BELGRADE — Anyone who has tried to park downtown in Belgrade knows finding a spot can be a challenge. But the city says new parking could be coming soon.
VIDEO: Parking downtown Belgrade could soon get much easier. The city is planning a new 4-acre public lot — here's what we know about the project and timeline
Mia and Shay, tattoo artists at Loyal Sparrow on the corner of Main Street and Broadway, said the lack of parking can be a hassle.
“Is that ever an issue getting to work?” I asked.
“Yes. I would say for sure,” Shay said.
They said business is also impacted.
“Clients will get very irritated with the lack of parking near the shop,” Mia said.
Currently, parking options downtown are limited to street parking — much of it restricted to two-hour parking zones — and a free public lot with an estimated 115 spaces.
For employees working longer shifts, the time restrictions can create additional problems.
“Today, for example, there wasn’t any parking anywhere on the street except for two-hour parking,” Shay said. “I’ve already been here for two hours. I need to move my car.”
Mia said some visitors avoid the public lot because they do not want to walk far.
“People don’t want to walk sometimes, so they don’t want to park too terribly far,” she said.
Katharine King, Belgrade’s director of community and economic development, said the city is planning a new public parking lot.
“Somewhere around 4 acres,” King said. “We are hoping to lease from BNSF Railway and then put in a new public parking lot.”
King said the proposed lot would be located on BNSF Railway property, taking over the area currently occupied by the Belgrade Lounge once it is demolished. The lot would extend around New Day Bakery and toward Oregon Street.
King said the total number of parking spaces has not yet been determined.
“I don’t know the number just yet,” she said. “I know that it’s more and will be more efficient, safer and cleaner for the community.”
According to King, the project could improve safety by adding a fence near the railroad tracks, increasing handicap-accessible parking and potentially adding a new crosswalk near the library.
The plans are still in the early stages, and construction could begin by next summer, though the timeline depends heavily on BNSF Railway.
“From an economic standpoint, we are looking for opportunities to help people spend their time and their money here in Belgrade,” King said.
Downtown employees said they support the proposal.
“Any addition to parking in this area is going to be helpful,” Shay said.
“Yeah, I don’t see any downsides to it,” Mia added.
King also said the city is considering several proposed parking rule changes citywide.
The recommendations under consideration by the City Council include shortening notice requirements for special event street closures downtown from three days to 12 hours.
Another proposal would add a civil violation requirement for licensed and operable vehicles parked on public streets or alleys. Under the proposal, vehicles or trailers parked on public property would need to be legally registered, identifiable with a VIN and operable. Noncompliant vehicles left on the street for three days could receive a 48-hour tow notice, and moving the vehicle to another public street would not reset the notice period.
The city is also considering prohibiting parking in front of fire hydrants on private streets. The restriction already applies to public streets.
No official changes have been approved.
