Downtown Public Parking Meeting

Documenter name: Latasha N. Eley Kelly

Agency: Wichita City Council Meetings/Workshops

Date: August 23, 2024

The Scene

The Downtown Public Parking Meeting, part of an ongoing series led by the Wichita City Council, took place August 21 on the third floor of KeyCentrix, a software company directly affected by recent parking updates. Though no formal meeting agenda was provided beforehand, the City’s Park Wichita webpage provides the 2019 Parking and Multi-Modal Plan that set the stage for these updates. A copy of the Paid Parking slides presented during the meeting are also accessible via the web page.

Approximately 13 individuals attended, with Troy Anderson, Assistant City Manager for Development Services, leading the presentation. Despite intermittent technical difficulties with the display, the meeting proceeded smoothly.

Community Perspective

Attendees expressed a range of opinions, from support for the updates to concerns based on past experiences. Some participants welcomed the changes but wanted more detailed, timely information to share with stakeholders. Others, including a community member with experience in downtown parking studies from the 1970s, offered historical insights. There were murmurs of disagreement throughout the presentation, but these were not formally shared during the meeting or Q&A session.

Notes

Anderson began by outlining current parking conditions in downtown Wichita, emphasizing the detrimental impact of vacant land and surface parking lots, which occupy 60% of the downtown area. This, Anderson noted, hinders development and economic opportunities. He compared Wichita’s situation to cities like Chicago, Kansas City, and Tulsa, which have successfully reduced surface parking by implementing similar strategies.

Anderson emphasized that the goal is to create a downtown environment that balances accessibility with the needs of businesses and residents. He assured attendees: “This isn’t just a consultant coming in and telling you what to do in your community. These are folks in Wichita who participated in the community outreach, [and] the general opinion is that Wichita would benefit from more consistent policies.”

A long-time Wichita resident who served on the city’s traffic commission in the 1970s shared his perspective on the City’s current parking strategy. He recalled extensive studies on downtown parking and voiced concerns about the financial implications of the proposed changes, emphasizing the risk of alienating visitors and residents by making downtown parking more complex and less accessible. He drew an analogy to the Kansas Turnpike’s shift to cashless tolling, noting how such innovations, while efficient, can have significant economic and social impacts.

Another attendee mentioned that the price per parking spot has increased from $3,000 in the 1970s to $8,000 today. This led to a broader discussion on the changing philosophy around urban development—moving away from tearing down buildings for parking toward creating centralized parking structures that support multiple blocks, thus freeing up valuable real estate for other purposes including residential and commercial opportunities. Anderson explained, “Rather than tearing down a building, if I had a centrally located parking structure that could support 2-3 blocks worth of parking, I now have a lot I could repurpose.”

The Q&A session brought out practical concerns from business owners and residents. A KeyCentrix representative asked about the potential impact on their associates. One community member inquired if Old Town parking costs would be integrated with downtown’s, and another asked if there will be guaranteed residential and business spaces. Regarding Old Town parking, Anderson confirmed that existing agreements will be phased out to ensure consistency.  He emphasized an approach rooted in flexibility based on existing usage patterns, with a potential for agreements ensuring appropriate space availability: “We’re talking to businesses about a transition period. Lots of landlords and tenants have agreements in place for 2025. Can we freeze for 2025, then look at escalating to give more time? Absolutely.”  He went on to say that employees who typically park directly in front of a business may be expected to park in nearby areas, “around the corner,” as those prime spots are intended for “transient users.”

Anderson reassured attendees that the rollout will be gradual, with clear communication leading to a September 10 meeting where maps and a matrix will outline how much someone will pay for parking in any downtown space.

Summary

• The August 21 meeting focused on updates to the City’s downtown parking strategy, emphasizing a shift from surface to structured, paid parking toward support for future residential and commercial development

• Community feedback included both support and concern, with historical perspectives and financial implications playing a key role in the discussion

• Q&A highlighted the need for clear communication and a phased approach, particularly regarding existing parking agreements and patterns

Follow-up Questions

• How will the City continue to address concerns about making downtown parking less accessible?

• What steps will be taken to ensure a smooth transition for businesses and residents with existing parking agreements?

• How will the City continue to engage with community members following the September 10 meeting?

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@citybureau.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line.