(Reader photo, March 25th)
Even after the “stay-home order” took effect, the city continued enforcing parking rules such as time limits in residential areas near business districts. One reader sent the photo above a week ago, after a parking-enforcement officer made another sweep through streets on the east side of The Junction, issuing -by the reader’s count – more than a dozen tickets. We sent a question to the city about whether they were considering relaxing the rules. No reply – but today, an announcement. From this SDOT Blog post:
… Beginning tomorrow, April 4, we will implement the following changes:
-No payment will be required on streets with paid parking.
-Hourly time limits will not be enforced outside of Restricted Parking Zones (RPZ).
-Loading zones up to 30-minutes, including new food pick-up zones, will continue to be enforced.
-All signs that indicate no parking, including no parking during a specified time, will still be enforced.
-Special zones will still be in effect, including new zones for Hospital and Human Services staff as well as existing zones for freight, food trucks, charter buses, etc.Time limits in RPZs will continue to be enforced so that people who live in these neighborhoods can still find parking in their neighborhoods. So, if you park in an RPZ and do not have a permit, you need to follow the posted time-limits. Additionally, payment suspension doesn’t apply to private, off-street lots and garages.
We encourage people, if they are able, to check their cars from time-to-time, as we continue to adjust on-street parking regulations to respond to the pandemic.
All street parking meters in Seattle will display No Payment Required screen.
Reinstating paid parking will be phased in after the stay-home order is lifted.
After the stay-home order is lifted, on-street parking activity is anticipated to gradually increase as employees return to work and businesses reopen. Businesses downtown and in neighborhood business districts will again need parking turnover to provide access for customers and visitors. At that time, we will reinstate parking fees at a reduced rate of $0.50 per hour, the minimum we are able to charge.
After three weeks at the $0.50/hour rate, we will then begin to adjust rates based on demand as customers return to business districts and need reliable access at the curb.
West Seattle has no on-street public paid parking, but we do have two RPZs – one in Fauntleroy, one in The Junction – so pay close attention to the signage wherever you park. Parking rules suspended two weeks ago included the move-every-72-hours rule.
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