KALISPELL — Kalispell neighbors may have noticed a lack of downtown parking enforcement since the previous parking attendant retired.
The vacancy has prompted the Parking Advisory Board to assess the future of downtown parking enforcement.
Officials met Thursday morning at Kalispell City Hall to review the Downtown Kalispell Parking Strategy prepared by Downtown Kalispell Forward.
The Downtown Kalispell Parking Strategy aims to address issues including limited availability, inconvenient customer parking and employees occupying prime spaces.
According to Downtown Kalispell Forward, 66.7% of business owners cited parking availability as their biggest challenge downtown.
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That has led Downtown Kalispell Forward and the Parking Advisory Board to develop ideas aimed at improving the downtown experience.
Ideas under consideration include converting business lots into free public parking, limiting prime spots to 90 minutes and using license plate recognition technology and parking management systems, such as mobile apps, to enforce time limits.
The strategy also outlines additional recommendations, including:
- Providing free, unlimited permits for employees and business owners valid in most city lots.
- Increasing parking fines and allowing additional tickets every 90 minutes.
- Installing clearer signage to guide people to public parking and replacing existing signs with updated time limits and restrictions.
- Partnering with private property owners to allow use of private lots during non-business hours.
- Allowing city-owned downtown lots to be leased on weekends for events at nominal fees.
Bill Moseley, chair of the infrastructure and design team for Downtown Kalispell Forward, said the discussions are just the beginning.
"I would view this as a first step. It is not the last step," Moseley said. "It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be an improvement on where we are."
Organizers aim to present the plan to the Kalispell City Council in May.
Officials said the public will have an opportunity to share feedback.
Changes will be evaluated at the end of the year.
