The City of Santa Barbara is exploring a significant upgrade to its downtown parking operations with a proposed ordinance amendment allowing the use of new parking payment technologies.
If approved, the change would eliminate the traditional kiosk-based ticket system at parking lot exits and introduce a pay-on-foot system, enabling drivers to pay for parking at self-service kiosks before returning to their vehicles.
The proposed ordinance amendment is aimed at improving efficiency and modernizing parking operations. The current municipal code requires drivers to pay parking fees before exiting via an attendant or through mail—a system that city staff says is outdated and prone to abuse. Some drivers who promised to send payment after leaving a lot under the current system reportedly failed to follow through. The new ordinance language would provide flexibility for Santa Barbara to adopt modern payment systems and enforcement measures…