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When Portland city staffers recently presented a new parking plan to business and property owners in the Central Eastside Industrial District, the mere mention of parking meters immediately caused division.

But during spirited debate of whether parking meters are a good fit in the area, one glaring need emerged: better district control of parking management.

The city recommended creation of a transportation management association that would govern the area’s parking permit program as well as help decide transportation issues. Similar associations have succeeded in the Lloyd District and on Swan Island, and Central Eastside stakeholders believe one could kick-start business revitalization and new development.

鈥淎 (transportation management association) connects businesses, creates a unified voice and allows self-governance,鈥� said Rick Williams, executive director of the Lloyd District TMA and a consultant who helped develop the parking plan. 鈥淚t’s what’s going to hold this plan, or any other plan, together.鈥�

The city developed the parking plan for a number of reasons, but in part to generate ongoing funding 鈥� through parking meters 鈥� for the planned streetcar expansion into the district, said Bill Hoffman, a project manager with the Portland Bureau of Transportation. But the Central Eastside Industrial Council also expressed concerns that the existing parking system is outdated, and people are parking in the district and commuting downtown.

鈥淲hen we started this we learned the district has two problems,鈥� Hoffman said. 鈥淥ne is the parking, which is good news because we can help. But the second is with the city of Portland, which is bad news for us.鈥�

However, Hoffman said the TMA could help solve both problems.

The TMA would most likely start as an extension of the CEIC, along with other stakeholders and public citizens. The TMA would control the parking permit program for employees in the district. Parking permits presently cost $45 and are available to 75 percent of employees in the district.

The TMA would be able to change how many people could obtain permits and where they could park, and even charge an additional fee to help pay for the program. The TMA also would be allowed to change parking hours to better match needs of employees in buildings nearby.

鈥淥ver time the system has morphed; there’s no correlation between time limit and the land use associated with the nearby building,鈥� Hoffman said. 鈥淲ith the TMA you’d be able to change this and more effectively manage it.鈥�

Beyond those basic functions, the TMA’s direction would be up to its members.

The Lloyd District TMA, for example, has grown exponentially during its 17 years. It now has five staffers and an annual budget greater than $500,000. The TMA is involved in almost every decision in the Lloyd District, and was credited with launching the area’s eco-district plan.

And while the city’s plan of placing parking meters on Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Southeast Grand Avenue and all east-west streets in between is a significant turnoff to most business and property owners in the district, it could be vital for the TMA.

Under city code, a TMA has the right to 51 percent of the net profits from parking meters within the district. It is estimated that the addition of parking meters in the area would net the TMA approximately $76,500 annually.

With that money, Williams said, the TMA would be able to pursue acquisition of a parking lot to serve only district workers, add bike parking or increase subsidization of public transportation passes.

David Lorati, president of the CEIC and owner of School Specialty Supply, likes the idea of a TMA. But he isn’t sold on the parking meters.

鈥淓mployee parking is my biggest concern, but my neighbor’s biggest concern is parking for his customers,鈥� Lorati said. 鈥淚 like that we could come together to work something out, but that doesn’t change the fact that we still both agree meters aren’t the solution.鈥�

Peter Stark, past president of the CEIC and owner of architecture firm Stark Design, made it clear that parking meters will be installed regardless of the CEIC’s opinions. He suggested that the CEIC take advantage of the opportunity to gain funding and a voice, he said.

鈥淚t has been our number one priority as a group to figure out our parking system and our parking problems,鈥� Stark said. 鈥淭his would allow us to track the data and come up with solutions.鈥