AURORA | Commuters looking to park at Aurora’s future Iliff Garage when the new RTD light rail station opens next year could be looking at paid parking rates under a proposed city parking plan.
At a study session Monday night, Aurora City Council gave approval to move forward with a 200-page parking plan that includes charging users of the future Iliff parking garage $3 a day for parking or $50 a month for a parking permit.
“We’re not looking at in-district versus out-of-district,” said Robert Ferrin, who was recently hired as the city’s new parking program manager. “We’re recommending a flat fee based on market demand.”
Part of the city’s proposed plan for the Iliff Station garage includes charging 50 cents an hour or $4 day a day for on-street parking surrounding the garage and instituting neighborhood parking permits where nearby residents would receive one free parking permit and pay additional money for two or more cars to receive a permit to park in front of their homes.
Several council members, including Brad Pierce, Molly Markert and Debi Hunter Holen took issue with idea of charging residents.
“I don’t think we should charge neighbors a fee for being able to park in front of their houses,” said Pierce.
“You’re not going to charge my constituents who paid for the parking study to park in front of their house,” added Markert. “I’m really disappointed in the notion of a neighborhood parking permit.”
Ferrin said he didn’t anticipate parking in neighborhoods around the Iliff garage being in high demand when the light rail opens, which is why each resident would get the first parking permit free.
“We’re only estimating that we issue a couple hundred permits,” he said of the permits that people would have to pay for under the plan. As part of the plan, residents would pay $15 a year for a second parking permit and $20 a year for three or more parking permits. Residents could also get up to two visitors permits for $5 a year under the plan.
Pierce said it would be confusing for commuters to pay more to park at the Iliff garage, when they could park for less or even free at the Nine Mile garage further south on I-225.
RTD Park-n-Ride locations charge out-of-district users $4 a day to park and district users pay $2 a day to park longer than 24 hours.
“Those are discussions we need to have,” said Ferrin. “What kind of continuity do we need to have both in Aurora as well as regionally?”
Ferrin said city staff were also in talks with RTD about the issue of the Iliff Garage having a separate pay rate from Nine Mile. He added the proposed rates for the Iliff garage still need approval from the RTD board.
Under the plan, city staff recommend that in addition to Iliff, on the day the light rail opens a pay structure would be in place for off-street parking on Abilene Street and street parking near the Metro Center and Florida light rail stations. The plan also calls for creating neighborhood parking permits near the Florida and 13th Avenue stations.
“We feel like we need to be proactive for the residents because we do believe (there will be) spillover effects from the commuter and light rail from day one,” Ferrin said of why the city chose those specific light rail stations to implement paid parking.
The city hired consulting firm Kimley-Horn last December to create a business plan for parking in anticipation that demand for spots will come from more people in Aurora using the 10.5-mile line that will run along the I-225 corridor from Nine Mile station at Parker Road to Peoria Street on the Anschutz Medical Campus and connect with the East Rail line to Denver International Airport.
The city paid the consulting firm $225,885 to survey area businesses and residents on whether they would pay for parking near the light rail, help recruit a parking manager, and create a brand for Aurora’s new parking division.
Some Different Ways of on-o-r-s-e-n-i-n-e-
I wonder if the council considered that some may spill over into residential areas to park their cars? Wouldn’t this cause even more headaches? It would for me.
Surely this wont pass council
I’ll just drive to 9-mile or Yosemite when going downtown. Or catch the bus and transfer. Understand this has to pay its own way, but RTD dropped the ball when building a rail line without any parking. That Board has got to go….Jack Dougherty Auora
I am all for Light Rail, but to charge residents to park in from of our own homes?? Absolutely NOT! My home has four generations living in it and we have a great driveway, but as a taxpayer and a homeowner I do not feel I should have to buy a permit to let more than one car park. I didn’t move close to a hospital or the stadium for many of those same reasons. I hope this doesn’t pass through or the whole purpose of fighting for the Light Rail just backfired.
Michelle, sounds like we need to call the city to inspect the FOUR generations living in it. Isn’t it one too many? If you are one of those neighbors that make the block look like there is a car dealership because there are a ton of cars parked out then maybe this should go through. That is what the garage and driveways are for.
Go and and call ….I proud to show off my family. Obviously you don’t have teens as yet
We don’t care about the four generations — just trying to talk to people concerned about a permitting system… please call me!
I have already spoken with my council member concerning this parking issue. She WASN’T in favor of this permit system to begin with. I don’t have time to get involved with. you.
Michelle — I’m a reporter with 7NEWS working on this story for tonight — please call me at 720-785-3682. Thanks in advance for your quick reply! Jaclyn
You have permission to use my comments from this page if you choose. I am not comfortable with reporters as often as others. I know that city council has Not passed this issue through as yet. I just needed to voice my opinion.
^^^^^^Some few days to get small deal with on-u-r-r-a-e-n-t-n-e-l-
Really scratching my head on this one. Print up 1000 parking permits and hand them out for free to the 200 or so residents in the neighborhood good for the first year. How will Aurora pay for their administration? When the neighbors complain Park-N-Riders are parking on their streets Aurora will write tickets. Not writing enough tickets to cover costs means the station isn’t causing a problem in the neighborhood, therefore, you don’t need a permit system for year 2.
All that commercial parking in that neighborhood is different, makes me want to become a tow truck driver!
$225,885 in taxpayer funds totally wasted. And making area residents pay for parking their cars on the street? The measly fees amount to nearly nothing. Why not just waive all of those. I’m guessing that rather than pay the daily/monthly rates, more than a few will just go down and take their chances in the 9-mile lot, which is free (unless that has or will be changed to fee-based). Kimley-Horn, on the other hand, can use their money to buy 4,517 months of free parking at this lot.
Get It Now.a-r-o-r-s-e-n-t-n-e-
********Huge Quality Of performance sseenntinel…. <..~~~.. Find Here