Downtown Parking and Garbage Service Rates at the 10/28 The Dalles City Council

The majority of The Dalles City Council meeting last night was taken up with a lengthy discussion of the downtown parking study. Consultant Rick Williams had a lot to say. Here’s a sampling of some of his comments:

“Onstreet, there are a total of 1190 stalls. There are 67 off-street parking sites, and those lots hold 1405 stalls. So overall, you’ve got about 2600 total parking stalls from your downtown…The primary type of parking you have downtown is what we call no limit. In other words, there’s this unregulated anybody-can-park there at any time, for as long as they like.”

Several strategies have been discussed, and councilors will vote on updating the city’s master parking plan at a meeting in November. Meanwhile, City Development Director Josh Chandler, reassured councilors they shouldn’t be concerned:

“We’re not presenting any crazy plans for the downtown system. More so housekeeping so we can manage parking as we move forward and encourage development in our  downtown.

Council members also approved a modest 2.08 percent garbage rate hike in January. Those with a standard 32-gallon can picked up once a week currently pay $21.24. Come January, that will rise to 21.78, adding just 44 cents a month, or a hair over a dime a week.