Columbus city leaders think they have some solutions for parking in the popular Short North District. This week, Council members passed an ordinance creating a Short North Special Parking area.
It requires new developments to consider the parking they need and pay a fee if they can't meet the demand.
And there is a lot of demand.
"The Short North has changed dramatically over the past 10-20 years," says Amanda Ford, Columbus' Parking Service coordinator. "They've seen significant progress in these areas. So along with that comes more people wanting to be there, so you end up with more vehicles in the area."
According to Ford, Columbus hopes the new regulations will push businesses to provide their own parking.
Residents, meanwhile, will see changes intended to simplify parking regulations.
"We have a proposal out right now that we're taking out through open houses over the next few weeks that will create more permit parking throughout the Short North to help provide more consistent, predictable parking throughout the district," Ford says.
All streets in the neighborhood would require residents who park vehicles to buy permits for $50 each. Each household can purchase two, while visitors would have to pay to park at meters with time restrictions. Parking rates would be more expensive in the evening and on weekends.
"Right now we have pockets of permit parking in the Short North," Ford says. "So the idea is to expand those areas and create larger zones so that the residents will have a better opportunity to park on the street."
Park also wants long-term parkers, who want to stay in the district beyond three hours, to consider garages or public transportation instead of street parking.
The ultimate goal, Park says, is changing the mindset of the Short North: "More people, less vehicles."
