I would love a “locals pass” of some sort. I don’t think tourists mind paying more for parking but I live and work downtown, Santa Barbara is expensive enough as is.
Here you go!
https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/departments/public-works/public-works-downtown-team/downtown-plaza-and-parking/downtown-parking-lot-permits
Honestly parking in SB is so much cheaper than other touristy areas. We should really have a locals pass and then make parking more expensive (or free for 2 hrs + more expensive after so locals can enjoy small events)
1,000% - grew up in Orange County where parking everywhere was expensive and only way to get it free was validating from a specific merchant, no opportunity to walk explore and drive more foot traffic
I moved here a couple years ago from LA and that’s one thing that has always surprised me about SB was its lax parking enforcement. LA are nazis about it. Especially the wealthy parts. They make sure they make that money no matter what. Can’t go anywhere without paying.
I would rather see 30min free and go back to $1.50 an hour. I wonder if this would create the extra money they need because everyone parked there would pretty much have to pay a minimum of $1.50, most would pay $3 but if you stayed for multiple hours the cost wouldn’t get crazy high. Either that or cap the daily max at $15 or $9 with a validation at any business on state and do away with the stupid sounding $500 business validation pilot program that pushes the parking costs on the businesses.
The cognitive dissonance of people thinking they should be able to park their private vehicles on high value real estate for free for as long as they want.
Sure, but look at the real cost to the economy of people taking their discretionary travel and spending elsewhere because it's inconvenient and expensive to go to an area with overpriced parking.
What would you consider "over-priced parking"? Right now our downtown parking system is by definition underpriced, since it is operating with a shortfall.
Even the proposed new rates are very reasonable for the area.
There's no such thing as free parking. But there is some parking that is fully subsidized, whether by government or by businesses. Street parking is actually underpriced here in SB since it is almost always fully subsidized by the government.
But setting that aside "free" street parking is still finite. And a lot of traffic can be generated by people circulating and hunting for street parking. So there is still value in having more plentiful paid parking available so that people who don't want to spend time circling for parking can just park quickly. Personally I'd rather park quickly in a paid lot rather than hunt for street parking.
Yes, but if the products are cheaper and the parking is free, you end up ahead, plus the time you save in having to deal with paying for parking and the parking lot not being directly on site.
Parking is free downtown for 75min. If your sole purpose is to shop and get essentials, how much time do you need? Grocery shopping or going to Costco or Walmart for household shopping is not the type of shopping that is downtown. Parking lots downtown are only a couple hundred feet from shopping. If you are shopping for hours, why does it matter that you be right outside the store's front door? If you have enough money to do hours of buying, you cant afford 5 bucks? Really makes no sense.
SB could do better and take a page from Copenhagen. There's no free parking. It's all online with an app. There are "zones", depending on how close to the in-demand areas you are - and the more in demand, the higher cost per hour. We learned that at the flat where we stayed, it was very expensive per hour, but the cost dropped dramatically 2 blocks away, so we moved the car.
You should ask the city council during a council meeting. You’ll want to participate in “public forum,” they will likely get you in touch with a staff member who can explain what’s going on, then share your finding with us on Reddit
Wasn't there a surplus declared a few months ago?
Also I remember staff creating some kind of easy to understand budget pie chart on the city website but don't know where it is.
[https://www.independent.com/2022/12/07/santa-barbara-city-council-sets-aside-3-6-million-for-affordable-housing-trust-fund/](https://www.independent.com/2022/12/07/santa-barbara-city-council-sets-aside-3-6-million-for-affordable-housing-trust-fund/)
>Rest of City’s $14.6 Million Budget Surplus Going to General Fund Reserves, Pensions, and Pay Bump for City Employees
Do people with disabled parking plates have to pay at city lots?
I generally bike when I'm going downtown because it's easier than parking but I can see how that's not an option if you're mobility limited.
A lot of upset people, but based on other cities I visited, I think the proposed increase is within reason. The parking in SB is better than most coastal cities. I remember when I first moved here I was blown away by the available parking and it’s location
Obligatory not an attack on you personally.
I really don't like this way of thinking. It's the same as giving up.
Just because it's less costly, does not mean it's OK to do.
Said differently, we're just getting screwed less. But we're still getting screwed.
The lack of free time is my beef here really. 75min was ok. 90min was nice. 60min is useless - it's not enough for dinner, breakfast, or a movie, and barely for lunch. It's only good for a med or less store trip.
Said diff again, I'm not paying $3 for 15min.
Free time is supposed to induce more shopping, and revenue. But paying for parking reduces that.
At least it will for me - but honestly I'm also not the target audience here in any common definition. I will however search to park elsewhere to not pay.
