Better signage, long-term options for events among parking concerns raised by public Monday night

Community members, business owners and others got their first chance to weigh in about parking in Downtown Palm Springs Monday evening, voicing concerns about a variety of issues that impact both locals and visitors alike.

During an hour-long Zoom call, some of the more than a dozen people who participated highlighted the need for better signage to direct drivers to available spaces, while others called for longer-term parking options for event attendees and greater parking safety for employees at downtown businesses.

Environmental concerns were also voiced as was the potential impact of future downtown developments, such as the reopening of the Plaza Theatre.

The meeting was conducted by Julie Dixon, of Dixon Resources Unlimited, which was hired to study parking in the downtown core by PS Resorts.

The study, discussed in a slideshow available here, revealed that downtown has significantly more available parking than previously perceived, with an average occupancy rate of only 29%. The findings challenge long-held beliefs about a parking shortage in the area.

“The majority of the off-street parking lots were below 50% occupancy at all times,” Dixon said, highlighting the abundance of unused spaces.

The study, conducted in May, collected data on both weekdays and weekends, examining on-street and off-street parking locations throughout the downtown area. Only four block faces in the entire study area reached occupancy levels between 70 and 85%.

Despite the overall low occupancy rates, the city is exploring several strategies to optimize parking management and improve user experience. One key proposal is the implementation of an employee parking permit program.

“We’re hoping to set the city up so that they can continue to collect data for the long term,” Dixon explained. “The reality is they’ll be able to utilize this resource on an ongoing basis to help determine what the statistics actually are.”

The consultants also recommend a comprehensive signage and wayfinding plan to better direct visitors to available parking assets.

Joy Brown Meredith, a long-time downtown business owner who heads the Main Street Palm Springs organization, emphasized this need: “I think that some of the things that are most problematic, and you have touched on some of them, but I’d like to repeat it, is the lack of proper signage.”

Meredith also noted that many employees will be impacted with whatever decisions are made.

“Employees are people too…,” she said. “We have to provide a safe and secure area.”

Dixon assured the audience that any employee parking program would prioritize safety and accessibility, suggesting potential solutions such as designated closing-shift parking areas and buddy systems for late-night walks to vehicles.

Another potential strategy up for consideration is the introduction of a no-reparking ordinance. Dixon described this as “something that allows shoppers, visitors, customers to be able to park on street, take advantage of the posted time limits and then turn that space over to another patron.”

The study found that 78% of parkers currently stay for under two hours. However, some community members expressed a desire for longer-term parking options.

One participant commented, “It would be nice to have some longer time spaces so when people come downtown for events, they don’t have to move their cars.”

“One thing that’s missing in this discussion is the need to reduce gas-powered vehicle traffic substantially by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.”

— Roy Clark, chair, Palm Springs Sustainability Commission

Roy Clark, who chairs the city’s Sustainability Commission, raised concerns about the environmental impact of parking policies.

“One thing that’s missing in this discussion is the need to reduce gas-powered vehicle traffic substantially by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change,” he said, urging consideration of increased electric vehicle charging stations.

The consultants also suggested incorporating public art in parking structures to enhance user experience and safety. Dixon cited successful examples from other cities where art installations have improved the atmosphere in parking facilities.

Looking ahead, the city must also consider the impact of upcoming developments on parking demand, according to Michael Braun of Grit Development, which is responsible for a large portion of the buildings that line Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon drives.

“Were you also told about the Plaza Theatre that is going to open up next fall, with 800 seats right in downtown?” Braun asked. “How that would impact parking?”

The parking study and resulting recommendations aim to create a data-driven approach for ongoing parking management in Palm Springs. City officials and consultants will continue to gather community input before finalizing recommendations in the coming months.

Additional community meetings are scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, with a final virtual meeting on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. The virtual meeting will be held via Zoom at this link (Meeting ID: 872 5945 9170).

Residents and business owners are encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the proposed strategies.

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