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Developer David Emami frequently receives calls from parties interested in occupying his new, 26,000-square-foot building set to open in downtown Tualatin by midsummer. But he refuses to agree to lease deals with prospective tenants.

Emami is protesting what he calls broken promises the city of Tualatin made to him and other property owners concerning the amount of parking it was supposed to provide in downtown. The city responded by commissioning a parking study, but Emami believes the issue will likely end in a legal battle.

鈥淲e have not advertised the building because we want a solution,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nlike the city, our policy to our tenants is that we don’t promise things we can’t guarantee.鈥�

Under city code, Emami needs about 75 parking spots to accommodate his building. He provided 65 in a parking structure on the building’s site, and paid approximately $45,500 to the city through its buy-down program to meet requirements. But even though the money was earmarked to provide new parking, Emami said not enough spots are being added.

According to Alice Rouyer, Tualatin’s community development director, the major problem is that the buy-down program is more than 30 years old and doesn’t accurately reflect the cost to provide parking. While the city typically charges $3,500 per space, but Rouyer said it actually costs about $5,500 to provide one 鈥� and that doesn’t take into account the cost to acquire land.

That is one of many reasons the city decided to commission a study on its parking situation.

The initial results of the study 鈥� which were presented to the group that oversees parking in downtown, the Core Area Parking District Board, on Tuesday 鈥� found that sufficient parking exists to meet city code. But Rouyer noted that not all parking spaces are being used.

鈥淲e’re only about 61 percent occupied between the peak hours of (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.),鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut the issue is that some spots are continuously occupied while others are continuously vacant.鈥�

Emami believes the numbers are askew. He said the occupancy rate takes into account private parking spaces not open to public use.

鈥淭he city hired the consultant to hide the real problem and I question its accuracy,鈥� he said.

Rick Williams, the consultant hired to conduct the analysis, said it’s too early to draw any conclusions. The real conversation will start June 13, when initial findings are presented to the City Council, he said.

鈥淭his task was structured to make sure that the parking board and City Council have a clear and simple reference point on rules, requirements and trends that have brought the existing supply of parking to this point in time,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淲e wanted to be sure we have an accurate basis of understanding among the various stakeholders before we launch into solutions and strategies or changes.鈥�

Rouyer said there could be some urban renewal money for the parking issue but that is a decision the city council would have to make.

Emami agreed that it could be a solution.

鈥淭he money they have from urban renewal is going towards building statues and nonsense like that,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t should be used for parking and economic development like it was supposed to.鈥�

Emami added that he has contacted a lawyer for legal advice; however, he does not plan to act until the city makes a decision.

鈥淚 just don’t see this being resolved in a friendly manner,鈥� he said.