Since 1995, when the last meters were pulled from the concrete and auctioned off to the public, the debate over paid parking in Columbus has cycled in and out.
Unfortunately, those conversations have returned in 2021.
Last week, a newly appointed parking commission debated whether or not the city should add parking meters or kiosks to the downtown area.
Those in favor of the changes cited recent abuse of the three-hour limit, particularly by individuals working in the downtown, and argued that by charging for parking it would create greater turnover; leading to more visitors to the city.
With many downtown workers returning to offices, those wanting paid parking feel that now’s the time to consider the move.
While there’s a lot of passion behind the conversations, it’s important to remember that the commission does not have the authority to make any decisions for the city. Its function is to provide recommendations to the Columbus Board of Works.
Like years prior, any new paid-parking proposals shouldn’t make it past committee.
Downtown businesses have suffered since March of 2020, but are now starting to see more foot traffic with pandemic restrictions loosening. Adding paid parking will only deter more people from coming downtown — especially to those who are continuing to struggle financially.
Columbus isn’t Bloomington or Carmel, where such measures have gone into place due to the population of their area. There’s a significant amount of parking downtown, including in the garages that charge fees.
Rather than spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on meters, the city should restart its enforcement of parking limits. Employers also need to remind their workers not to take up spaces that could go to paying customers.
Adding paid parking to the downtown would create more issues than solving them.
