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City parking ramps’ plan needs to be fair to everyone

Some business owners in downtown Minot are concerned the Minot City Council has voted to offer free parking in the Renaissance ramp when city employees move into the nearby new city hall in April.

Those who park in the other downtown ramp, the Central ramp, will continue to pay for their parking there.

All this is not sitting well with downtown business owners who are concerned that one ramp will be free and the other ramp will have a charge for parking. Although downtown business owners say they are happy the city employees are moving to downtown, one owner pointed out both ramps should have free parking.

The Renaissance ramp also will no longer have guaranteed parking, which is an advantage associated with rented parking spaces. Guaranteed ramp parking is important to many people, particularly businesses that need places for employees to park.

One downtown business owner also would like the city to allow businesses to purchase passes to give to customers so they can use the ramps at no charge. Presently, an hourly $1.50 hourly charge kicks in after the first hour of free parking.

If one of the ramps is free, a business owner also pointed out, there won’t be funds collected for maintenance, and that cost will likely fall on the taxpayers.

This is an issue we know the city leaders will want to figure out as soon as possible. We hope they can find an answer to the situation that is satisfactory for the downtown business people, their customers and the city employees. It should be a solution that is fair to all.

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