City Council unanimously approved ordinances on second reading last week that will dissolve the Parking Authority and fold parking services into a Parking Utility within City Hall by the end of this year.

The governing body introduced the measures in September and approved them after a public hearing during a combined pre-conference and regular meeting on Nov. 19. One ordinance (O-19-18) will dissolve the Parking Authority and another will refinance the Parking Authority $3.6 million in debt (O-20-18).

The ordinance will go into effect 20 days after the vote, which would be Dec. 17. City Administrator Cherron Rountree said she anticipates an official dissolution to take effect on Dec. 31 following the current transition phase.

“As a key step in the transition, the city will conduct a thorough study of parking throughout downtown and surrounding areas to develop a comprehensive plan to best utilize all of the city’s parking resources,” Rountree said. The study is expected to take several months and will “provide a clear outline of immediate, short-term and long-term next steps for the Parking Utility,” she said.

During a meeting of the Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday, Rountree briefed commissioners on the status of the dissolution since parking is very closely related to redevelopment, she said. She does not anticipate any changes to parking fees and expects a “seamless” transition for commuters and others who use parking services in the city.

The dissolution of the Parking Authority also required approval from the state’s Local Finance Board, which had it on its agenda during its Oct. 10 meeting.

The Parking Authority, which was created in 1954, is an autonomous agency overseen by a five-member board of parking commissioners who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by City Council. The authority manages the 524-space parking deck on Lewis Street, on-street parking meters, and another 473 parking spaces in various lots and spaces throughout the city.

The 2018 Parking Authority budget anticipates $1.382 million in operating expenses and $1.731 million in revenue, and has run a surplus for eight consecutive years.