Woodstock City Council approves paid parking plan for downtown

WOODSTOCK, Ga. - The Woodstock City Council has approved a final resolution to implement a managed parking district in the downtown area, establishing time-enforced and paid parking zones as part of an effort to improve turnover and access to high-demand spaces.

What we know:

The new plan follows years of study and input from local business owners who sought solutions to prevent long-term parking in prime downtown spots. City officials said the changes are intended to create more frequent turnover in spaces closest to businesses, making downtown more accessible and easing traffic congestion.

Under the plan, approximately 300 spaces—or about 15% of the nearly 2,000 public spaces in the district—will be designated as time-limited and enforced. A contract was awarded in January to Pivot Parking, a firm specializing in municipal parking programs, to implement and manage the system.

What they're saying:

The newly approved policy includes a "first hour free" structure in paid zones, with a rate of $2 per hour for the second and third hours. Paid parking will be enforced from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Revenue generated from these zones will go into a dedicated parking enterprise fund to cover enforcement, maintenance, and future expansion.

The city has also expanded its free parking options, including improvements to the City Center surface lot and the recent opening of the City Center East Parking Deck, which together offer nearly 1,700 free and accessible spaces.