Vail Town Council to review parking rates, policies for 2020-21 ski season

The Town of Vail put out the following press release on its review of parking rates and policies for the upcoming 2020-21 ski season:

Vail’s winter parking rates and associated policies for the 2020-2021 season will be presented for review by the Town Council at its evening meeting Tuesday, Oct. 6. The action item is listed as 5.1 on the meeting agenda which begins at 6 p.m. in the Vail Town Council Chambers with opportunities for public comment.

Tuesday’s discussion will focus on recommendations forwarded by the Vail Parking & Transportation Task Force which has suggested a continuation of policies and rates implemented during the previous season which will include up to two hours of free parking in the structures, plus free parking upon entry after 3 p.m.

The recommended hourly fee structure for 2020-2021 is:

• Free for 0 to 2 hours
• $10 for 2 to 3 hours
• $20 for 3 to 4 hours|
• $30 for 4 to 15 hours
• $50 for 15 to 24 hours

In its review of discounted parking passes, the Task Force is recommending no additional changes in passes or pricing following adjustments two seasons ago with the exception of a recommendation to eliminate the Green Pass. The 2020-2021 pricing recommendations are:

• Pink Pass, $200. Good for parking at Ford Park and the soccer field for employees of eligible Vail business license holders.
• Red Pass, $450. For employees of eligible Vail business license holders, good for parking in the Red Sandstone garage 7 days a week. Also good for access to Ford Park and soccer field lots from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Available to Vail Village or Lionshead-based Vail business license holders’ employees working a minimum of 30 hours per week. Proof of employment is required. Parking spaces are serviced by the existing transportation system. See pink pass description for parking restrictions at Ford Park and soccer field.
• Blue Pass, $1,250. Good daily at Lionshead parking structure and Monday through Thursday during non-peak times in Vail Village structure for Vail property owners, residents and employees.
• Silver Pass, $2,000. One pass per business. Goof for qualifying Vail Village and Lionshead businesses only.
• Gold Pass, $3,300. Guaranteed parking anytime in Vail Village and Lionshead structures.

Council will be asked to consider a recommendation to eliminate the Green Pass which had been sold for $625 last season and was sold mostly to employees working on the Vail Health campus or Lionshead Village area employees for use Monday through Thursday during non-peak times at the Lionshead parking structure and peak days at Ford Park and soccer field for employees of eligible Vail business license holders. A recommendation to discontinue the Green Pass is due to completion of the Vail Health parking structure and availability of the Red Sandstone Parking garage.

Recommended value card pricing is unchanged from last season with discounts of up to 50 percent off the hourly rate during non-peak times and 20 percent off during peak times for Vail property owners, residents and employees. The discounts would be 40 percent off and 12 percent off for qualifying Eagle County residents. In addition to access to the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures, Value card holders would be eligible to use the Red Sandstone Parking garage throughout the season at discounted rates.

To review a staff memo summarizing the Task Force recommendations for the winter season, click here. To comment in advance of Tuesday’s discussion, email publicinput.vailtowncouncil@vailgov.com.

Paid parking in the Vail Village and Lionshead structures will coincide with the start of Vail Mountain’s 2020-2021 ski and snowboard season which is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20. The town will begin selling parking passes on Oct. 26 from the parking sales office located on the lower level of the Municipal Building. As an incentive for early purchases, one free parking voucher will be given to the first 500 purchasers.

For a listing of rates from last season, visit www.vailgov.com/parking.