Paso Robles group submits 2,300 signatures for a vote on city’s paid parking ordinance

A Paso Robles citizens group says it has gathered enough signatures for a ballot initiative that would require voters to approve the city’s ordinance charging for parking downtown.

The group For a Better Paso Robles has collected more than 2,300 signatures to support the local referendum, which is expected to be on the ballot in November, according to the group’s website.

The current ordinance was set to go into effect on April 5 and would allow the city to charge $1 an hour — and potentially up to $5 an hour — for parking in some areas of downtown Paso Robles. Paid parking is currently paused amid the dispute.

“As we’ve heard from hundreds of people in this room, paid parking is not popular,” John Roush, owner of Park Cinemas and member of the citizens group, told the City Council during the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting. Roush also urged the council to extend the current pause on the ordinance until the “sufficiency of the referendum is verified.”

Roush also claimed that since the ordinance was suspended on March 5, downtown businesses have seen more traffic, which means more sales tax revenue for the city.

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The City Council now has 30 days from April 2 to certify the signatures submitted for the referendum, after which the city can choose to repeal the ordinance, add the referendum to the November ballot or call a special election, according to Dave Nelson, another proponent of the referendum who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting.

“(We received) more than 2,400 signatures. That’s more than what three of the current council members received in their last election,” Nelson said. “Two of you voted for paid parking. Two of you are up for re-election in November. I personally frankly wouldn’t expect you to hold your seats.”