# City Council Study Session September 8th, 2026

Ellensburg City Council study session, September 8, 2026 (the meeting metadata lists September 9): Arts and Economic Development Manager Kelly Vandenberg presented findings from the city’s parking committee, including a 2025 survey with more than 700 responses and parking counts from 2022, 2023, and 2025. The analysis found peak use around weekday lunch and Saturday midday, with the highest reported occupancy at 74%, and concluded that demand is concentrated in a few downtown blocks while parking remains available elsewhere. Prior improvements included converting motorcycle and bicycle spaces to add four vehicle spaces and a 2024–25 parking-lot exchange with Hotel Windrow that added 15 spaces.

The committee reviewed parking garages and smart-parking technologies but made no procurement recommendation or request for a purchase. Discussion cited sensor costs of about $200–$400 per stall, excluding installation, and annual camera-system costs of roughly $5,000–$20,000; a council member also referred to a $10 million garage as a hypothetical, while a separate $800,000–$1.5 million figure was mentioned for smart-parking options. The presentation favored lower-cost, incremental measures—such as improving parking information, reviewing time limits and turnover, and pursuing shared-parking opportunities—over major infrastructure, given cost, location, and utilization concerns. No vote, contract award, or spending authorization was reported.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** September 09, 2026

### Sources
- [City Council Study Session September 8th, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o_YvTy8PT0) - ECTV Ellensburg