A member of the Cheyenne Parking Division checks vehicles for parking violations along 17th Street on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, in downtown Cheyenne. Wyoming Tribune Eagle/file
CHEYENNE – Residents and economic development supporters shared their thoughts about upcoming changes to downtown parking at a Wednesday meeting hosted by the Cheyenne Police Department.
The department took over downtown parking responsibilities for the city last year after a report suggested a lack of enforcement. First, officials raised fines for exceeding posted parking limits to help increase turnover and alleviate perceived parking congestion.
Now, more changes are coming.
Ted Miazga, Cheyenne’s parking administrator, said the department will soon launch a website for the purchase of downtown parking garage permits.
Anyone will be able to buy a permit online and manage it through a downloadable app on their phone.
Prices will remain the same and include the Jack R. Spiker and George Cox parking structures, as well as the east parking lot behind Carl’s Jr.
“You can have more than one vehicle registered in the lot,” Miazga said. “You can have 20 vehicles on the permit, but only one car can be in any of the parking structures at one time.”
Police are also considering posting two-hour time limits on all downtown parking spaces outside of the structures. There are a few exceptions, such as all-day handicapped parking, and officials plan to keep many “critical” areas, allowing homeowners to park in front of their properties for free.
But residents in the downtown core would still have to buy permits or move their vehicles every two hours during patrol times.
Vicki Dugger, director of the Cheyenne Downtown Development Authority, said those who work and live downtown should be offered permits at a reduced cost.
“We’re interested in bringing more residents downtown,” she said.
DDA board president Alane West echoed Dugger’s comments.
“I think the question comes down to economic drivers,” she said. “I’m here for access and economic development downtown. We penalize employers when their employees don’t have access to easy parking. And we’re penalizing people living downtown when a typical couple that has lived in the district, by national figures, contributes $12,000 a year to that economic area.”
Miazga said offering free or reduced parking to so many people may defeat the purpose of modifying downtown parking altogether. There’s not enough space to accommodate everyone, he said.
A parking study commissioned by the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization years ago revealed that higher rates of on-street parking turnover encouraged access to downtown businesses.
“At what point do you stop the exceptions?” he said.
Councilman Pete Laybourn, who represents the district, said he was in full support of the department’s efforts, but noted there should be some exceptions for downtown residents.
“As a downtown property owner of a 12-unit apartment house that has open parking in front of it, I’m here to say exceptions have to be made,” he said. “My tenants need that open parking.”
Julie Tucker, a member of the Mayor’s Council for People with Disabilities, said the city could significantly improve its handicapped options downtown. She noted a lack of signage and an inadequate number of spaces on some streets – very few of which are wheelchair-accessible.
“For some reason, the handicapped spaces are not being taken care of,” she said. “A lot of times, snow is dumped in them and it takes up the space. And there’s ice everywhere around it, so if you get out of your car, you could be taking your life in your hands.”
Miazga said the conversation is still evolving, and no final decisions have been made.
“White paper works today, but tomorrow it has to be blue because of X, Y and Z,” he said.
Let the news come to you
Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.