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Oct 28, 2023

Business owners submit petition to city regarding problems with parking kiosks

One of Chico's new parking kiosks, along East Second Street just east of Main

One of Chico's new parking kiosks, along East Second Street just east of Main Street in downtown Chico, California on Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Ed Booth/Enterprise-Record)

CHICO — When city of Chico officials unveiled electronic parking kiosks to the downtown area and its periphery in February, they believed they were using technologically advanced devices to make motorists’ lives easier and more convenient.

While this may be true for some people, a group of downtown merchants asserted it is not. In fact, owners or representatives of 39 businesses — including such commercial heavyweights as Collier Hardware, North Rim Adventure Sports, Grana and Fleet Feet, to name just a few — have declared they really dislike the new system.

The new gizmos — strategically spaced on each city block — promised to revolutionize parking in these pay zones. Instead of inserting coins into a traditional meter, perched atop a metal post adjacent to the desired parking space, motorists report to one of the kiosks and enter the car’’ license plate information. Then, with the use of a debit card, credit card, or — yes — even coins, the driver chooses the amount of time he or she wants, pays for it and walks away.

By using a mobile app on a telephone, a motorist can increase the amount of time at that same parking spot and pay remotely from an electronic "wallet." No need to walk back to the car, which is a highly convenient benefit if, for example, the motorist is enjoying a meal for a longer time than expected, or if an appointment runs long. It also saves the need to walk in inclement weather.

With these advances in parking convenience for the motorist, what's the issue?

Josh Mills, who owns The Bookstore at 118 Main St., penned a letter to Chico City Manager Mark Sorensen expressing his annoyance. He wrote, "The impact to our regular customer traffic and baseline sales since the Feb. 23 has been drastic."

Mills said in his letter that the signatory merchants have "collectively … witnessed frustrated customers leaving the shopping district, fielded many complaints (with lots and lots saying they will not return) and have had no relief from these negative consequences."

He closed by imploring Sorensen to "change this kiosk system" but did not describe how he wished to have Sorensen and other city officials do it.

The Enterprise-Record visited Mills’ place of business Thursday afternoon, seeking to have him expand on his ideas in the letter. He wasn't there; a woman at the sales counter said he was out of town until Friday and not available by phone.

Carol Munson, owner of 5th Street Clothing Company at 328 Broadway, signed the petition. However, she said her biggest worry with the new system is that it's confusing to many of her older and middle-aged customers. In addition, the kiosks have malfunctioned from time to time, further baffling those trying to use them.

"I signed it (the petition) because I’ve had far too many customers who have told some of my other customers they ‘will never go downtown again,'" Munson said. "I said, ‘That is sad. You are missing out’ on what downtown has to offer.

"Does it mean they’ll never, ever come downtown again? I doubt it," she added. Munson did relate the story of an older customer who parked at the old, traditional-style meters some distance from the store, and then became lost when trying to find her car.

"She had an anxiety attack over it. We actually had to go find her car for her," Munson recalled. "I have had customers who have done that — parked at the old meters."

The switch to the new meters "has not been something that has been a positive, but maybe we can turn it into a positive," she said, offering the suggestion of having Downtown Chico Property-Based Business Improvement District "ambassadors" — dedicated personnel assisting visitors to the business district — aid confused motorists in navigating the machines.

As it turns out, Sorensen said, the ambassadors are already trained in using the machines and are circulating through the area, giving help when needed. In fact, Sorensen said there will soon be stickers placed on the kiosks, providing a phone number users can call. The number will ring with the ambassadors, who can then go to the trouble site to assist.

It appears people who are dissatisfied with the new units feel that way because they’re unfamiliar with how to use them. However, the city has certainly worked hard to educate the public about the kiosks, doing such things as printing flyers for businesses to post before the switch to the new system, publicizing the switch through social media and on television and in print, and producing a how-to video for use on social media.

Ray Coppock, owner of Melody Records at 341 Main St., said he thinks satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the kiosk system is a matter of "how phone-savvy people are."

"I just get — not frequently, but not infrequently — complaints about why it was done," Coppock said. "Nobody has said, ‘Hey, that was a good idea.’ I translate that into thinking it's not good for business."

Coppock said he's not sure whether the system has had an effect on his business. "That's hard to know," he said. "Nobody has said, ‘Hey, I’m not coming in.’ They tell me they don't like them (the kiosks) and it may keep them from coming downtown. I’d say it's 50 votes against and zero for."

Coppock said he has never used the kiosks. "I’m a little intimidated by them," he said. "I either get there before 9 and do my stuff, or I park where I don't need to use them."

Meter scofflaws are nothing new and certainly not unique to Chico. However, as the Enterprise-Record was downtown Thursday afternoon, a woman parked along East Second Street just east of Main Street, exited her car, and walked west on Second Street past two kiosks and into a building.

Using the old meters, two things could have happened. She could have pulled into a spot whose meter had some "surplus" time on it from the prior user, and thus the meter would have displayed a green "flag" for parking enforcement officers. Or, had she not paid, the meter would have displayed a red "flag" and officers would have stopped to issue a ticket for non-payment.

Sorensen said the kiosk system has a way of combating scofflaws. "A vehicle with an automatic license plate reader drives around," he said. "That system knows exactly which plate numbers have and have not purchased parking. It's highly accurate, efficient and effective."

Enforcement is critical because the city counts on the meters throughout Chico to generate a considerable chunk of money for its budget. Meters will bring the municipal bank account approximately $718,000 during fiscal year 2022-23, budget documents show.

There is no charge for parking Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The Enterprise-Record checked the downtown parking at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday and estimated between 85 and 90% of the spaces were occupied along Main Street and Broadway and on First, Second, Third and Fourth streets. East of Main Street, the rate dropped to about 70 to 75% — but still a significant number of users. These estimates do not count the cars parked in city lots, which are also metered.

Greg Scott, who operates the Diamond Hotel and Steakhouse at 220 W. Fourth St., is the DCBA president. He said the system should be easier but his issue is with how city officials introduced the change to kiosks in February.

"I’m not opposed" to the kiosks, Scott said. "I’m not thrilled with how it rolled out. I’m catching a lot of grief over it" from other business owners as well as from members of the public, "even though we (at the DCBA) had nothing to do with it."

"Lots of cities use this system, but I think a lack of familiarity has a lot of do with it," Scott said, referring to the source of users’ frustration. "We’ve had a couple of training sessions for the ambassadors to go out and be proactive and help. We’ve also printed postcards explaining to people how to use them."

Scott said people also have expressed irritation about the "convenience fee," as he called it, when using credit or debit cards — 35 cents per transaction. "It seems high to get charged 35 cents on top of 25 cents (the minimum charge possible) just to park," he said.

"I guess it's the rollout that was not very well thought-out," he said. "We at the DCBA found out literally a week before rollout" in February. "There was no time for preparation."

(Sorensen disputed that, pointing out an email from Deputy City Manager Jennifer Macarthy dated Dec. 22 that alerted Scott, DCBA events manager Lucia Mercado and DCBA Director Mason Penstein "the City will be sending out a press release to the general public alerting them of the transition to Smart Meters" after the first of the year.)

Scott pointed to another issue with the kiosks. "One of the issues, too, is the system will take coins, but it takes an extra step to open the door," he said, referring to the need to push a button to cause a tiny door to open inside the coin slot to allow the user to insert them.

Scott said the introduction of the system "has caused real turmoil" but he also recalled when the city raised parking rates several years ago. "That caused a real brouhaha," he said.

As DCBA president, Scott said he's working to organize a meeting with business owners to go over the problems and to listen to what they have to say.

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