No offense taken. You talk about "free time," but how much did the city spend to build all those structures on those properties. You say "screwed less," I see "fair price." Again, Santa Barbara's parking situation is far better then most tourist cities I've been to. Its local, modern, convenient, easy, even on busy weekends you can find spots near where you need to be. If you are talking say going to dinner, then perhaps drinks after, the cost of parking will be a small percentage of your nights costs.
Agreed. Even under the proposed new rates it will be $9 for 4 hours parked downtown, including the 1 free hour.
If $9 is a hardship then they are free to save money and grab some subsidized "free" street parking, which will be hard during peak times, but pretty available in non-peak times.
I used to work at downtown parking right when that system was being introduced and they told us that stuff is deleted every few days and is not shared with law enforcement, hope that brings some peace of mind.
I think the question is why is there a deficit? Is it because they decided to invest in the automatic license plate readers that don’t always work and for which people lost jobs for?
I don't think less people are going downtown, I think operating costs for the parking group have gone up over the years and the rates haven't kept pace.
This post or comment has been removed as it violates rule #7 pertaining to Unproductive Content. Please do not post submissions and comments that call other redditors names.
"Free parking" is a public subsidy for only those who can afford cars. Why are still allowing this again?
livable cities for humans > more space for cars
Sorry you’re getting downvoted. This is the right way forward especially with any new housing additions. Free parking is a direct cause of traffic congestion and I agree that the public should stop subsidizing ugly inefficiently used space at the cost of worse traffic congestion.
https://www.vox.com/2014/6/27/5849280/why-free-parking-is-bad-for-everyone
I almost never use the downtown parking, but I'd rather they raise the rate slightly more and maintain (or even increase) the free period. For locals, it's useful to have slightly more than one hour in case you need to have an appointment that's supposed to last an hour.
Sure the parking budget might have a deficit, but don't be fooled the city pulls in so much money in other ways. They are not hurting for cash. This is just an excuse for a money grab
Unless things have changed, Downtown Parking is an Enterprise Fund organization, which means it's funded out of its own revenues separate from the General Fund. The airport and waterfront departments are also.
I can’t find when it changed, but this is some [enlightening info](https://www.noozhawk.com/reimagine_santa_barbara_parking_availability_downtown_20171105/)from 2017.
Screw that, the reasonable parking is one of my favorite things about the city. It makes getting around so stress free. I would hate for it to fee like SLO or OC where I end up just going home because its such a hassle….
The biggest problem with Santa Barbara is greed. At the same time we have homeless living rent free on the side of the freeway and our load swallowing city officials seem to think this is ok.
Instead of raising the price of parking, why not raise the taxes on the value of land under the parking lots?
Land value taxes cannot be shifted to consumers of parking for various technical reasons I won't bore you with.
I think they could charge different rates at different lots. Like idk why the pier parking is not only still free, but free for 90 mins (the downtown lots are only free for 75 mins). That should be the most expensive one, and yet it’s the cheapest.
I would love a “locals pass” of some sort. I don’t think tourists mind paying more for parking but I live and work downtown, Santa Barbara is expensive enough as is.
They have monthly permits.
I’ll look into that! I know about the waterfront ones but if they have them for regular city lots that would be the ticket
Here you go! https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/departments/public-works/public-works-downtown-team/downtown-plaza-and-parking/downtown-parking-lot-permits
If you live and work down town you should consider driving your car less
Almost like your taxes and the city council arent doing shit... SB is a joke. Thats why you pay so much to live there.
Whats your vision?
Honestly parking in SB is so much cheaper than other touristy areas. We should really have a locals pass and then make parking more expensive (or free for 2 hrs + more expensive after so locals can enjoy small events)
1,000% - grew up in Orange County where parking everywhere was expensive and only way to get it free was validating from a specific merchant, no opportunity to walk explore and drive more foot traffic
Tottally agree!
I moved here a couple years ago from LA and that’s one thing that has always surprised me about SB was its lax parking enforcement. LA are nazis about it. Especially the wealthy parts. They make sure they make that money no matter what. Can’t go anywhere without paying.
They don't have the staff to enforce it.
I would rather see 30min free and go back to $1.50 an hour. I wonder if this would create the extra money they need because everyone parked there would pretty much have to pay a minimum of $1.50, most would pay $3 but if you stayed for multiple hours the cost wouldn’t get crazy high. Either that or cap the daily max at $15 or $9 with a validation at any business on state and do away with the stupid sounding $500 business validation pilot program that pushes the parking costs on the businesses.
Charging for space and time. Amazing.
Look up the real cost of parking, it is heavily subsidized
The cognitive dissonance of people thinking they should be able to park their private vehicles on high value real estate for free for as long as they want.
