Downtown Tulsa–dwellers are apparently tired of feeding meters or searching for a spot when they just need to unload groceries or get in and out of the house in under 30 minutes.
"The downtown resident population is obviously growing, and the ability for them to have quick access to parking spaces, the way we have decided to do that, at least in the short term, is to allow them to use what’s designated as commercial loading zones," said City Public Safety and Security Manager Mark Weston.
Officials propose offering a limited number of commercial loading zone permits for residents on a first come, first served basis. They’d need to provide proof of residence, like a utility bill or lease agreement, and the permits are not free.
"It’s $5 a month, but it’s for the year. So, it’s $60 a year, and it’s prorated," Weston said.
City Councilor Phil Lakin said he’s not against the idea, but he’s not sold on offering a limited number first come, first served.
"Meaning that if we continue to build out buildings that people can occupy that maybe it’s those who got there first who continue to renew, so it’s the people who are here now who always have the ability to unload," Lakin said.
Lakin said Tulsa should look at other cities to see how they handle the issue and come up with a similar solution for the long term.
The city council has yet to approve the idea.
