Paid Parking Changes

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The public comment period for this project is closed. For information on the implemented changes, please see www.cob.org/parking-changes and if you have any questions, please contact AskPW@cob.org.

close up of two metal coin operated parking meter

Parking management is essential to support businesses and residences in our growing community. Monitoring Bellingham's business districts has shown that the rules for parking on public streets need to be adjusted to address community goals to continue to support a vibrant local economy. Paid parking and time limits help encourage saving on-street parking spaces for customers and visitors by creating more turnover. Meanwhile, parking garages and permit lots are available – at a significantly reduced rate – for employees and others seeking longer-term parking.

The proposed changes will also result in additional financial support for enlivening and beautifying the business districts.

  • Learn more about the proposed changes below
  • Ask us a question

Parking management is essential to support businesses and residences in our growing community. Monitoring Bellingham's business districts has shown that the rules for parking on public streets need to be adjusted to address community goals to continue to support a vibrant local economy. Paid parking and time limits help encourage saving on-street parking spaces for customers and visitors by creating more turnover. Meanwhile, parking garages and permit lots are available – at a significantly reduced rate – for employees and others seeking longer-term parking.

The proposed changes will also result in additional financial support for enlivening and beautifying the business districts.

  • Learn more about the proposed changes below
  • Ask us a question

The public comment period for this project is closed. For information on the implemented changes, please see www.cob.org/parking-changes and if you have any questions, please contact AskPW@cob.org.

  • Paid Parking Coming to Fairhaven

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    Based on parking studies completed in the area and recommendations from the Fairhaven Parking Task Force, paid parking will be implemented in the Fairhaven business district. The fees and fines would be the same as all other paid parking in Bellingham. The proposed timeline is for enforcement to start in the spring of 2022.

    Parking in Fairhaven has been a topic of community conversation for some time, which lead to the creation of the Fairhaven Parking Task Force in 2012. The Task Force was made up of representatives from surrounding neighborhoods, local merchants and transportation professionals. Visit the Fairhaven Parking Task Force webpage for more information about the important work they completed.

  • Changes to Fees and Fines

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    In order to charge the right price to encourage turnover, hourly rates (which have been unchanged from 75-cents per hour since 2008) and fees need to increase. The proposed new hourly rate is $1.50 per hour. Additionally, a progressive rate structure will be implemented by the end of 2022 to allow longer periods of on-street parking at a higher cost per hour. With a progressive rate structure, the first two hours are at the $1.50 rate, then each additional hour beyond increases in cost. This allows people to park for longer periods of time.

    Parking fees are used to support the city's parking operations but are also used to reinvest in the business districts. The reinvestment increases cleaning, landscaping, and graffiti removal services, economic development services, and events, marketing, and promotions.

    Additionally, increasing the cost of expired meter parking tickets helps encourage drivers to pay for their parking. The proposed increase to $41 will match the parking fine rate on the Western Washington University (WWU) campus.

    Enforcement for unpaid parking fines is resource-intensive. In 2022, changes will be proposed to add the use of tire boots (an immobilization device placed on a vehicle with multiple unpaid parking infractions) as an additional and more effective tool. Tire boots are less expensive for both the City and the vehicle owner. This type of program helps residents pay down their fines rather than continue to increase and build up the fines. It protects enforcement officers from situations that have the potential to become hostile. It also helps the city collect on unpaid fines; for example, WWU has a 100% compliance and collection rate using the booting program.

  • Changes to Paid Parking Hours

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    For effective parking management, it is best to charge the right price, but it is also important to charge that price at the right times. The proposed changes will include changing the paid parking hours and enforcement to 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. and adding Saturdays. Based on parking studies these are the busiest times and therefore the best times to help manage the demand with enforcement.