Parking Plan Update – October 10, 2025

Due to a continued lack of implementation and oversight, the Taos Merchant Group has decided to suspend collaboration with the current Town administration on a community-informed parking initiative. We remain committed to constructive dialogue and look forward to re-engaging with the new administration in 2026 to develop a functional, fair, and user-friendly parking system for locals and visitors, alike.

Taos Merchant Group representatives Yvonne Swartz and Julie Lake attended the July 17th Parking Committee Meeting, where the Town announced its intent to adopt selected elements of the Hybrid Parking Plan.

According to the Town, many on-street areas will offer two-hour free parking, which reflects a key component of the Merchant Group’s proposal. However, several significant deviations from the Hybrid Plan were also stated:

The Plaza streets will be treated as a paid parking lot, rather than a free two-hour zone.
The first hour in public lots will not be free.
There will be no designated free employee parking.

The Merchant Group did not agree to these changes.

Town officials indicated that the new plan would roll out on August 4, including kiosk reactivation in parking lots and installation of on-street signage marking the two-hour zones.

As of October 10, 2025, very few of these commitments have been fulfilled. There is no visible signage indicating two-hour limits, no repainting of parking lines, no new loading zones, and businesses paying for employee permits are still receiving tickets. Kiosks in the lots also continue to malfunction.

Hybrid Parking Plan

What is the Hybrid Parking Plan?

Background

In 2023, with minimal public input and without engaging a consulting service, the Town of Taos purchased and implemented a new pay-to-park system. This included 15 payment kiosks and dozens of signs featuring large QR codes. This system was installed throughout the Downtown Historic District, both on-street and in most public lots. The rollout was poorly timed and poorly executed, frustrating locals, visitors, and merchants alike.

In response, long-time business owner Polly Raye circulated a petition calling for the removal of the kiosks and the replacement of the paid system with free, time-limited parking. The petition garnered over 2,400 signatures and widespread community support, but saw little traction with Town officials.

At that point, the Taos Merchant Group began organizing. We gathered feedback, reviewed the Town’s parking system contracts, and studied alternative parking models used in similar communities. We recognized the merits of Polly’s plan, but also understood that the Town had already invested over $200,000 in parking equipment that could not be returned, making full removal unlikely.

The Plan

That brings us to the Hybrid Parking Plan, which was first presented to the Town Council during a June 9th Workshop Meeting. This proposal introduces a clear distinction between on-street parking and parking lots, acknowledging that each serves different users and warrants different approaches to pricing, signage, and enforcement.

At its core, the Hybrid Parking Plan combines two distinct approaches:

Free, Time Limited On-Street Parking

Streets: Kit Carson Rd, Paseo del Norte, Civic Plaza Dr, Quesnel St, N S E Plaza, Cam de Santa Fe (S Plaza), Bent St.
2-hour maximum stay
No payment required
Enforced by a vehicle equipped with license plate recognition (LPR) technology
Designed for quick errands, shopping, dining, and locals stopping by for short visits
Reduces visual clutter by eliminating kiosks, QR codes, and payment signage from historic streetscapes

Paid Parking in Surrounding Lots

Lots: John Dunn, Guadalupe, Municipal, TCA Front, Couse, Loretto, El Pueblo
First hour free, $2 per hour after
Pay by kiosk, QR code, or text
Ideal for visitors planning to stay longer
Encourages use of lots over curbs, improving turnover on the street
Keeps kiosks and signage concentrated in areas where they are less visually disruptive

How Does This Plan Meet the Specific Needs of Our Community?

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For on-street spaces, we propose free parking with a strict 2-hour maximum. This would encourage regular turnover in these prime on-street locations. Payment kiosks would not be used, preserving the aesthetic continuity of the historic district. There would be no payment system interaction. You simply park and go about your business, returning to your car within the 2-hour limit. These on-street areas would be monitored byway of an electronic "chalking" system, utilizing the existing equipment in the Town's patrolling vehicle.

Our research shows this supports locals, who often have specific destinations for shopping, dining, appointments, or quick errands.

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The second component addresses the parking in the surrounding lots. In these locations, the pay-to-park system would be utilized. Visitors could choose to pay at a kiosk or use mobile payment options. They would pay for their estimated parking time, with the option of receiving notifications and the ability to extend their stay. The Taos Merchant Group advocates that the first hour in the lots also be free, reinforcing our commitment to making Taos a welcoming and accessible destination.

We believe this aligns with the needs of visitors and those wanting to leisurely explore the Taos Historic District.

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The Hybrid Parking Plan is a community-informed compromise. It aims to restore a sense of ease and welcome in the Historic District while preserving the Town’s ability to manage parking, recover its investment in the system and generate revenue for Historic District improvements.

Where We Are Now

At the June 9th workshop meeting, Mayor Maestas agreed to have at least one merchant representative on the Parking Committee, which has been comprised wholly of town officials.

We are pleased to have been invited to the next Parking Committee meeting on Thursday, July 17, where we hope to begin working collaboratively on implementing phase one of the Hybrid Parking Plan.

We will continue to speak during the Citizens Forums at the bi-weekly Town Council Meetings and continue to plan for implementation of the Hybrid Parking Plan.

In the Works

Items which need further research and assessment

Loading Zones

Most of our streets lack adequate loading/unloading zones.

ADA Access

Is our downtown accessible?

Signage

Clear and informative signage is key for any parking system to be effective. Signage design must also be complementary to the Historic District to maintain the aesthetic integrity of our downtown.