Park City created the Old Town permit program in 1997 to manage the limited on-street parking supply and protect the neighborhood from tourism traffic, according to a staff report.
Problems have arisen in recent years as demand for on-street parking often exceeds supply in many locations. The gap is driven in part by long-term vehicle parking on streets and some historic homes that do not have on-site parking.
Under existing rules, a single address can get up to five permits, which Park City Councilmember Bill Ciraco said is “probably too big a number.” The city may issue fewer permits if a home has on-site parking.
Vehicles in the historic district also only need to move slightly to avoid enforcement of the 72-hour parking ordinance.
City staff have recommended several modifications to the council, including shortening the 72-hour parking period and discontinuing permits to homes that have off-street parking. Another change could involve attaching permits to specific addresses or blocks to ensure parking is available.
Park City Transportation Director Tim Sanderson said the goal of the potential changes isn’t to “generate revenue or write tickets.”
“What we’re trying to do is to create turnover in parking, to provide everybody with an opportunity to use these spaces,” Sanderson said.
At its meeting Sept. 4 the city council was generally supportive of evolving the program, but there will be a future meeting to determine the exact modifications.
Councilmember Tana Toly said she was aware of someone trying to illegally sell guest permits to day skiers last winter. The city’s parking manager Johnny Wasden said the effort didn’t gain much traction.
But Toly said unruly behavior could worsen “as Canyons [Village] starts to charge for parking.”
Park City Mountain did not respond to KPCW’s request for comment on parking at Canyons Village this upcoming season.
When you support KPCW, you support local news that matters to our community. Keep news local. Donate now during KPCW’s pledge drive.
