The town of Vail has not been charging for daytime parking in the summer, but the idea is on the table, and will be discussed further on Tuesday.
In what promises to be a process that causes 鈥渁 lot of concern and emotions,鈥� the town of Vail鈥檚 parking and mobility task force said in a recent memo that it believes that the town should pursue a paid parking program for this summer, but is looking for the Town Council鈥檚 direction on the matter.
The term being used for paid parking is 鈥渕anaged parking,鈥� and on Jan. 16, the task force met to discuss the pros and cons of initiating managed parking for the 2025 summer season.
The task force said a managed parking program in the summer season would aim to support the Town Council鈥檚 strategic plan by reducing the percentage of vehicles parking that originate from outside of Vail in Eagle County from 40% to 30%; reduce the percentage of vehicles parking in Vail that originate from within town from 32% to 20%; and reduce the baseline carbon emissions measured in 2014 by 25% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 80% by 2050.
Managed parking in the summer, according to the task force, would also provide additional revenue for supporting and promoting alternative modes of transportation, provide additional revenue for maintenance and capital repairs, provide management tools for parking demand and provide additional data collection on parking and mobility.
But there are several concerns with implementing a managed parking program in the summer, the task force said. Those include providing options for the town鈥檚 economic drivers; concerns with the effect on business activity, special events and sales tax if there is a paid parking fee; and concerns with a negative impact on employees and employee retention.
Operational challenges include messaging and outreach to the community, staffing needs, long-term storage of vehicles, additional transit service and creating a simple rate structure and pass offerings that would complement winter operations and achieve goals.
鈥淢anaged parking programs similar to what is used in winter could help support the reduction of vehicles parking that originate from Eagle County and/or Vail,鈥� according to the task force.
The task force pointed out that there is less data available for summer parking management than the winter season.
鈥淭here is minimal pass use, Ford Park lot use, and Vail Athletic Fields lot use data,鈥� according to the task force. 鈥淎dditional data could be collected to understand the needs and use.鈥�
But one thing on which the task force does have data is the past 20 years of summer demand, and over those past two decades, there have been two periods in which significant construction activity has greatly impacted parking. Those consecutive periods have lasted 2-3 years apiece, and with the Dobson Ice Arena remodel set to begin in 2025 and last throughout the summer of 2026, another period of increased construction impact on parking availability is expected to impact the parking situation in town once again.
鈥淚mplementing a paid parking rate would be used to manage parking demand,鈥� according to the task force. 鈥溌芾蛏倥�, anticipated construction projects, and closures for major capital repair could cause high demand during the summer season.鈥�
But such an implementation would not be easy, the task force acknowledged.
It will take, according to the task force, 鈥渂oth time and emotional energy to properly develop and carry out the right program for Vail to move forward with.鈥�
The parking discussion is set to take place during the afternoon portion of the town鈥檚 regular meeting on Tuesday, estimated to begin at approximately 1:45 p.m.