Whitefish City Councilors decided at a work session last week that they would further investigate the possibility of paid parking downtown and determine how much it would cost the city. 

Dakota Whitman, a member of the Climate Action Plan Committee, suggested the city consider the feasibility of a dynamic paid parking system in downtown.  

Parking meters would not be used, like the town had in the past, and the proposal excludes local residents, downtown workers and people who need accessible parking from being charged. Dynamic paid parking adjusts rates depending on demand. The city would use existing license plate scanners to verify if a vehicle belongs to a resident or worker. 

Whitman said the committee, after studying the issue and meeting with an expert, found no evidence that paid parking would reduce business traffic downtown. Although he said evidence points to the opposite holding true, some were opposed to the notion. 

“Paid parking in downtown Whitefish would harm our downtown economic vitality and should not be pursued,” Chris Schustrom, with Heart of Whitefish, said in a letter asking downtown business owners to voice opposition to paid parking. 

Schustrom also spoke at the work session and mentioned that Whitefish tried paid parking years ago. He said it discouraged shopping in downtown and was discontinued. 

Julie Dixon, of DIXON Resources Unlimited, prepared the 2019 City of Whitefish Parking Management Plan. She attended the work session virtually and fielded several questions from the councilors. 

The committee’s proposal requires payment for all parking spaces that are owned by the city -- except accessible parking spaces -- from Lupfer Avenue to Spokane Avenue and from Railway Street to Fourth Street. The city’s parking garage would remain free. 

The first 15 minutes of parking would be free, otherwise, spots would be paid from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

According to Whitman’s figures, the potential revenue from paid parking is nearly $1.4 million per year. The committee suggests setting aside 10% of that amount for the downtown improvement and maintenance fund. 

It suggests the remainder should be used for public transportation infrastructure, including more funding for the SNOW Bus and Mountain Climber, expansion of bike and pedestrian paths and bike racks downtown. 

Climate Action Plan committee members Nathan Dugan and Keegan Siebenaler also joined the meeting via Zoom and supported the idea. 

Councilor Guiseppe Caltabiano reiterated that he is all for exploring paid parking downtown. Councilor Ben Davis, who also serves on the Climate Action Committee, said there are many complexities to the plan and concluded he feels 50/50 about paid parking. 

Councilor Andy Feury agreed with Davis, but he does want to talk about parking in general.