Short North Mobile Pay Parking Update Creates an Average Rate Decrease

The update in October will not change parking meter rates in the arts district

Evening hourly parking rates in the Short North’s mobile pay only zones on side streets will decrease by an average of 10 cents beginning in October to appropriately price parking based on demand, the Division of Parking Services has announced.

Effective Oct. 7, rates in the mobile pay only zones will decrease or increase by 25 cents to 50 cents per hour from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., based on a zone’s average on-street parking occupancy data. The current rate of $1 per hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the mobile pay only zones remains the same.

Hourly rates at all Short North parking meters will remain unchanged at $1 per hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and $2 per hour from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“This latest update reflects our continual evaluation of data and community feedback to optimize parking accessibility and efficiency in the Short North,” said Robert Ferrin, Assistant Director of Parking Services. “We want to continue to be responsive to the community by appropriately setting rates so parking is available for the arts district’s residents and their guests, businesses and visitors.”

The specific 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. changes by zone can be viewed on the Mobile Pay Only Zone Rate Change Map here: http://bit.ly/SNParking

This adjustment is one of a series of routine updates Parking Services may make to the Short North Parking Plan as part of its commitment to continually review the plan’s performance. The division implemented interim rate changes in June to address the need to increase demand for daytime business parking.

The latest update is based on Parking Services regulations governing rate adjustments. For example, if the average on-street parking occupancy for a zone is at or above 80%, the hourly parking rate will increase by 25 cents. If the occupancy average is 30% to 60%, the rate will decrease by 25 cents. It decreases by 50 cents if the average occupancy is less than 30%.

The Short North Parking Plan has created accessible, efficient and sustainable parking for Short North residents, businesses and visitors since being fully implemented in February. The compliance rate — the percentage of people who park legally in the Short North — continues to grow, indicating a greater understanding of the plan’s benefits in addressing Short North parking needs.

Recent data indicates:

• The plan’s overall compliance rate is averaging 85%.
• Downloads of the ParkColumbus mobile payment app have grown exponentially, from 462 in December 2018 to nearly 85,000 currently. The smart parking tool provides convenient payment by mobile phone.
• Increased use of public parking garages in the Short North alleviates some demand for on-street parking and supports the continued success of the Short North Arts District’s retail parking validation program.
• Parking Services has issued more than 7,500 resident, resident guest and employee parking permits since the plan’s launch.

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