Whitefish is extending a pilot parking program that allows for the purchase of a parking pass for all-day parking in four specific parking areas downtown.

The city launched a trial run of the program in July and August this summer with the goal of encouraging employees to park in the lots rather than in on-street parking spots. The cost of the permit at $20 per month allows for one license plate to park in any of three surface parking lots and the top level of the city parking garage during daytime hours. There were 85 permits purchased, which was the maximum

City Clerk Michelle Howke said since the program ran for two months, the city’s parking committee felt it was not long enough to make decisions on future parking management.

“The intent of the pilot program was to alleviate the need for employees and business owners to leave work to move cars to avoid parking tickets, keeping convenient on-street parking open for customers of downtown business,” she said. “While minimizing the costs to the city of implementing the pilot program and collecting data to form future parking management decisions.”

City Council approved extending the program through December of 2022.

At the end of the program, surveys were sent out to participants with 21 responding. All who responded said that monthly price of $20 was a good value for the convenience of all-day parking, and 20 said they would participate again in the program.

The parking permit allows for parking at the parking at Third Street and Central Avenue, at the lot at East First Street and Spokane, in the lot directly south of the Whitefish Community Library and on the uncovered level of the City Hall parking garage.

Of the participants who responded to the survey, 17 said they prefered to park in the Third Street and Central Avenue parking lot. While permit holders can park in any of the designated lots, if a spot was unavailable in their first most choice most chose to park on the street.