The City of Oakdale is taking important steps to address parking challenges in the downtown area, as presented by Dixon Resources Unlimited during the recent Monday, Oct. 7 City Council meeting.
With the completion of Phase I of the Parking Study and Action Plan, the council has approved funding for Phase II, which will focus on creating a long-term strategy to improve parking efficiency and convenience for residents, business owners, and visitors.
Community Involvement in Phase I
Phase I of the study saw a strong response from the Oakdale community, with a digital survey drawing more than 1,300 participants across various groups, including residents, downtown employees, and business owners. This survey provided valuable insights into parking habits and concerns, highlighting that 78 percent of Oakdale residents are not in favor of a residential parking permit program, while a majority of downtown employees and business owners called for extended parking time limits beyond the current two-hour restriction.
The survey results also revealed that the average occupancy rate of downtown parking was 45 percent, with peak times reaching up to 52 percent on Tuesdays at noon. Despite this moderate occupancy level, some areas – such as First, Second, and Third avenues between E and F streets – reported peak occupancy rates exceeding 85 percent, indicating a need for more effective parking management.
Julie Dixon, from Dixon Resources Unlimited said about the process, “We all drive cars. We’re all parking experts. The reality about trying to figure out the solution for what’s going to work in Oakdale is that it’s really important we be collaborative and look at this holistically, because everybody has priorities of what works for them.”
Phase II: What’s Next?
To build on these findings, Phase II will include the preparation of a comprehensive Parking Action Plan, updates to municipal codes, and financial modeling to assess parking technology options. The City Council approved funding of $30,400 for Phase II, with an additional $2,700 for data collection, bringing the total to $33,100, to better understand parking trends during the busy holiday season.
The next steps also involve developing an updated parking ordinance that aligns with best practices, and evaluating potential solutions to improve parking access and ease for everyone who visits or works downtown. The timeline for Phase II projects the completion of a draft plan in early January 2025, with a final presentation to the City Council by February 2025.
Why This Matters
The study’s findings underscore the importance of balancing the needs of different groups using Oakdale’s downtown area. Residents have voiced concerns about parking congestion during the evenings, while businesses want increased parking time limits for their customers. By involving the community at every stage of the process, the city aims to create a parking solution that works for everyone.
Oakdale City Mayor Cherilyn Bairos said, “I think the biggest thing that we have to say here is we’ve listened to the concerns as a city, as the city council, and thank you to our city manager … we have spent a lot of time and workshops for the downtown parking because everybody can say we have a downtown parking issue, unless you’re a business owner, then you’ll say, well, people are shopping in our stores, but we still have an issue.”
For more information or to provide comments on the ongoing Parking Action Plan, reach out to Oakdale@DixonResourcesUnlimited.com.
Stay Informed
Stay tuned for further updates as the city works toward implementing meaningful improvements in downtown parking. Community involvement remains a priority, officials said, and the city looks forward to presenting the final action plan early next year.
To contact City Hall to offer comments or concerns about the downtown parking area, call (209) 845-3571.
