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To lure locals downtown, Heber leaders brainstorm more parking

Blue parking sign against a blue sky.
Aaron Kohr
/
Adobe Stock
Blue parking sign against a blue sky.

As city leaders implement the Envision Central Heber plan to bring new life into downtown, they say improving parking and pedestrian access is imperative to the success of those plans.

At the city’s annual retreat Saturday, Jan. 18, leaders discussed ideas for new parking and landscaping on the blocks surrounding the downtown core.

City councilmembers said their priority is making the area safer for pedestrians and easier to access. It’s part of their broader goal to get more locals downtown for events, shopping and dining.

City staff said a lack of parking discourages residents from coming downtown. And it worsens congestion during events like the Heber Market on Main concert series on summer evenings.

Planning director Tony Kohler proposed adding more angled street parking and implementing parking fees – likely $1 per hour or up to $5 per day. He estimated that could generate an estimated $500,000 in revenue every year.

Kohler said the council could add those fees within a downtown parking district. It’s one recommendation made by Roger Brooks, the consultant brainstorming improvements to downtown Heber.

“In the future, that parking district can entail a lot of different things,” Kohler said. “It can mean fees, fines, different parking rules, et cetera. Roger’s initial recommendation is to do a three-hour on-street parking limit.”

The city plans to begin adding parking on 100 West.

Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood suggested focusing first on the area from 100 North to 200 or 300 South. Those are the blocks closest to City Park and City Hall, where many of the Envision Heber improvements are planned.

Constructing a parking garage downtown is another long-term possibility, although for now, councilmembers aren’t convinced the cost of the structure is worth the investment. Kohler said the price to construct each parking space would be significant.

“A 490-stall parking structure, $35,000 per stall, would be $17 million,” he said. “And of course, that cost depends on how big and when you do it.”

By contrast, the cost of creating on-street parking spaces can be as small as buying a bucket of paint. Heber leaders said they’d prefer to start with expanding street parking and revisit the idea of a parking garage down the line.

More parking could also be created by partnering with businesses with private lots.

“What if we entered into shared parking arrangements with these owners that said, hey, after five o’clock when this is not even being used anyway, that the public can park here?” Kohler said.

City staff also suggested alternatives to downtown parking, such as using the new high school and event center parking lots during big events and providing shuttle service to downtown.

Councilmembers said they want to tackle these infrastructure improvements in phases, both because of construction costs and because it will give the city time to learn what works best for locals.

Any parking plans and construction budgets will need to be formally approved by the city council at future meetings.

To help people navigate downtown on foot, Heber is also considering new pedestrian crossings on Main Street, like at the intersection with 100 South.

Mayor Heidi Franco proposed asking the Utah Department of Transportation to install a stoplight at that intersection, another effort to enhance walkability.

Improvements on Main Street need to be done by UDOT because it’s part of U.S. 40, a state highway.