Parking committee to begin work

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The Roseburg City Council’s new Downtown Parking Committee will soon begin meeting to develop new recommendations to improve the parking program.

The committee’s 10-person membership took shape after the City solicited applications in April from people who live, work or own businesses downtown or in the Laurelwood neighborhood.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, the committee is expected to meet at the Roseburg Public Safety Center four times every other Thursday to review existing parking operations, develop new recommendations and serve as community ambassadors for an updated parking management program for downtown and the Laurelwood neighborhood.

“I’m hoping that they provide City Council with recommendations about the parking program and how those adjustments will help to balance the Off-Street Parking Fund,” said Community Development Department Director Stuart Cowie.

Committee members include City Councilor Zack Weiss as chair, Cowie as the staff liaison, an Umpqua Community College representative and seven others who understand the parking needs of customers, employees and/or residents, and pledged in their applications to use their ability to listen, collaborate and consider different perspectives.

Seven seats were filled by a Laurelwood neighborhood resident, downtown nonprofit representative, downtown retail store owner, downtown restaurant owner, downtown personal services owner (such as a salon, tattoo studio or barbershop), downtown professional services representative (such as an accounting firm, law office or consulting agency), and downtown business owner who needs short-term customer parking. Committee members will represent their group’s interests.

The committee will consider different parking management strategies and the best way to balance the Off-Street Parking Fund, an enterprise fund intended to pay for off- and on-street parking enforcement as well as the maintenance and security of parking meters, parking lots and the Downtown Parking Garage.

Committee activities should include reviewing on-street parking time limits, on-street paid parking zones, off-street free and permit parking, neighborhood permit parking and parking enforcement hours. The committee will review existing parking operations, financial data and enforcement; develop parking management guiding principles; and recommend the best parking management plan to the City Council using the 2021 Downtown Parking Assessment and Plan.

“I’m hoping that any recommendations that are made will recognize all the individuals that use the parking program and their needs,” said Cowie.

A public meeting notice and agenda is expected to be posted online on Monday, May 5. The public is welcome to attend meetings. For more information, contact the Community Development Department at cdd@roseburgor.gov or 541-492-6750.