Park City Mountain Resort said this week it will introduce a paid-parking system on the Park City side of the resort during the 2022-2023 ski season, a dramatic traffic-fighting measure, but one that will fundamentally alter the operations of the base area.

The information was publicized before the Park City Planning Department on Monday is scheduled to hold a hearing about a PCMR proposal to upgrade the lift network by replacing the Eagle lift with a high-speed, six-passenger lift and replacing the Silverlode Express with a high-speed, eight-passenger lift. There is concern the additional capacity of the upgrades will lead to more traffic on the Park City side of the resort.

A holding firm tied to PCMR owner Vail Resorts submitted a memorandum to City Hall this week outlining some of the blueprints of a paid-parking system, which will cover all of the surface lots at the Park City base. Parking rates were not publicized as part of the memorandum, but the document says there will be “meaningful” incentives for drivers who are carpooling to PCMR. Parking at the Canyons Village side of PCMR will remain free.

The information submitted to City Hall indicates parking will be paid every day of the ski season. Drivers will be required to secure a reservation for a spot prior to arriving. Paid parking will be in effect until 1 p.m. Parking will be free after 1 p.m. with no reservation required. The reservation system will require advance payment for parking.

A PCMR-retained consultant predicted the possibility of an 11% decrease in demand for parking if the system charges $25 per day. The submittal says an 11% decrease is similar to the numbers at other Vail Resorts properties after introducing paid parking. Increases in the number of people per vehicle driving to PCMR and the number of people who opt for buses account for the projected reduction in parking demand, the consultant says.

The introduction of a paid-parking system at PCMR will be closely watched by Parkites from across the community as well as skiers and snowboarders who live within driving distance. The parking at the base area has been largely free for decades, with only the underground garage at the Resort Center traditionally carrying a charge. There will likely be special interest from people who live or own properties close to the PCMR base, who could worry about drivers leaving their vehicles on neighborhood streets in an effort to avoid the parking charge.

It has seemed likely PCMR would someday implement paid parking. A Provo firm pursuing a major development at the base area has outlined such a system as part of the project. It was not clear until the release of the information this week, though, how quickly PCMR was moving toward paid parking.

The information about paid parking was publicized shortly after a difficult ski season at PCMR that was marked by large crowds, long lift lines, staffing shortages and terrain closures. Some of the complaints centered on a lack of parking availability.

More information about the paid-parking system is available on the PCMR website. The direct link to the information is:https://www.parkcitymountain.com/explore-the-resort/about-the-resort/getting-here.aspx.