Downtown Parking Enforcement

[shinatoo]

Just one officer in Brookside could fund the city.

[KCPowercat]

LAZ was hired to come in and run parking enforcement then the police union decided they wanted to keep those jobs

[brewcrew1000]

We are probably the largest major city in us with basically 0 parking enforcement expect for maybe Mesa Arizona

[herrfrank]

We are probably the largest major city in us with basically 0 parking enforcement expect for maybe Mesa Arizona

Parking enforcement would make the city MORE urban, not less. That I can leave a car for multiple days in a No Parking zone (I am not advising this, but it did happen for mechanical reasons) near 12th and Main (the center of the metro) with no tickets, nothing -- this is insane. Other cities (Chicago, Boston, Omaha) have constant enforcement. Every downtown spot is checked at least once per day. Quaint, little LItchfield, Connecticut has someone walking around the green all day giving out parking tickets.

...and it's perversely penalizing to businesses that rely on street parking for high-margin, short visits. I noted Cellar Rat upthread. I usually stop for 10 minutes once or twice per month to pick up some bottles of Bordeaux. Their on-street spots are always occupied (thankfully they also share a private lot). According to the cashier, it's tradesmen. Every day, all day. They call the city to no avail. "Nobody cares" was exactly how she described the KCPD reaction.

[earthling]

I once worked out of the Plexpod on Main in Xroads, which has no parking. Street parking was enforced at the time and many did get tickets. A couple small companies moved out of downtown because of 'parking problems'.

[KCPowercat]

We are probably the largest major city in us with basically 0 parking enforcement expect for maybe Mesa Arizona

There seems to be quite a bit more than there used to be. I haven't seen the numbers that would back that up. Parking committee is probably getting that info.

[herrfrank]

Check the Parking Violation Revenue by resident chart halfway in this article...

http://www.wonkstate.com/blog/the-regre ... violations

[KCPowercat]

yeah that data is way before KCPD started getting serious on parking.

[brewcrew1000]

yeah that data is way before KCPD started getting serious on parking.

But they never have been serious

[KCLover]

I like the idea of parking enforcement because it's ridiculous the things I see. However, there's already the perception that there is zero parking downtown by all of the surburbanites or they are too lazy to walk more than half a block. Is it going to negatively affect growth when these people start getting tickets and the KC Star picks it up and blows it out of proportion?

[brewcrew1000]

However, there's already the perception that there is zero parking downtown by all of the surburbanites or they are too lazy to walk more than half a block. Is it going to negatively affect growth when these people start getting tickets and the KC Star picks it up and blows it out of proportion?

Yeap and the thing that screwed up their perception of parking is the Plaza, it was really the only urban place people went to for many years and all the parking was free in the garages and on the streets

[KCLover]

However, there's already the perception that there is zero parking downtown by all of the surburbanites or they are too lazy to walk more than half a block. Is it going to negatively affect growth when these people start getting tickets and the KC Star picks it up and blows it out of proportion?

Yeap and the thing that screwed up their perception of parking is the Plaza, it was really the only urban place people went to for many years and all the parking was free in the garages and on the streets

You are definitely on to something there.

[DColeKC]

I don’t understand the complaints about parking downtown. However I recently went to the rivermarket and couldn’t take the streetcar. That parking situation was a nightmare. It was for Sunday brunch so area was busy.

[flyingember]

I don’t understand the complaints about parking downtown. However I recently went to the rivermarket and couldn’t take the streetcar. That parking situation was a nightmare. It was for Sunday brunch so area was busy.

Your first problem was going to the river market to take the streetcar. Smart users go to 7th St

People will sit in a 2 hour spot all day with no penalty, meanwhile the business nearby has no parking spots for customers.

If we have things done right, on street parking will be priced and enforced so you can pull up on curb in any block and find a spot available to run into a business for 15 minutes.

[shinatoo]

All parking tickets should have a map of downtown parking on the back. And maybe stats about how many parking spots are downtown.

[beautyfromashes]

I complained on here about people parking in the turning lane along the streetcar a few months ago and got read the riot act, like I had broken some urbanity law. Charge for parking. Enforce parking rules. It’s what other major cities do. Why should it be different here?

[DColeKC]

I don’t understand the complaints about parking downtown. However I recently went to the rivermarket and couldn’t take the streetcar. That parking situation was a nightmare. It was for Sunday brunch so area was busy.

Your first problem was going to the river market to take the streetcar. Smart users go to 7th St

People will sit in a 2 hour spot all day with no penalty, meanwhile the business nearby has no parking spots for customers.

If we have things done right, on street parking will be priced and enforced so you can pull up on curb in any block and find a spot available to run into a business for 15 minutes.

Sorry, misunderstanding. We usually would have taken the streetcar from PNL, but couldn't this time so we drove down to grab brunch with friends. It took 15-20 minutes to find parking. I eventually parked a few blocks away from the restaurant we were attending.

[rxlexi]

All parking tickets should have a map of downtown parking on the back. And maybe stats about how many parking spots are downtown.

I like this idea a lot. Pairing education and enforcement.

[KCPowercat]

I don’t understand the complaints about parking downtown. However I recently went to the rivermarket and couldn’t take the streetcar. That parking situation was a nightmare. It was for Sunday brunch so area was busy.

Your first problem was going to the river market to take the streetcar. Smart users go to 7th St

People will sit in a 2 hour spot all day with no penalty, meanwhile the business nearby has no parking spots for customers.

If we have things done right, on street parking will be priced and enforced so you can pull up on curb in any block and find a spot available to run into a business for 15 minutes.

Sorry, misunderstanding. We usually would have taken the streetcar from PNL, but couldn't this time so we drove down to grab brunch with friends. It took 15-20 minutes to find parking. I eventually parked a few blocks away from the restaurant we were attending.

well that sounds simply horrible.

[DColeKC]

Your first problem was going to the river market to take the streetcar. Smart users go to 7th St

People will sit in a 2 hour spot all day with no penalty, meanwhile the business nearby has no parking spots for customers.

If we have things done right, on street parking will be priced and enforced so you can pull up on curb in any block and find a spot available to run into a business for 15 minutes.

Sorry, misunderstanding. We usually would have taken the streetcar from PNL, but couldn't this time so we drove down to grab brunch with friends. It took 15-20 minutes to find parking. I eventually parked a few blocks away from the restaurant we were attending.

well that sounds simply horrible.

You think it’s ok to circle an area for 20 minutes waiting for a parking spot to became available on a Sunday morning... in a area with no churches?

Listen, my point is I can understand why some suburban dwellers would complain about the parking situation in the rivermarket but don’t get why they complain about it around crossroads and PNL were there are several paid lots and garages.

Also, because you’re obviously being a sarcastic grump, I didn’t tell my story because I was myself complaining. I’ve been downtown for over a decade and don’t mind walking. I was simply sharing because we all know that people who don’t live downtown think going downtown is like you, a pain in the ass.