PBIA Advisory Board Meeting Summary – July 27, 2026

The PBIA (Parking and Business Improvement Area) Advisory Board met on July 27, 2026, at 11:37 a.m. The meeting covered board nominations, the second phase of the Downtown Business Improvement (DBI) project, and a parking services update. Key decisions included forming a leadership group for the DBI project and setting a timeline for board elections.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the agenda and the minutes of the June 3, 2026 meeting unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made.

Discussion Items

Board Nomination Discussion (Item 6A)

• Four board seats are open. Nominations received: Monique, Sophie (pending contact), and one additional candidate needed. Potential nominees discussed include Alana Carr (Catherine Little/Compass Rose), Tanner (neighbor of a board member), and Luis (owner of Exile tattoo shop, Capital Tavern, and a barbershop). The board will proceed with elections in July, with voting to seat new members in August. A quorum is required for the August meeting.

DBI Phase Two Discussion (Item 6B)

• Michael Kate from the Economic Development Council (EDC) presented the next steps for the DBI phase two project, which aims to restructure the PBIA ratepayer system. He proposed forming a leadership group of 10 members (including two from the board) to guide the project, create feedback loops, and conduct outreach to the business community. Board members Anne and Jacob volunteered to serve on the leadership group.
• Discussion on potential leadership group members included: Olympia Federal Savings, Todd Monhand (Economic Development District board), Ember Coffee, Daniel (downtown resident/planning commission member), Melissa (former board member, Broco), and others. Emphasis was placed on including ratepayers, diverse business types, and residential perspectives.
• Outreach timing and methods were debated: Mondays/Tuesdays and early afternoons were suggested as best for contacting businesses. The board stressed the value of face-to-face engagement and building trust before surveys. The EDC will develop a participation matrix to identify gaps and will coordinate with the ODA (Olympia Downtown Association) for communication.

Parking Services Update

• Gustavo (supervisor) and Chelsea (program specialist) from Parking Services provided an update on recent changes:
  • The city dissolved its municipal court and moved to Thurston County District Court for parking citations, causing a loss of online payment capability (expected to be restored in 2027 after a court software update).
  • Old single-space meters are being replaced with kiosks due to parts unavailability; some meter bases were removed after customer confusion.
  • The free 15-minute parking option is being phased out because meter manufacturers no longer support it. Instead, the city is exploring a pay-by-phone validation program where businesses can subsidize customer parking, but transaction fees (estimated $30,000/year for core downtown) are a barrier.
  • New 15-minute curbside pickup zones (with hazard lights required) will replace existing 15-minute meters; board members expressed concern that the term “curbside pickup” may confuse customers and suggested clearer signage.
• Board members emphasized the lack of communication from the city to businesses about parking changes. Parking Services committed to improving communication, including using the PBIA newsletter and email updates. They also noted that the city is reviewing advisory body structures and may not rely on PBIA for future policy input, but will continue to share information.

Key Outcomes

• The board approved the formation of a DBI leadership group with Anne and Jacob as board representatives. The EDC will create a participation matrix and begin outreach to potential members.
• Parking Services will provide the board with a summary of recent changes and establish a regular communication channel (email and newsletter) for updates.
• Board elections timeline: nomination ballots to be sent out in July, voting in August, and new members seated at the August meeting. A quorum is required for the August meeting.
• The board noted that the sales tax rate increased to 10% effective July 27, 2026, and reminded members to update their point-of-sale systems.