Drivers visiting downtown Fort Collins could soon pay to park on the street.
Historically, only parking garages have charged for parking, while most of the Old Town area has offered free two-hour parking. That includes on-street spaces and open surface lots. However, at the city council’s work session Tuesday night, members reviewed the potential benefits of changing the system.
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“We all know that downtown Fort Collins is a part of the community that we love and treasure, and parking is a really important component of that overall downtown ecosystem,” said Fort Collins City Manager Kelly DiMartino. “As we approach tonight’s conversation, you’re going to hear us taking many things into consideration; the desire to support and preserve a healthy downtown.”
The session featured a presentation from the city’s Planning, Development and Transportation Department, Parking Services, and consultants. The report outlined key problems with the current system and possible fixes.
One issue is revenue, which comes from citations, garage fees, and permits. City leaders say it’s not enough to cover maintenance and upgrades. Charging for on-street parking could help close the gap.
Another concern is congestion from drivers “trolling” for spots. The study found many prefer to circle for a free street space rather than pay $1 an hour for a garage, adding to traffic and pollution. Even when street parking was full, garages often had plenty of room.
Officials called the current system “upside-down,” with the most convenient spots free and less desirable garage spots, farther from shops and restaurants, requiring payment.
To address this, the proposal calls for $1.50 to $2.00 hourly rates for 1,328 downtown street spaces, the removal of two-hour limits, and a new four-hour maximum. Paid parking would apply Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Garage rates could match or remain slightly lower than street rates to encourage their use.
The city is also considering higher citation costs. Fees haven’t changed since 2009, and the first-offense warning could be replaced with a $10 fine, projected to boost revenue by 21% to 30%.
Although parking changes have been discussed for years, officials remain cautious.
“I do think we should go carefully,” said Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt. “I do think that parking is a system. It’s a system with transist, a system with our businesses, with pedestrians and bikes, and I think we can break things if we go too far.”
It’s also important to note that the plan comes with initial costs for the city. Adding the more than 100 parking meters needed would cost between $590,000 to $994,000. Other fees include new signage and possible improvements to existing parking structures.
Despite the costs, a peer review highlighted in the study shows the majority of cities already have similar systems in place and ultimately benefit the city with revenue. In fact, 85% of comparable cities have paid on-street parking, which includes Idaho Springs and Manitou Springs. Both saw an increase in downtown sales tax revenue after implementing the plan, suggesting the paid parking may not keep visitors away from downtown, even with the additional cost to park.
“That's a common concern when you go from unpaid to paid parking. Obviously, that’s going to be a question. But what we have seen in general is that communities that are implementing paid parking on streets, kind of over and over again, is there’s an increase in revenue,” said Allison Redmon, a consultant with Walker Consultants. “So, it's not decreasing revenue to the downtown area that is implementing paid parking.”
City council will continue refining the proposal, with unresolved issues such as residential parking permits.
Next steps include community outreach to both residents and business owners. There would also be an education period while they implement the changes. As of now, the city is hoping to launch the changes in early 2026.
