SANDPOINT, Idaho — Visitors and locals in Sandpoint might be surprised to soon find parking meters in the popular downtown and City Beach area after the city council approved a new parking management system.
In a 3-2 vote on Wednesday, the Sandpoint City Council voted to spend $220,000 to install 43 kiosks in heavily populated areas like downtown and city beach.
The city has approved the parking management system to better manage the 1,000 parking spots currently available in downtown, and the 270 at City Beach.
Some areas in downtown allow free parking up to four hours, but the kiosks will be placed in areas with two-hour parking limits.
The first two hours will be free, but after that, drivers will have to pay. The city is still working to finalize how much people will pay after the two hours are up and will determine the parking rate by May 17. A spokesman expects it will be in the ballpark around $1 to $3.
Currently, the city monitors parking times by marking cars with chalk, but officials say this method is not efficient since drivers find ways to work around it.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions from the community. Some locals believe the parking fees will get in the way of spending a day of fun in downtown.
“It’s a bit of a frustration because I stick to the two-hour limit,” said Mary Jo Ayres, a part -time Sandpoint resident.
Ayres said the meters will create additional challenges for residents.
“It’s gonna be an inconvenience that we’re not used to,” she said.
One business gathered 400 signatures from locals and businesses who were against the meters. Some businesses fear people won’t shop as much downtown if the meters are installed.
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