TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma City Council is considering changing the parking code to modernize payment systems and add enforcement tools to address parking “stressors.”
Ordinance 28974 is scheduled to have its final reading Tuesday during the council’s meeting at 5 p.m.
The ordinance would modify city code to make updates for people who pay for parking electronically, create permit parking only zones and provide enforcement for parking in bike lanes or paths.
The city’s current parking code makes no mention of mobile parking payment options, such as the Flowbird Mobile Payment app. Drivers are also required to display proof of payment on the driver’s or curbside window. Under the ordinance, drivers won’t need to display proof of payment if they paid using the mobile app.
Council members are also considering adding permit parking zones in certain areas of the city to maximize use of the right of way.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, city staff said parking behaviors have shifted drastically in some areas, including when and how people commute. Staff said pockets of the city could benefit from an extended use permit, and the ordinance would contribute to the “vitality” of the city’s business district while balancing patron access to businesses and places of interest.
Drivers violating the permit parking zones could be fined $30.
The ordinance would also ban people from stopping or parking on bike lanes or paths. As the city’s bicycle network has grown, the city hoped to ensure access for bicyclists.
Emergency or maintenance vehicles responding to active incidents would be exempt.
The fine for blocking a bike lane would be $30.
The city said minimal fiscal impact is expected as the cost of enforcement is expected to be offset by fine revenue.
