
“I think is great for the downtown merchants because those visitors and shoppers can come down and see them,” said Mann.
I think it’s good for the City of Yakima because we’re going to be raising some money. So, yes, there’s some backlash, there’s people that probably don’t like me very much because I think $50 is a fair fee to pay.”
Randy Beehler, with the City of Yakima, says the city understands that these parking lots are important to businesses and customers, and this plan provides a revenue source to upkeep parking.