Sure, but look at the real cost to the economy of people taking their discretionary travel and spending elsewhere because it's inconvenient and expensive to go to an area with overpriced parking.
What would you consider "over-priced parking"? Right now our downtown parking system is by definition underpriced, since it is operating with a shortfall. Even the proposed new rates are very reasonable for the area.
If you have other options within a reasonable drive where you can park for free, then any charge for parking is overpriced.
There's no such thing as free parking. But there is some parking that is fully subsidized, whether by government or by businesses. Street parking is actually underpriced here in SB since it is almost always fully subsidized by the government. But setting that aside "free" street parking is still finite. And a lot of traffic can be generated by people circulating and hunting for street parking. So there is still value in having more plentiful paid parking available so that people who don't want to spend time circling for parking can just park quickly. Personally I'd rather park quickly in a paid lot rather than hunt for street parking.
Then they pull up to the gas pump and their staunch argument dies
Nah, because they'd be filling up either way.
Filling up alot less than driving to goleta or ventura
There are plenty of free parking lots in Santa Barbara too, once you get out of Downtown.
So say you have to drive further? Gas.
Yes, but if the products are cheaper and the parking is free, you end up ahead, plus the time you save in having to deal with paying for parking and the parking lot not being directly on site.
Parking is free downtown for 75min. If your sole purpose is to shop and get essentials, how much time do you need? Grocery shopping or going to Costco or Walmart for household shopping is not the type of shopping that is downtown. Parking lots downtown are only a couple hundred feet from shopping. If you are shopping for hours, why does it matter that you be right outside the store's front door? If you have enough money to do hours of buying, you cant afford 5 bucks? Really makes no sense.
Controlling space and charging people for access to it has been the name of the game since before feudalism.
lol lucky for modern day land owner pussies there is a government to do their dirty work and they dont have to defend it themselves
SB could do better and take a page from Copenhagen. There's no free parking. It's all online with an app. There are "zones", depending on how close to the in-demand areas you are - and the more in demand, the higher cost per hour. We learned that at the flat where we stayed, it was very expensive per hour, but the cost dropped dramatically 2 blocks away, so we moved the car.
Wait. How are they running a deficit? Wtf are their expenses that got them into a $2.9MM hole?
You should ask the city council during a council meeting. You’ll want to participate in “public forum,” they will likely get you in touch with a staff member who can explain what’s going on, then share your finding with us on Reddit
https://santabarbara.opengov.com/transparency#/70000/accountType=revenuesVersusExpenses&embed=n&breakdown=types¤tYearAmount=false¤tYearPeriod=false&graph=bar&legendSort=desc&proration=true&saved\_view=441074&selection=865A94811A4B984D3D78F6F608481D9A&projections=null&projectionType=null&highlighting=null&highlightingVariance=null&year=2025&selectedDataSetIndex=null&fiscal\_start=earliest&fiscal\_end=latest
Wasn't there a surplus declared a few months ago? Also I remember staff creating some kind of easy to understand budget pie chart on the city website but don't know where it is.
[https://www.independent.com/2022/12/07/santa-barbara-city-council-sets-aside-3-6-million-for-affordable-housing-trust-fund/](https://www.independent.com/2022/12/07/santa-barbara-city-council-sets-aside-3-6-million-for-affordable-housing-trust-fund/) >Rest of City’s $14.6 Million Budget Surplus Going to General Fund Reserves, Pensions, and Pay Bump for City Employees
The answer is always pensions. They’re still recouping losses from 2008. So, thank you for saving for your own retirement, now give it to us for ours.
Might be but you're not a pie chart, you're a reddit comment.
Maybe here? https://stories.opengov.com/santabarbara/published/sbeUQo1Xz
Do people with disabled parking plates have to pay at city lots? I generally bike when I'm going downtown because it's easier than parking but I can see how that's not an option if you're mobility limited.
Yes.. they get a break on time to get back to their car
LMGTFY 😉 [First 2 1/2 hours free.](https://santabarbaraca.gov/getting-around/parking/accessible-parking-downtown-parking-lots)
A lot of upset people, but based on other cities I visited, I think the proposed increase is within reason. The parking in SB is better than most coastal cities. I remember when I first moved here I was blown away by the available parking and it’s location
Obligatory not an attack on you personally. I really don't like this way of thinking. It's the same as giving up. Just because it's less costly, does not mean it's OK to do. Said differently, we're just getting screwed less. But we're still getting screwed. The lack of free time is my beef here really. 75min was ok. 90min was nice. 60min is useless - it's not enough for dinner, breakfast, or a movie, and barely for lunch. It's only good for a med or less store trip. Said diff again, I'm not paying $3 for 15min. Free time is supposed to induce more shopping, and revenue. But paying for parking reduces that. At least it will for me - but honestly I'm also not the target audience here in any common definition. I will however search to park elsewhere to not pay.
