Downtown Independence is a relatively small area that has seen significant growth over the last few years (thanks in part to the Independence Landing development along the Willamette River). The City of Independence has seen 160 apartment units built along the river downtown, and additional sites remain available for development. In the construction of new apartments, however, several community residents felt that a lack of foresight was used for parking, and that downtown now lacks available spaces.

Given these factors, the City of Independence solicited a Transportation and Growth Management grant to help study the parking situation, offer an opportunity to have a community conversation about parking in downtown, and determine how best to navigate the inherent tension between a compact/walkable area and the provision of parking.

The concept of the downtown parking project grew out of the Vision 2040 plan and the
Independence Transportation System Plan which both identified the project as a necessary key step to prepare for the continued development of downtown.

In the Vision 2040 plan, both “Expanded Downtown Revitalization & Beautification” and “Downtown Parking Management Plan” were identified as “Game Changer” activities. Community comments also focused on downtown parking in the update to the Independence Transportation System Plan and, as a result, “Downtown Parking Strategy” was identified as a “High Priority Project” in the plan.

In receiving the Transportation and Growth Management Grant, the city and their consultant for the project, Toole Design, attempted to understand the existing parking conditions in downtown, as well as a strategy to provide spaces. Through the work, the consultant conducted a detailed analysis of existing parking, and talked to numerous stakeholders including area visitors, businesses, and residents about their perceptions of parking.

From the analysis, the consultant team found that the City of Independence had a sufficient supply of parking, but that some streets consistently had few spots available. The analysis also found that the city had limited special-use parking, such as handicapped stalls and short-term visitor spaces, where an individual could park briefly to pick up a to-go order or take a dog to the vet.

Additionally, the analysis found that parking standards and other miscellaneous requirements in the Independence Development Code made it difficult to construct new projects downtown, especially on smaller lots. If a development could be feasible, the amount of land needed for parking would be significant

This project is focused on the area near downtown Independence, roughly bounded by A Street to G Street, and from S. 3^rd Street to the Willamette River.