Eighteen payment kiosks were installed this month around the Old Towne core as part of downtown Orange’s parking meter program that will soon go into effect.
The city’s paid parking program will span two blocks out from the traffic circle and Plaza Square Park when it goes live in the first quarter of next year. Once implemented, visitors who park in the area anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. would need to pay parking fees ranging from $1.25 to $2 per hour, based on location. Payment can be made through an app or text-to-pay.
The program will have a mix of on-street and off-street parking, with time limits ranging, but capping at three hours.
(Courtesy of City of Orange)
But parking west of Lemon Street and east of Grand Street, including the Lemon Street parking structure, would remain free.
No-fee parking permits will be issued to those who visit the Orange Senior Center and visitors of the Orange Public Library. And the City Council in October approved a residential permit program within the paid parking area that will be exempt from the time limits.
“For downtown businesses and employees who need parking, the city is urging them to utilize the more than 1,000 free parking spaces available in the plaza area,” city spokesperson Charlene Cheng added.
But if people want to park closer to where they work, businesses may be eligible for $50-a-month parking permits to park in otherwise metered spots.
The parking program is set to go into effect in early 2026.
The City Council voted in February to implement the paid parking program amid a general fund budget deficit of $19 million. A staff report to councilmembers said the city could eventually expect to make $1.2 million annually from the parking plan.
After a series of staff and steep spending cuts, the council slashed its deficit to about $2.6 million this fiscal year.