As downtown attracts more commercial development and business, the city and downtown boosters are looking for ways to manage parking issues in the future.
Parking in the core area is tight, merchants and city officials agree, but has not reached critical levels. Early last year, the Camas City Council appointed a seven-member parking committee made up of downtown merchants, citizens and independent business owners to study the issue and recommend changes to the city’s parking ordinances.
Judy Vaughan, owner of Caffe Picolo at the corner of Northeast Fourth Avenue and Dallas Street, fills one of two three-year terms on the committee. Other members serve either one or two years.
Most parking spots in downtown Camas are free for two hours. Outside the core, people can park for much longer periods, Vaughan said. This means that a walk of several blocks from outlying areas to the core area equals free parking for employees of downtown businesses. Many employees make the trek; but many don’t, she said. Some park in two-hour spots and move their cars several times a day, she said.
Monthly parking is available on one private lot within the core area for $15 per month, said Carrie Schulstad, executive director of the Downtown Camas Association. However, relatively few downtown employees take advantage of this option, she said.
Schulstad said the issue of parking downtown is “really a walking issue.” Parking spaces that serve downtown business can be kept free only if a greater percentage of the employees now parking in them choose to park in areas outside the two-hour limit.
To encourage employees to park further away, Schulstad says the association places “appreciation stickers” on employee cars regularly parked outside the two-hour zones. The stickers can be redeemed through local merchants for drinks, snacks and other services. This promotion has met with some success, she said. Still, as business traffic continues to grow, the best solution is for employees to park further away, she said.
Vaughan said so far the committee has been effective at addressing near-term concerns of business owners and others who have had issues with the city’s parking policies.
For example, in response to concerns expressed by the owners of the Liberty Theater, the city recently changed the parking limit on Cedar between Northeast 4th and 5th streets to three hours. Theater operators were concerned that two hours of free parking wasn’t giving patrons enough time to attend a typical movie.
Schulstad said she believes it is unlikely the city will try to purchase and operate a municipal parking lot because “it just wouldn’t pencil out” financially. She noted that most public lots operate at a significant deficit and emphasized the limited land available in the core area.
The Georgia Pacific Camas Mill has donated the use of its lot at Northeast 6th Avenue and Adams Street for special occasions, Schulstad said. This is very helpful during peak attendance events such as Camas Days, when street parking is blocked off, she added.
Most residents recognize that parking will continue to be a challenge, but one that can be met through continued discussion, education and collaboration, Schulstad said.
