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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 - Parking Advisory Board - Annual ReportParking Advisory Board 2016 Annual Report Mission Statement: Parking Advisory Board Susan Kirkpatrick, Chair Holly Wright, Vice Chair The Mission of the Parking Advisory Board is to help enhance the implementation of the City’s parking policies and plans by providing a forum for public discussion and input regarding parking issues; to educate the public about the use and benefits of public parking resources; to support and advocate for various parking initiatives and programs; and to make recommendations to City Council regarding major parking decisions. Activity Summary: The Parking Advisory Board met formally on ten occasions at our regularly scheduled meeting time, the second Monday of each month. We had one informal meeting due to a lack of a quorum and the December 16 meeting was cancelled. Highlights: The Parking Advisory Board had a very productive year and completed the 2016 work plan. I. Recommendation Regarding the Downtown Plan Parking Elements April 2016, City Staff presented staff recommendations from the Downtown Parking Community Dialogue (an element of the Downtown Plan) to the Parking Advisory Board. The Parking Advisory Board voted 8 – 1 to not support the recommendations as they were written and drafted an alternative recommendation as follows: • Implement a monitoring system to collect data on occupancy and turnover, and pilot an on-street paid parking program in a portion of downtown. • Adjust enforcement: (Same as staff recommendation) o Explore weekends and evenings o Explore 2-hour parking limits to an entire zone • Create a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program. (Same as staff recommendation) • Engage in public-private partnerships to use under-utilized surface parking on private lots and parking structures. • After one year, analyze data collected from monitoring system to determine if an on- street paid parking system should be implemented throughout downtown. Board members felt it would be premature to implement an on-street paid parking system without having strong data about parking availability and turnover. Additionally, the City could partner with privately owned surface parking lots and parking structures that are under-utilized to gain access to these parking assets. II. Evaluation of Residential Parking Permit Program In August 2016, the Board submitted a memo to City Council evaluating the Residential Parking Permit Program (RP3). The five areas that the Board evaluated the program on were: • Area Occupancy Levels • Process Improvements • Customer Satisfaction • Program Sustainability • Issues to Consider The Board members found that RP3 has increased neighborhood livability by reducing neighborhood parking issues and as the program evolves and grows it will continue to be beneficial to neighborhoods and residents within the City of Fort Collins. However, there are issues that have materialized with the growth of the program. RP3 is currently not structured for future financial sustainability and Staff will need to evaluate how the program affects commercial properties within RP3 zones. In 2017, the Parking Advisory Board will reevaluate the RP3 again by reviewing before and after occupancy data and feedback from RP3 neighborhoods and report the findings to City Council. III. Provided Feedback on Budgeting for Outcomes Offers Thanks to the presentations and discussions had with City Staff this Board was able to provide recommendations on Budgeting for Outcomes Offers (BFO) to Councilmembers in August 2016. Board members supported the following core and enhancement offers: • 1.8: Enhancement: Willow Street Parking • 3.17 Trip Reduction and Efficiency Program • 67.8: KFCG Enhancement: Downtown Transit Shuttle Linking the Lincoln Corridor, Downtown and CSU’s Main Campus • 67.11: KFCG Enhancement: Transfort Sunday Service • 73.1: Parking Services • 73.2: Enhancement: Fire House Alley Parking Structure Operating and Maintenance • 73.3: KFCG Enhancement: Parking Capital Equipment • 73.6: Enhancement Parking Capital Repair and Maintenance • 78.5: Enhancement: City Plan, Transportation Master Plan and Transit Operating Plan The Parking Advisory Board believes that these offers are essential elements to preserve the high level of services that the City provides. These services are what citizens, students and merchants of Fort Collins have grown to expect in this thriving and vibrant city IV. Made Recommendations to Staff Regarding Parking Service Management Strategies The board members made recommendations to Staff on Parking Services’ management strategies concerning parking enforcement, technology and fines. Parking Advisory Board members supported, weekend enforcement, extending enforcement times in the evenings from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, for efficiency, having the enforcement officers use vehicles more than walking enforcement routes and having the ability to extend the two hour parking time limit by a cell phone app. Acknowledgement: The Parking Advisory Board acknowledges and commends the excellent presentations by Planning, Development, and Transportation departments including, FC Moves, Engineering, Community Development and Neighborhood Services, Parking Services and Transfort.