MEMO TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Carol Helland, Interim Director, Planning and Community Development
SUBJECT:
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Informational Update on the Downtown Parking Management Strategic Plan Existing Conditions
I. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
Staff is not requesting action at this time. This is an informational update on the findings from the Downtown Parking Management Existing Conditions Report and the outreach plan proposed for development of the Preliminary Strategy Recommendations. Discussion of the Preliminary Strategy Recommendations themselves will occur at a future Study Session after community stakeholder feedback has been incorporated.
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II. DEPARTMENT CONTACTS
Carol Helland, Interim Planning Director 425-556-2107
Beverly Mesa-Zendt Long Range Planning Manager 425-556-2414
Caroline Chapman, TDM Program Administrator 425-556-2442
Planning and Community Development
III. DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
In late 2017, staff began a phased approach to developing a Downtown Parking Management Strategic Plan that considered feedback from system users. The intention of the plan was to both update the data from the 2014 study and to develop a roadmap for more efficiently managing existing parking resources that can evolve with continued growth.
Development of the plan consists of the following phases:
1) Downtown Parking Management Strategic Plan Existing Conditions Report - Complete.
2) Preliminary Strategy Recommendations - Drafted, to be taken to the community stakeholders for refinement.
3) Implementation Plan -Anticipated completion in Q3 2020.
The goals of the Downtown Parking Management Strategic Plan are twofold:
• Maximize safe and efficient management of parking resources in Downtown.
• Develop strategies that support a vibrant Downtown for all users which recognize current conditions and support a sustainable transition into a compact multimodal urban center.
The Existing Conditions Report is based on data collected in March and June of 2019 and the results from a community survey. The Existing Conditions Report will inform the proposed strategies to improve the management and efficiency of the Downtown parking system. Once stakeholders have had a chance to review and refine the Preliminary Strategies, they will be brought back to City Council for study session in March 2020, and then adopted as part of an Implementation Plan.
While the goals of the plan are focused on addressing current conditions and constraints, strategies for effective management of parking resources and regulatory updates will be developed that consider future intensification and the changing needs of the community over time.
A. Analysis
The Existing Conditions Report (Attachment A)
Framework Consulting, with feedback from the staff working group and Parking Advisory Committee (membership listed in Attachment B), has finalized the Downtown Parking Strategies Existing Conditions Report. Key Findings from the Existing Conditions Report include:
• 42 percent of land in Downtown is dedicated to parking, or approximately 13,000 stalls.
• Demand for parking is variable across the Downtown district, with an overall occupancy peak of 62.5 percent on-street and 44.7 percent off-street.
• Turnover rates are healthy and have an average, on-street parking turnover of 4.29 cars per day.
• Commuter parking demand is high, and facilities are at capacity.
• Certain on-street areas of Downtown have occupancy rates above 85 percent, which suggest a need for new management strategies.
• 32 percent of survey respondents said the greatest challenge to parking in Downtown was a lack of signage and information on where to park.
• 56 percent of questionnaire respondents find parking Downtown to be inconvenient, difficult, and a deterrent to coming Downtown.
Development of Preliminary Strategy Recommendations
Preliminary Strategies have been developed with the input of staff, the Parking Advisory Committee and the consulting firm. The following goals for the Preliminary Strategies have emerged based on the Existing Conditions Report:
1. Prioritize customer and visitor access for on-street parking (i.e., short-term parking);
2. Improve management of City-owned facilities
3. Improve management of commuter parking facilities
4. Adopt policies & regulations that enhance efficiency of on- and off-street parking resources
5. Facilitate more effective use of private parking facilities
These strategies will be reviewed and refined by community stakeholders before a plan to implement the changes is brought forward to Council for adoption. The Community Involvement Plan provides the strategies and tools that will be used to involve community members in the final strategy development (Attachment B). The goals of this outreach are to:
• Inform the community on findings of the Existing Conditions Report;
• Confirm public feedback is accurately reflected in the Existing Conditions Report and Preliminary Strategies;
• Consult with the public to prioritize and refine the Preliminary Strategies; and
• Focus attention on specific stakeholders who utilize or rely on the parking system to inform appropriate timing and prioritization of strategies.
IV. PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS HELD
• October 2017: Committee of the Whole, Planning and Public Works
• March 2018: 2PW update on formation of Parking Advisory Committee
• April 2018: Planning Commission Briefing
• November 2018: Consultant contract approved by Council
• March-June 2019: Parking data collection
• October 2019: Existing Conditions Report draft submitted to staff
• February 11, 2020: Committee of the Whole, Planning and Public Works
V. IMPACT
A. Service/Delivery:
1. More efficient management of parking resources in Downtown.
2. Provide parking that supports a vibrant Downtown for residents, businesses, and visitors and supports a sustainable transition into a compact multimodal urban center.
B. Fiscal Note:
Recommendations for budget allocations will be considered and reflected in the Final Strategies and Implementation Plan.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
N/A
VII. TIME CONSTRAINTS
City Council Study Session: March 10, 2020
Public Outreach on Preliminary Strategies: February/March 2020
VIII. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Downtown Parking Management Strategic Plan Existing Conditions Report
Attachment B: Community Involvement Plan