Seelbach: No more free spots for valet companies

Question: New parking rates went into effect in Downtown Cincinnati at the start of 2015. Will they still be offering those free red valet meter bags or will they now charge for their use. We used to be able to park on the street but now must either find a garage or use a valet. Why not leave the meters for making much needed revenues?

Tino D. Thomas, White Oak

Answer: Cincinnati has never charged valet companies for the public spaces they use, but now that meter hours run until 9 p.m. Downtown and in Over-the-Rhine, city officials are working with the valet companies to cover meter costs.

For now though – even though meter hours have increased for taxpayers and the spaces are taxpayer owned – the spots remain free for valet companies.

Thomas asked this same question last May. But in the wake of several stories about the city increasing the hours meters in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, several readers asked similar questions.

After being asked about the lax oversight, City Councilman Chris Seelbach is calling for "common-sense" regulations.

"It's frustrating that we are allowing a public asset to be used for a private, for-profit use at the expense of city taxpayers," Seelbach said. "I support Columbus' common-sense approach to better manage valets in Downtown and OTR."

Not charging valet companies dates back to a time when few people were coming Downtown, an era that has passed.

The bags being referred to as valet bags are issued by the city for special events, construction activities and valet services.

Valet operators are issued annual permits; their parking zones are typically four spaces in front of a restaurant or other venue used for vehicle drop-off.

The municipal code specifies valet operators must pay for parking meters in valet zones.

The city has 20 permanent zones, roughly comprising four spaces, according to City of Cincinnati spokesman Rocky Merz. There is no official count, but city officials estimate they issued an additional 30 temporary permits – either for one night or multiple nights – in 2014.

A check of Columbus, Cleveland and Indianapolis valet regulations show all have permitting fees. The latter charges $2,500 for an annual valet parking program license, according to the city's Website.

Columbus charges $200 for the permit; $50 to renew it. But it goes a step further. It charges for signs, bags and even cones.

A look at the math:

Right now, Cincinnati charges valet operators nothing.

If the city charges valet companies the same amount the meters would have generated, the city would conservatively reap $72 per zone, per three-day weekend. (Some valet companies use the spaces all week.)

Under Columbus' rules, for the first six months, a valet zone would cost $1,032.

Under Indianapolis rules, it's simple, the city would charge the $2,500.