Healdsburg’s City Council is pushing for more use of downtown parklets by raising fees for business owners.
The Press Democrat reports during a city council meeting on Tuesday, new fees were approved for the parklet program, which allows businesses to extend their space into street parking.
The new charges, which take effect in January, include a $2,000 refundable deposit for each parklet, along with an additional $500 in permit and inspection fees. City leaders say their primary concern is the number of vacant parklets that sit empty, taking up valuable parking spots.
The new rules and fees will affect the 16 businesses that currently operate parklets downtown, which occupy a total of 40 parking spaces.