The Floridant - Jacksonville: Downtown Investment Authority Uses Meter Rates to Help Foster Restaurant and Retail Growth and Deter All-Day Use of On-Street Spaces

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The City of Jacksonville's Downtown Investment Authority ("DIA") Board voted unanimously to pass a resolution adjusting on-street parking rates as recommended by the 2019 Downtown Parking Strategy and Implementation Plan prepared by Tim Haahs and Associates ("Haahs"). The Plan recommends the elimination of on-street parking credit card transactions below $1.00 and the implementation of an on-street parking rate of at least $2.00 per hour. The rate increases approved today by the DIA Board are in line with the Haahs recommendations while also remaining sensitive to the Jacksonville market.

"This rate change discourages the all-day use of on-street spaces," said Bob Carle, Public Parking Officer. "It should result in the quicker turnover of Downtown parking spaces by forcing all-day meter feeders into garages and thereby increasing customer parking availability for restaurants, retailers and other downtown businesses."

This adjustment follows a recent change to rates in municipal garages and is but another step in a long list of parking strategies designed to make on-street spaces available for customers and easier to access, to manage supply and demand for off-street spaces to facilitate full office occupancy in the core of Downtown, and to modernize and upgrade Downtown parking. Other strategies will include the implementation of one or more mobile phone parking payment apps, the installation of parking pay stations (kiosks) and an overhaul of the City's current meter-bagging policies to keep more metered spaces in service and available for use rather than bagged and out of service. These strategies were designed to help foster restaurant and retail growth in downtown and complement the DIA's many existing grant programs available to retailers and restaurateurs interested in relocating to or expanding in downtown.

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The on-street parking rate will increase from $0.50 to $1.00 for the first two half hours and from $0.50 to $2.00 for every subsequent hour in high demand areas. The rates are to remain at $0.50 for every hour in low demand areas. The rates apply Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The resolution allows the DIA and Office of Public Parking to review and modify the boundaries of the high and low-demand areas as needed.
The rate schedule also includes a provision to implement night, weekend and holiday parking rates for special events such as Jaguar games or concerts. On-street event parking rates will fluctuate between $5.00 and $15.00 depending on the type of event, with a duration of six hours.

The rate increases will become effective March 1, 2021, unless and until, the Jacksonville City Council enacts an ordinance to the contrary.

About the Downtown Investment Authority: The Downtown Investment Authority was established by the City of Jacksonville to revitalize Jacksonville's urban core by utilizing Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) resources and is guided by a nine-member board of directors. The DIA seeks to attract investment, facilitate job creation and increase residential density through capital investments, planning, marketing and public-private partnerships including the provision of incentives for the general community and Downtown stakeholders. For more information, visit https://dia.coj.net/ and https://investdtjax.com/.

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