Cannon Beach is considering whether to become a Zipcar city.
The online self-service car rental business allows members to rent vehicles in municipalities nationwide.
Zipcars have become popular in cities like Portland, where urbanites may not want the hassle and expense of owning a car but still need one sometimes — for instance to take trips to the Coast. Attracting more visitors is part of the inspiration for the Zipcar movement in Cannon Beach.
"We could alleviate traffic and also feed into our green reputation," said Cannon Beach Chamber Executive Director Jeff Jewel. "Zipcars are fantastic; I use them in Portland all the time. When you need a car you pay for just the time you use it. I can plug into my cell phone and reserve it with the touch of a button."
What’s a Zipcar?
For the uninitiated, Zipcar is a membership-based car sharing company that rents vehicles to its members, with rates billable by the hour or by the day.
According to Wikipedia, the firm was founded in Cambridge, Mass., in 2000 and is currently the world’s largest car-sharing service. The company shares about 6,000 vehicles among approximately 275,000 drivers in 49 U.S. cities.
Members, called "zipsters," can verify car availability and reserve a car by cell phone or computer. Zipcars are parked around town in dedicated spaces when not in use, and available cars show up on online maps, thanks to built-in technology that electronically reports their whereabouts.
Members receive a Zipcard that allows them to unlock the car and drive it. The reservation for the vehicle includes car insurance, a gas card, and other amenities. Members can reserve and use cars in any Zipcar city.
According to the Zipcar Web site, anyone 21 years or older who has a valid driver’s license can apply online. The company does a driving record check on applicants, who must also have a valid credit card to pay for rental fees.
Will Cannon Beach add Zip?
Jewel said if Cannon Beach became a Zipcar city, it would have a link on the Zipcar website to allow members to check out vehicle availability.
Jewell said the city has discussed designating a Zipcar parking spot near the Cannon Beach Chamber Information Center, and another one in midtown near city hall.
He said the program would dovetail nicely with the city’s plans to include electric car-charging facilities in the city limits. Members vacationing locally could use a Zipcar for a few hours for errands around town. Others could rent a Zipcar inland and drive it to the Coast.
But the Zipcar idea could face significant municipal hurdles in Cannon Beach.
City Planner Rainmar Bartl said that while the idea is popular with Mayor Mike Morgan, the city planning commission has reservations about whether the Zipcar is a good idea for Cannon Beach.
"Cannon Beach is packed in the summer time," he said. "We’re always cautious about anything that reduces parking spaces. They didn’t think the benefit [to the city] was sufficient, so they’re recommending that we not designate any Zipcar spaces."
Zipcar Marketing Manager Caleb Miller said the company recently held a focus group in Portland. When facilitators asked what members’ reasons were for renting cars, a significant number answered, "going to the Coast." He said if Cannon Beach wanted the data, Zipcar would be happy to formally survey members.
"I think there definitely would be a demand if that option [Cannon Beach] were available," he said.
Bartl said Zipcar would provide signage, and the cost to the city would be minimal - mostly some staff time for striping of parking spaces.
Zipcar rates for Portland and Seattle start at $7 an hour or $69 per day. Members can opt for a pay-as-you-go plan with a monthly fee, or a frequent user plan that offers lower rates.