By Vanguard Staff
DAVIS, Calif. — The city of Davis will begin charging $1 per hour for parking in three downtown lots Nov. 2, expanding its paid parking program to encourage turnover and improve access to downtown businesses while keeping approximately 84% of public parking spaces free.
The new fees will apply to the F Street lot between Third and Fourth streets, the G Street lot between Second and Third streets and the Amtrak Station lot. The existing paid parking lot at E Street Plaza will also be incorporated into the program.
Together, the four lots contain 322 parking spaces, representing approximately 16% of the 2,108 public parking spaces downtown. The remaining 1,786 spaces, including all on-street parking, will continue to be free.
The city will begin a one-week educational period Oct. 26, during which drivers parking in the affected lots will receive reminders that paid parking begins Nov. 2.
Parking will cost $1 per hour, with no time limits in the four lots. Paid parking will be in effect Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the F Street, G Street and E Street Plaza lots. At the Amtrak Station lot, paid parking will apply Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Parking will remain free outside those hours and on city holidays. Drivers who park before paid hours begin will only be charged for the portion of their stay that falls within the paid period.
Motorists can pay by credit card at parking kiosks or by scanning a TEZ Park QR code posted in each lot. TEZ Park is part of T2 Systems, a parking payment platform already used by the city.
Each lot will have its own QR code and identifying name, requiring drivers to select the correct location when paying. The city recommends using the QR code option because it allows drivers to extend their parking sessions remotely when permitted, while those paying at kiosks cannot add time remotely.
According to the city’s parking inventory, the F Street lot contains 105 spaces, the G Street lot has 42, the Amtrak Station lot has 130 and the existing E Street Plaza paid lot has 55.
The city said the changes are intended to increase parking availability in high-demand locations by encouraging turnover throughout the day, making it easier for customers to access downtown shops, restaurants and other businesses.
The three new paid parking locations were identified through the city’s Downtown Parking Management Plan, developed with assistance from the City Council-appointed Downtown Parking Task Force and adopted by the council as a long-term strategy for managing downtown parking.
City officials said they will continue evaluating the program after implementation and consider adjustments based on parking demand and community feedback.
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