Wayzata is moving forward with plans for its first public parking ramp

As more visitors flock to Wayzata, the Lake Minnetonka city is moving forward with plans for its first public parking ramp to address a growing parking crunch.

On Tuesday, the City Council agreed to move forward with a development plan and designs from HGA Architects for a 396-stall ramp near Broadway Avenue S. and Mill Street.

The ramp, which would replace a 182-stall surface lot, would cost an estimated $10.3 million if the city chooses designs that include a ground level and one-deck upper level with a roof. Without the full roof, the cost would drop to $9.4 million.

Right now, there's one privately owned ramp downtown. Street parking is free, but it fills up fast on busy days.

A new ramp is "a big project, and we're plopping it in the middle of our downtown," City Manager Jeffrey Dahl said, adding that the city hopes to finish the project before the summer of 2017.

"On a busy day, there's not enough parking spots in downtown."

Final designs are expected by August, with construction starting as soon as November if plans and bids are approved. If so, the ramp would open by next June.

The parking shortage is something of a self-inflicted problem. The community seeks to revamp its lakefront to make it more accessible and attractive to both residents and visitors, and it continues to draw new buzzworthy eateries, prompting a food critic to dub it the "Land of New Restaurants."

Across the lake, Excelsior has fielded similar parking complaints due to its own popularity. But the city doesn't have room for much more parking and can't afford a ramp.

Wayzata did a pilot program last year to encourage downtown workers to park farther away to free up space in high-demand areas. The city also has looked for ways to encourage people to get out of their cars, adding a bike lane and more lakefront docks. A free trolley is running in the city for the third year.

While some residents have questioned the need for a ramp, business leaders point to the growing redevelopment in the heart of the downtown.

"It's something we need and something people have been talking about for years," said Becky Pierson, president of the Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce. "We're definitely in need of additional spaces … and that will only increase."