YAKIMA, Wash.-The Yakima City Council unanimously approved a resolution to place a 60-day moratorium on enforcement of the recently introduced downtown parking fees at its regular meeting on Dec. 12.
“I think we would not be listening to our community if we didn’t address this issue,” said Councilmember Matt Brown, who introduced the moratorium resolution.
The first two hours of parking downtown were free under the new plan, however, cars would be ticketed after two hours by YPD Community Service Officers.
Drivers also had the option of purchasing a $50 monthly parking permit from the City.
The hiatus is on the enforcement of parking fees, not on the ordinance itself, according Councilmember Brown.
A recent petition asking the Council to reconsider the parking fees currently has 769 signatures, according to change.org.
“Paid parking isn’t hindering customers…what it is doing is really hurting employees, the minimum wage employees,” said Councilmember Soneya Lund.
“The necessity of coming to work should not be a financial burden, yet the current $50/month passes offered by our city have made it so,” says the petition, started by Bryan Islas-Martinez. “This issue hits close to home for us, as this is an unfair financial burden disproportionately affecting those of us on minimum wage.”
