The Manhattan City Commission will discuss the prospect of paid parking in the downtown parking garage near Blue Earth Plaza at a Tuesday work session.
According to agenda materials, city staff are looking at a proposed $2 hourly rate with a $10 daily max for the garage. Full-time employees would be charged at $40 per month while part-time employees would be charged at $25 a month. Hotel guests would be charged at $10 per day under the new plan and the city would collect $5 per day from conference attendees. The city is also proposing a $200 per month charge for a reserved stall.
The garage was built in 2010 and consists of 450 stalls and an annual average occupancy rate of 45%. The city has long pointed to a need for a revenue source to help with ongoing maintenance, which according to the city’s consultant, is estimated at $872,500 over the next five years.
Annual maintenance, to include power washing and restriping, in addition to fire and life safety system inspections is projected at $12,000 annually. The city currently subsidizes repairs through the General Fund into the Parking Services Fund.
No formal vote will take place on Tuesday. The work session begins at 6 p.m.
