St. Charles seeks feedback from residents for downtown parking study

The community is invited to attend an open house to provide feedback on downtown parking in St. Charles, according to a news release.

The Open House is from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 2 East Main St.

In June 2023, the St. Charles City Council approved a contract to conduct a comprehensive Downtown Parking Study to provide valuable insights and data on the current downtown parking environment, as well as to recommend initiatives that will enhance the overall parking experience in the area. This is a significant step by the St. Charles City Council to improve the downtown parking experience for all visitors, according to the release.

For those unable to attend the open house, there will be additional opportunities to provide feedback about parking in downtown St. Charles. The city will release more information on those opportunities in the future. There also is an online downtown parking survey available on the city’s website at https://www.stcharlesil.gov/projects/downtown-parking-study.

The city has enlisted Desman, a firm specializing in parking consulting, design, planning and restoration. Desman has already begun their analysis by evaluating the existing inventory and data, assessing current conditions and conducting peak occupancy surveys. Desman will be partnering with the city to conduct a series of public engagement opportunities for the residents and downtown businesses, according to the release.

Questions about the study can be addressed to Derek Conley, economic development director, at dconley@stcharlesil.gov.