Board Approves Rate Hike at Ballston Public Parking Garage

The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved increasing the rates at the Ballston Public Parking Garage for visits of three hours or more and eliminated the discounted daytime rates on weekends.

The garage is at 655 N. Glebe Road, attached to the Ballston Common Mall and the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

The eight-floor garage provides 3,000 spaces. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The $1 rate for visits less than three hours is not changing, nor is the $1 rate for parking after 6 p.m.

The approved daily rates are:

• Up to three hours -- $1
• Up to four hours -- $3
• Up to five hours -- $5
• Up to six hours -- $6
• Up to seven hours -- $7
• Up to eight hours -- $8
• Maximum daily rate -- $10

Also, the board approved raising five-day monthly rates to $105 (a $28 increase) and seven-day monthly rates to $145 (a $41 increase).

Saturday's approval marked the first rate increase since 1996. Approximately 70 percent of weekend users will not see a change because they park for less than three hours, according to county staff.

The new rates are expected to generate at least $1 million annually for the county. That money will help fund maintenance and major improvements to the garage.

Because of the various funding arrangements put in place to build and improve upon the garage over the years, various stakeholders have to sign off on any potential rate changes -- including the mall operator and the owners of two adjacent office buildings.

Board member Chris Zimmerman said the new rate structure was "probably not" ideal, but it was the best the county had to work with after negotiating with the other parties.

"There are people for who it's going to be a big jump," Zimmerman said. "I'm not sure I would've chosen for it to work out this way had I had the choice."