Iowa State is looking to increase annual and academic parking fees to help pay for a pavement management plan for the maintenance of all lots and spaces. 

This proposal for university parking rates and violations was brought up in an Iowa Board of Regents meeting Feb. 28 and will be voted on in the April board meeting.

Mark Miller, senior parking manager, said permits tend to increase every year because of inflation. 

The parking division provides its information to the Transportation Advisory Committee. They give the Board of Regents a recommendation based on the parking division’s information to see if they will agree with it. 

The information provided contains a five-year plan and includes annual cost projections for the division. Alongside the five-year plan, they submit another yearly plan. 

“We also have a 30-year plan. That discusses where we are and what increases we think we need to cover those costs going forward,” Miller said.

Annual fee basis permits such as 24-hour reserved, reserved, vendor, general staff, departmental and motorcycle (staff) are all looking to be increased by an average of 2.9%. 

Academic year fee basis permits such as student, stadium or motorcycle (student) have an average proposed increase of 3%.

Combined, parking spaces on campus generated more than $4.86 million in fiscal year 2023, and after expenses reported, a net income of more than $2 million. 

The Memorial Union parking ramp reported a revenue of $780,962 in fiscal year 2023 and reported expenses of $154,782. 

All other parking areas on campus reported $4.08 million in revenues and $3.42 million in expenses. Of that revenue, $711,892 is from fines, the remaining is from fees. 

Elizabeth Noll, a junior in pre-interior design, gave her reaction to the proposed increase. 

“I already pay a boatload for parking, so this proposed increase will definitely stray me away from paying for parking next year,” Noll said.

According to Miller, additional revenue from the increased fees will be used to upgrade or maintain the physical condition of the lots and to upgrade existing equipment.

The parking division completed two expansions on the west side of campus in 2023. The two additions added 129 parking stalls. According to the parking proposal, parking demand is starting to level out. 

Compared to the two other regent institutions in Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Iowa, some proposed increases are lower at Iowa State. The University of Iowa had as high as a 20% increase, though according to regent documents, Iowa has not had increases approved since fiscal year 2016 and is eliminating some parking spaces. 

The Memorial Union parking ramp is seeing rates increase in this proposal. The ramp located next to the university's student-centered hub is seeing about a 3% proposed increase on average between all of their parking options. These options include Memorial Union employee, annual, fall, winter, spring and summer parking.

The proposed increase for annual permits for the Memorial Union parking ramp is $20, which would make the permits cost $680. The hourly rate does not have a proposed increase.  

According to the parking proposal, the university and the Memorial Union plan to perform a feasibility study to determine cost and overall replacement of the Memorial Union parking ramp. 

Miller spoke on the result of extra money from the increases. 

“All the money stays in parking. Whatever money left in the annual budget each year gets put into the capital projects account. We have around $9.5 million earmarked for major updates or new lots in the next five years,” Miller said.

The hourly meter parking rates that are offered all over campus have no currently proposed increase, nor do the operations of the commuter lot.

When it comes to citations and parking fines, students may be relieved to see that there will be no increase in fines. Their counterpart in Iowa City is experiencing an increase as high as 100% of their current fines.

Miller said they tend to only increase fines every few years to keep people compliant, and revenues decrease when fines go up.

“Parking is self-supporting and receives no state or tuition money,” Miller said.

According to Iowa code, revenues from parking systems must, “at a minimum, meet requirements of the bond covenants for outstanding parking bonds. Bond covenants require the Board and the institutions to keep facilities in good repair, working order and operating condition.”

Even though both the ISU Parking Division and the Memorial Union are coordinated, they have separate operations and fee structures.