Pay parking in West Seattle?

More than a decade ago, West Seattle successfully fought to get its parking meters removed. Now the neighborhood, with its history of wanting to be left alone, is worried that its days of free parking are coming to an end.

For more than a year, the city's transportation department has been reviewing the West Seattle Junction for new restricted-parking zones, time limits and even pay stations — the most dreaded option of all, some residents say.

Results from the parking study came in this month, and recommendations are expected this fall.

"I just have the funny feeling that we're getting parking meters no matter what the results of the survey are, or the input from the community," said Susan Melrose, director of the West Seattle Junction Association.

The city's solar-powered pay stations aren't cheap — about $9,900 each, a hefty price compared with the $150 the city spends on simple parking signs. But the new machines and higher parking rates — up to $2.50 an hour — are becoming a significant revenue source for the city. Last year, it took in $19 million in fees from pay stations and coin-operated meters; this year, the city expects $25 million, said Richard Sheridan, spokesman for the transportation department.

That's on top of the more than $17 million it got from parking tickets last year.

Some West Seattle residents near the junction would support a new restricted-parking zone to stop visitors from abusing residential parking — but not pay stations, Melrose said. Transportation officials insist they'll only add parking regulations that the community wants and needs.

After getting rid of its meters about the only parking restriction in the junction is the two-hour time limit. "We felt the impact in a very positive way when they removed them," said Eduardo Morales, owner of Puerto Vallarta, a Mexican restaurant on California Avenue.

Business increased once customers realized they could park for free, he said. For that reason, the idea of reinstalling paid parking scares West Seattle business owners. "We are nervous," Morales said.

So far, West Seattle has managed to stay off the city's growing list of pay-station neighborhoods. Almost 2,100 pay stations have been installed in about 20 different neighborhoods throughout the city, said Sheridan.

Next on the list is the Pike/Pine neighborhood, which is getting pay stations this month along several blocks south of Pine Street and west of 13th Avenue. Parts of Capitol Hill and First Hill are also under review.

Residents of Pike/Pine said transportation officials worked closely with the community during the parking study.

"By and large I think they've been as careful and cautious and listened as much as they could," said Chip Wall, chair of the Pike/Pine Urban Neighborhood Council.

Parking studies are usually conducted in areas where businesses and residents repeatedly express concerns or complain about parking difficulties, Sheridan said. The transportation department considers three things: utilization, compliance and community feedback.

If parking spaces along a certain street or block are more than 75 percent full most of the time, transportation officials consider how well people are following existing parking rules.

Then, after several walking tours with interested residents, they propose regulations they think might benefit the area. Residents and business owners can then voice their opinions on that proposal, which is implemented after both sides are satisfied.

But some say the community engagement is meaningless. Fremont, which got pay stations in February, fought "tooth and nail" to keep pay stations out of the neighborhood, said Jessica Vets, director of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.

"Someone at the top determined Fremont is getting pay stations, period," Vets said. "And it really didn't matter what we said — it was a foregone conclusion."

As far as she knows, nobody ever asked for pay stations in Fremont. Although some residents wanted a new restricted-parking zone, the pay-station idea was the transportation department's — not theirs, said Vets. Transportation officials said pay stations would increase parking turnover, but community members insisted they would drive people from the area. "We never could see eye-to-eye on that," Vets said.

The neighborhood's resistance included a petition with a couple thousand signatures, she said. Although they failed to keep pay stations out of Fremont, they managed to reduce by hundreds the number of parking spaces designated for pay stations.

Vets said she thinks pay stations aren't always about improving parking for community members — they're about raising money for the city.

Free parking is one of the core values of the West Seattle neighborhood, residents say. In the '50s, merchants in the neighborhood pooled together money to build four free parking lots, which have served the area ever since.

"Parking meters would throw a wrench in that vibe," Melrose said. She added: "This is not the time to be making it harder for small businesses."

And while West Seattle won't necessarily get pay stations, according to city officials, residents say they're afraid it will happen. Some community members have noticed growing parking difficulties in the neighborhood because of several new condominium complexes, but they said they're not sure pay stations are the right solution.

Melrose said she thinks the transportation department has carefully listened to what the community wants, but she's worried that what happened in Fremont may happen in West Seattle.

"I have been satisfied with the ability to provide input, and the feeling that it's very much an inclusive process," Melrose said. "But nobody's saying we want pay stations, and if we get them I'm going to feel very disenfranchised."

Jean Guerrero: 206-464-2311 or jguerrero@seattletimes.com