Mercer Island City Council Advances New Parking Enforcement System

The Mercer Island City Council convened on March 4, 2025, to discuss a new parking enforcement system aimed at managing the anticipated increase in parking demand with the opening of the Light Rail station later this year. City Manager Jessie Vaughn and management analyst Amelia Chaitan presented a proposal that includes mobile application technology and Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) to enhance parking management in the Town Center. The proposed system would allow for two hours of free parking, with extensions available at a rate of $2. 50 per hour, which city staff noted is competitive within the region. Council members expressed concerns about the proposed enforcement hours from 8 a.

m. to 10 p. m. and the potential need for seven-day enforcement to accommodate local events. Vaughn highlighted the goal of promoting turnover to benefit local businesses.

The council did not take a formal vote during this meeting but plans to reconvene to finalize the regulations and address implementation timelines. A comprehensive outreach campaign will follow to inform residents and businesses about the changes.