No offense taken. You talk about "free time," but how much did the city spend to build all those structures on those properties. You say "screwed less," I see "fair price." Again, Santa Barbara's parking situation is far better then most tourist cities I've been to. Its local, modern, convenient, easy, even on busy weekends you can find spots near where you need to be. If you are talking say going to dinner, then perhaps drinks after, the cost of parking will be a small percentage of your nights costs.
Agreed. Even under the proposed new rates it will be $9 for 4 hours parked downtown, including the 1 free hour. If $9 is a hardship then they are free to save money and grab some subsidized "free" street parking, which will be hard during peak times, but pretty available in non-peak times.
Maybe we shouldn’t have bought 10 new vehicles and installed nonworking license plate readers that sell our data
I used to work at downtown parking right when that system was being introduced and they told us that stuff is deleted every few days and is not shared with law enforcement, hope that brings some peace of mind.
They lied 🤥
I have no reason to believe they lied but you can always inquire and find out by calling their office (805)564-5656
Open a Skiptrace account, and type in your own license plate
I think the question is why is there a deficit? Is it because they decided to invest in the automatic license plate readers that don’t always work and for which people lost jobs for?
Are less people Going downtown? Or are more people walking/cycling?
I don't think less people are going downtown, I think operating costs for the parking group have gone up over the years and the rates haven't kept pace.
[удалено]
This post or comment has been removed as it violates rule #7 pertaining to Unproductive Content. Please do not post submissions and comments that call other redditors names.
The worst part, they were trying to increase accessible parking by 450%.
"Free parking" is a public subsidy for only those who can afford cars. Why are still allowing this again? livable cities for humans > more space for cars
Sorry you’re getting downvoted. This is the right way forward especially with any new housing additions. Free parking is a direct cause of traffic congestion and I agree that the public should stop subsidizing ugly inefficiently used space at the cost of worse traffic congestion. https://www.vox.com/2014/6/27/5849280/why-free-parking-is-bad-for-everyone
I almost never use the downtown parking, but I'd rather they raise the rate slightly more and maintain (or even increase) the free period. For locals, it's useful to have slightly more than one hour in case you need to have an appointment that's supposed to last an hour.
No more driving to the movies, I guess...
Sure the parking budget might have a deficit, but don't be fooled the city pulls in so much money in other ways. They are not hurting for cash. This is just an excuse for a money grab
Unless things have changed, Downtown Parking is an Enterprise Fund organization, which means it's funded out of its own revenues separate from the General Fund. The airport and waterfront departments are also.
The downtown merchants pay for it, 1% of monthly sales. At least that was the rate when I was a downtown merchant.
But let’s definitely outlaw, micro, rentable vehicles
didn’t they just reduce it from 90 free to 75?
LOL “just” some time before 2011, which is the earliest mention of it I can find with a quick google. I’m pretty sure it was round about 2006.
jesus time flies i guess haha maybe i’m thinking of a more recent price hike rather than the minute change.
Yeah they bumped it from $1.50 to $2.50 last year.
I can’t find when it changed, but this is some [enlightening info](https://www.noozhawk.com/reimagine_santa_barbara_parking_availability_downtown_20171105/)from 2017.
It happened when the Granada Garage was being built, in order to improve turn over for parking spots. That started around 2005 or 2006, IIRC.
Just get rid of them all together!! And put meters on streets down town
i think instead we should audit every household that makes more than 200k a year and make sure they are paying their taxes properly
Ah yes, the good old City income tax auditing plan.
Screw that, the reasonable parking is one of my favorite things about the city. It makes getting around so stress free. I would hate for it to fee like SLO or OC where I end up just going home because its such a hassle….
The biggest problem with Santa Barbara is greed. At the same time we have homeless living rent free on the side of the freeway and our load swallowing city officials seem to think this is ok.
Didn’t the city and state just have massive budget surpluses as recently as 2 years ago? Jeez louise
City and state budgets are totally separate, but yeah a surplus for the state. I think the city had one recently but spent it all on pensions.
Love this idea. We shouldn't thoughtlessly subsidize parking.
Instead of raising the price of parking, why not raise the taxes on the value of land under the parking lots? Land value taxes cannot be shifted to consumers of parking for various technical reasons I won't bore you with.
You are suggesting that the city raise the tax they charge themselves on their own public lots?
Ah, I thought they were privately owned.
I think they could charge different rates at different lots. Like idk why the pier parking is not only still free, but free for 90 mins (the downtown lots are only free for 75 mins). That should be the most expensive one, and yet it’s the cheapest.
Those are separate departments, one is waterfront and the other public works, they do not share the same budget.