What constitutes a downtown parking management plan that is fair to all and will make the businesses, employees, residents and visitors alike that utilize downtown parking happy?

City officials are hoping they now have the beginnings fo an answer.

On Thursday, the city sent out a press release on the new proposal it is advancing to the Ogden City Council that would focus on higher-demand areas while leaving much of downtown’s parking free.

“Downtown Ogden continues to grow, with new housing, jobs, restaurants, events, and destinations bringing more people into the core,” the release said. “As activity increases, the most visible and convenient parking spaces fill quickly, leading to drivers circling blocks, delayed visits, and reduced access to short-term parking near storefronts. Managed parking is a widely used approach to improve availability in high-demand areas, support efficient travel downtown, and create a smoother experience for visitors, residents, employees, and businesses. Much of the downtown area will continue to offer free parking just outside these higher-demand managed zones, providing options only a short walk from destinations.”

Ogden Chief Administrative Officer Mara Brown said the proposal is about addressing turnover issues in high-demand areas.

“Downtown parking is most efficient when the most convenient spaces turn over,” she said in the release. “This proposal is about improving access for local businesses by making it easier for customers to find parking in high-demand areas. When short-term spaces are used for long-term parking, it creates congestion and it can discourage people from stopping downtown. Managed parking helps create turnover, so visitors spend less time searching and more time shopping, dining, and enjoying Ogden.

She added a lot of work went into the current proposal.

“I am immensely proud of the work by City staff and our partners to develop a program that fits Ogden,” she said. “We have listened to feedback from residents and businesses over the past year and a half and adjusted our approach to reflect community needs. We’ve worked to keep rates reasonable for customers, residents, and visitors, while also maintaining a $10 monthly parking option for downtown employees which essentially offsets program costs.”

The press release adds that community input has been sought since 2024 and has informed the following key elements.

• “Affordable employee parking, with an initial commitment that employee parking would not exceed $10 per month as the City gathers real-time data and feedback.
• “A free short-visit window to support quick stops and errands.
• “Consideration of flexible options for event parking.
• “Attention to safety and proximity concerns so employee parking solutions remain practical and feel secure.”

The proposal is still a ways from adoption, but is set to be presented at the Tuesday, April 14 Ogden City Council  Work Session. As this is a work session, no formal action will be taken on the proposal on this day.

“As part of the proposal, on-street parking rates are anticipated to range from $1.50 up to a maximum of $2.00 per hour, with WonderBlock garage parking proposed to range from $1.00 up to a maximum of $1.50 per hour. Final rates would be set by City Council and are not yet approved,” the release said. “If approved, the program would be rolled out in phases, with updated parking signage and payment kiosks installed in targeted portions of the downtown core. Initial implementation would focus on 25th Street (Wall Avenue to Washington Boulevard), Kiesel Avenue, and 23rd Street (Grant Avenue to Washington Boulevard), along with the Electric Alley and WonderBlock parking areas. The program would also include mobile payment options through the Passport Parking platform.”

Ogden City Communications Director Mike McBride told the Standard-Examiner Friday that employee parking is proposed to be in Electric Alley located to the north of 25th Street behind the businesses on the 100 and 200 blocks. He also noted that 15 minutes free is proposed for quick pick ups or drop offs while the city is also proposing 2 hours free for ADA parking spots.

The press release notes that other key program details have yet to be finalized. If ultimately approved, the city expects a phased rollout to begin in the second quarter of 2026.

The full proposal will be available at ogdencity.gov/parking following Tuesday’s meeting.