City employees will use about 20 percent of the parking spaces in the garage under the new convention center following a City Council policy vote Wednesday night.

Councilors voted 5-3 to approve the parking plan for the garage beneath the Santa Fe Community Convention Center after debating whether to set aside any spaces at all for city workers. Up to 100 of the garage's 500 spaces will be available for city workers during peak tourism season, May to November, with an additional 50 spaces available to workers during the rest of the year.

The plan also allocates 150 spaces for monthly passes that can be purchased by the public through a lottery system during peak season, and 200 spaces for the off-season.

The garage is set to open next month. Three city committees recommended this summer that the city not allow its employees to park in the garage, but rather continue a system of satellite parking lots and shuttles for those workers.

Facing staunch opposition to that idea from the city-employee union, several councilors advocated Wednesday for employee spots, reverting to an original proposal from the Parking Division. Before the city demolished its former convention center, some employees were allowed to park in a lot between that building and City Hall.

Councilor Matthew Ortiz said he wants a return to a similar scenario.

"When we were going to be breaking ground on the new facility ... we told our employees to sacrifice. We said when the facility comes back on line we are going to make sure they have the same kind of parking that we had," said Ortiz. "We don't want to be put in a situation of going back on our word."

Councilor Carmichael Dominguez, who works at the state Department of Transportation, supported the plan.

"As a public employee myself, I would be livid if I had to take a shuttle to my place of employment. ... Quite frankly, it would suck," Dominguez said.

Other councilors said they wanted the city to set an example for reducing car traffic downtown.

"I know when I come downtown I am trying really hard to change my behavior to walk to my meetings and do what I can to change my carbon footprint. I hope that others will start to do that as well," said Councilor Rosemary Romero.

Councilor Chris Calvert said he didn't think the city should take up "primo" spots for its workers.

Councilor Patti Bushee, Miguel Chavez and Ronald Trujillo voted in favor of the plan, along with Dominguez and Ortiz. Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger joined Calvert and Romero voting against the plan.

Union officials are pleased with the decision, although they plan to push for more spaces for employees during upcoming contract negotiations, said Nick Lovato, vice president of the city's chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The parking plan calls for a six-month review period so the Parking Division can evaluate garage usage and make changes as needed.

Nearly 800 monthly passes have been requested, mostly for businesses in the downtown area that want to reserve spaces for their employees. Details were not available Wednesday night about how the city will conduct the lottery for those permits.

City employees can use the garage on a first-come, first-served basis. A lighted signal at the entrance will indicate when the employee spots have been filled. When they are full, employees who park in the garage will have to pay regular rates of $1.80 per hour, said Hon.

Contact Julie Ann Grimm at 986-3017 or jgrimm@sfnewmexican.com.