Kamloops residents and business owners will get their say on proposals for downtown parking rates, fines, policies and technology at an open meeting on Feb. 26.

Mayor Peter Milobar suggested the short-term parking solutions be put out for public comment before council decides which options it likes. Those choices will have budget impacts, so they are being made on March 5, before the March 12 final budget decisions.

Milobar said Tuesday City staff have gone over suggestions made in conjunction with the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association's parking solutions committee.

A report is expected to be in the council agenda for the Feb. 19 meeting. That agenda should be released for the public and media on Feb. 15.

Staff were asked to look at what other cities are doing to solve their downtown parking issues.

Coun. Nelly Dever asked that another public meeting date be set for the parking issues, as she wanted to be there but won't be in town that day. Milobar said the staff report won't be ready any sooner and the idea is to make some decisions alongside the budget.

Council voted to accept the schedule.

KCBIA general manager Gay Pooler said her organization is also looking forward to seeing the staff report.

In a report to council, she pointed out that 10,000 people work in downtown Kamloops every day; 38 per cent of them live downtown and that number is on the rise.

In addition to trying to find parking solutions, her group is working to attract more people — and new businesses — downtown, she said.

Pooler said the KCBIA's levy, charged to downtown businesses, is increasing in 2013.