Since March 2006, Manitou Springs has been working toward a solution to its parking woes.  Part of living in a unique town built into the side of a mountain means that we do not have the physical space for a simple parking solution. The combination of tourism, hiking and residential needs also complicates matters. However, these issues do not change the necessity for a plan or the implementation of parking management. 

In April 2007, representatives from Carl Walker conducted a study of our town and created a parking management plan. This plan has been adopted by the Manitou Springs City Council and the Parking Authority Board. At this time, “adoption” simply means that another study will not be required in order to implement parking management in our community.

There is also another parking entity in Manitou Springs. In 1989, the Downtown businesses created the Metropolitan Parking District. They are the folks who have purchased or leased, maintained and charged for parking in the Wichita and Canon parking lots. The district boundaries run basically on both sides of Manitou Avenue from the Stagecoach Restaurant to Tubby’s Turn-Around, Canon and Park Avenues and up to 25 Ruxton Avenue. Funds to support parking needs within the District are raised through a property tax assessment on owners of real or personal property within the boundaries. The Metro Board meets the first Wednesday of every month at 4PM in Council Chambers. 

The Parking Authority Board is an advisory board to the City Council. It is our job to do the grunt work and present our results and suggestions to the Council. They have the final say in all things parking. The current parking board is made up of nine volunteer members of our community with terms varying from 1-3 years.

The PAB strongly encourages all residents and business owners and, yes, employees to come to our open, public meetings. Through June we will be meeting on Friday mornings, at 8AM in Council Chambers in City Hall on these dates: April 24, May 8 and 22, and June 5 and 19. Please come and join our discussions and hear first hand what we are talking and thinking about and let us hear from you with your ideas and suggestions. Our process is extremely open and everyone who comes to our meetings is encouraged, even prodded, to speak and offer their concerns.

Pending approval of our budget and plans by City Council, our proposals for the summer include updated parking enforcement in the Downtown Core, the Canon and Wichita parking lots, and the Barr Trail lot. It is the PAB’s recommendation to begin charging for parking in the Barr Trail lot and to look into solutions to the hiking, tourist and residential parking issues that currently exist on Ruxton Avenue. We expect to have a parking enforcement team made up of two full-time staff for the summer months, with the hope that we can keep at least one person on part-time through the remainder of the year. We are looking into city-wide solutions to our problems; which insures that this process will take time. We are working toward a one year plan for parking management which will most likely include a residential parking permit process. 

We are also in the process of conducting a survey of residential and commercial parking needs and uses. The easiest way to take the survey is to click on the link directly online.  Go to www.manitouspringsahead.com, click on press releases and open the document titled “Manitou Springs Parking Authority conducts field research for Parking Management Plan.” Once there, you can click on the commercial or residential survey. It’s is easy and only takes a couple of minutes.  If you do not have access to a computer, the Manitou Springs Library can help you get online or you may pick up a copy at the Chamber of Commerce or City Hall. Register to a win a $50 gift certificate (residential) or a parking pass (commercial). Your cooperation with this process is greatly appreciated. 

If you would like more detailed information about the Parking Authority Board, our meetings and the parking plan, you can attend our meetings, send emails to manthony@comsgov.com or check out the parking study at manitouspringsahead.com.  Our agenda is always posted five days before our next meeting. This is going to be an ongoing process and we are asking for the patience and support of the community. 

• Residential Parking Permit Ordinance
• Agendas & Minutes
• Mission and Bylaws

Board Members
Philip “Val” St.Cloud (At Large-12/09/2009)-Chair
Rachel Buller (EDC-12/09/2209)-Vice Chair
Jay Roher (At Large-12/09/2011)- Treasurer
Jonathan Bregman (URA-12/09/2009)
Joe Fabeck (At Large-12/09/2010)
Natalie Johnson (CofC-12/09/2011)
Lisa Quintana (BID-12/09/2010)
Spencer Wren (EDC-12/09/2011)
Neal Yowell (At Large-12/09/2010)