Earlier this past summer, Genesis Group conducted a study that evaluated current parking operations in the downtown.  The study examined the availability of parking on private and public lots and on the street.  The area of study is bounded by US 19, Madison Street, Indiana Avenue and Montana Avenue.

There are 2,318 parking spaces within the study area, including 285 marked and unmarked on-street spaces.  The study observed the use of those spaces during peak parking demands on mid-week days and Saturday.  The study area was divided into five primary zones and each of those are further split into subzones.  Zone 5, located south of Main Street and west of Adams Street, had the highest parking utilization. Applying parking requirements to the existing and planned development in the study area, 2,856 spaces are needed. 

The study suggests eight parking strategies to consider including:

    1) Review of existing regulations;

    2) Create in-lieu parking fee;

    3) Improve efficiency of existing parking;

    4) Acquire more land for parking;

    5) Improve connections;

    6) Satellite/valet parking;

    7) Special events; and

    8) Charge for parking

Bruce Kaschyk and David Fleeman from Genesis Group will make a presentation of the findings.