City to address fact that plenty of free downtown parking is hidden

A parking evaluation report presented to the Palm Springs City Council Thursday evening highlights an unexpected challenge: the city’s parking garages sit largely empty despite available space. 

The study, conducted by Dixon Resources and funded by PS Resorts, outlines strategies to boost garage usage through improved signage, wayfinding, and security measures.

The analysts who compiled the report said one of the biggest challenges was that visitors to the city aren’t aware of the massive, free city parking garage with several levels downtown. According to the report, drivers can always find a parking space, typically within one or two blocks of their destination. 

One of the parking consultants, Julie Dixon, said even she had trouble figuring out the city’s parking, specifically parking that runs underground between the Hyatt and Kimpton Rowan.

“Me being a parking expert, when I came into town, my first thought about that location was that it was a hotel parking lot and that I wasn’t available to park there,” she said.

To address these disparities, the report suggests shorter time limits for street parking to encourage turnover, coupled with a no-reparking ordinance to prevent abuse.

Dixon reassured the council that the recommendations don’t call for widespread paid parking, suggesting such measures only for special events to offset traffic management costs. She also said that increased enforcement is not the goal.

“This is not about writing a lot of tickets,” she said, “Because, if we manage parking effectively, it makes it easy for everyone to follow the rules.”

Dixon emphasized how data-driven decisions can transform parking management. Her team employed cutting-edge technology, including license plate recognition and drone imagery, to create a detailed picture of Palm Springs’ parking patterns. The data collection occurred on May 9 and 11, and represents a normal spring day and will act as a baseline.

The conversation then turned to user experience, with Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein raising concerns about underground garage accessibility. 

Dixon stressed the fundamental role of lighting and intuitive directional markers, noting, “The brighter the better. Whether it be underground or above ground, you’ve really got to make sure it’s appealing.”

She estimated costs ranging from $25,000 for a simple exterior counter sign to $400,000 for a comprehensive green/red light parking availability system per garage.

City Manager Scott Stiles indicated that implementing these recommendations would require careful budget consideration. 

“We’re going to need to have some conversations with council in the upcoming budget process about what you’d like to see in the next two-year budget related to this,” he explained.

Those conversations should start soon, as Bernstein moved, and the council approved, bringing the issue back before the council at an upcoming meeting.

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