We, the residents, workers, and supporters of Salt Lake City, are deeply frustrated and concerned about the city’s recent changes to downtown parking. These updates significantly increase the cost and restrictiveness of visiting downtown—and were implemented despite strong objection from community members and local business owners.

What’s changing July 1st:
HOURLY RATE: The rate at city meters is increasing from $2.25 to $3.50—a massive 55% price hike.
SATURDAY METERED PARKING: Free parking on Saturdays is being eliminated.
HOURS OF METERED PARKING: Meter enforcement is being extended to 10:00 PM, Monday through Saturday (previously ended at 8:00 PM).

City officials claim these changes are based on “studies,” yet no data or citations have been publicly provided. This lack of transparency is unacceptable—especially for policies that affect thousands of Salt Lake City residents, small businesses, and visitors. With these changes, SLC’s parking will be more expensive and more restrictive than in many comparable U.S. cities (we are not L.A. no Seattle!).

These new policies will discourage people from visiting downtown—ESPECIALLY Salt Lake City proper residents, harming the very local businesses that keep our city vibrant. Increased rates, longer enforcement hours, and the removal of free weekend parking make downtown economically inaccessible or unattractive for many—and especially for city locals who live nearby but not within walking distance.

And public transit is not a sufficient replacement. It is overpriced, infrequent, inconvenient, and often feels unsafe—especially at night. For many in our community, it’s not a viable alternative. Bike lines to downtown (especially from the west side), do not feel safe either. 

We are calling on Salt Lake City leadership to:

1. Restore free 2-hour Saturday parking
2. End metered enforcement after 8:00 PM (keep as-is)
3. Reduce the rate increase to something more reasonable
4. Consider a local SLC resident's discount on parking to keep access reasonable to local returning customers
5. Publicly release the data or studies used to justify these changes

Downtown Salt Lake City should be accessible, affordable, and welcoming to everyone—not just those who can afford to pay to enter or those who occasionally stop in for big events. Policies for the city should consider the actual residents and business owners of the city. We don't want to be just an "event city". Help us demand transparency, fairness, and smart policy. Please sign and share this petition.