The city is removing parking meters from three key areas — Downtown, Uptown, and North Beach — with meter head removal already underway and full removal targeted for completion by July 31, 2026.
The initiative affects 845 meters combined across the three areas. Removal is happening in phases, with meter heads coming down first, followed by poles and necessary signage changes.
A 2025 study examining downtown parking utilization found that usage rates in Downtown, Uptown, and North Beach did not justify maintaining a paid on-street parking program when measured against industry best practices.
The meters generated an estimated $142,000 annually in fiscal year 2026 revenue.
Once removed, the physical meters will be handled according to established city policy.
Enforcement transition
With the elimination of dedicated parking enforcement officers for paid parking, the city is transferring enforcement duties to its Code Compliance division.
The division currently has 29 budgeted officer positions, including 24 Code Compliance Officers and 2 Supervisors. Staff enforce violations within their assigned districts and will take on ADA parking enforcement, abandoned vehicle removal, and fire hydrant blockage prevention as part of their regular duties.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
