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Home My Public Portal About10) 10B Downtown Parking Strategic Plan UpdateAGENDA ITEM 10.B. MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT DATE: December 17, 2019 TO: The Honorable City Council MEMORANDUM FROM: Bryan Cook, City Manager Via: Brian Haworth, Assistant to the City Manager By: Tinny Chan, Management Analyst SUBJECT: DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE RECOMMENDATION: The City Council is requested to: 1. Approve the Downtown Parking Strategic Plan Update, which identifies current and future parking conditions, and recommends an implementation strategy that outlines future considerations for managing public parking; 2. Direct the City Manager to pursue a number of immediate recommendations, including the establishment of a monitoring program, a review of in -lieu parking fee practices, the provision of more short-term parking near Las Tunas Drive, and an outreach plan that educates downtown employees on long-term parking areas; 3. Authorize the City Manager to execute a $49,400 professional services agreement with Transpo Group USA, Inc. to assist with the above tasks, which will be completed by December 2020; 4. Appropriate $49,400 from the General Fund reserve (unassigned fund balance) to fund the aforementioned services agreement; and 5. Direct the City Manager to return in January 2021 with a report on accomplished tasks, along with a proposed implementation program for the calendar year that addresses longer-term public parking improvements (as recommended by the Plan Update). City Council December 17, 2019 Page 2 of 5 BACKGROUND: 1. In November 2012, Council adopted the City's downtown parking strategic plan. The policy outlined a series of initiatives to increase the availability of downtown parking opportunities for residents, employees and visitors. 2. Between 2013 and 2017, a number of recommendations were completed, including: the restriping of public parking lots for additional stall counts; revised public parking time limits for increased stall turnover; and the purchase of two properties for future public parking opportunities (one that was recently redeveloped as public parking lot at Woodruff Avenue and Temple City Boulevard; the other, which will house a new park and resituated public parking lot on Primrose Avenue, just south of Las Tunas Drive). 3. Beginning in 2015, the mix of downtown uses shifted from retail and vacant storefronts to restaurants. Most of this change occurred in the downtown core—i.e., Las Tunas Drive between Golden West and Cloverly avenues, and Temple City Boulevard between Workman and Woodruff avenues—which contains most of the City's public parking lots. 4. In June 2017, staff received Council direction to update the (2012) downtown parking strategic plan. Among other things, the update would avail a current parking utilization study, revised parking enforcement recommendations, an employee parking management plan, and programming options for the City's current and future downtown public parking lots. (In January 2018, Council subsequently approved a $52,000 professional services agreement with Transpo Group to complete the work.) 5. In June 2018, preliminary Plan Update findings were presented to the Future Development of City Properties Standing Committee (comprised of Councilmembers Yu and Man). Discussion focused on the City's Primrose Avenue properties and whether they should be redeveloped into a new downtown parking lot. Consensus concluded the area had enough existing public parking—only if parking management strategies are put into place. 6. Between July 2018 and June 2019, the Plan Update was delayed pending other organizational priorities—e.g., demolition of the Primrose Properties, pre -design activities for Primrose Park, the Chamber of Commerce office relocation, etc. During this time, Plan Update findings were finalized but no public discussion occurred. 7. In September 2019, final Plan Update findings were presented to the Facilities, Public Works and Infrastructure Standing Committee (comprised of Councilmembers Yu and Man). Staff was directed to present the findings to Council for full deliberation and possible approval. City Council December 17, 2019 Page 3 of 5 ANALYSIS: Tonight, Dan McKinney of Transpo Group will present and elaborate on the Plan Update's findings (Attachment "A"), which are summarized below. • Parking Occupancy: Existing downtown public parking is adequate. Overall parking occupancies are below 85%; however, public parking areas near Las Tunas Drive are particularly congested during peak periods (mainly in the afternoon on both weekdays and Saturdays). A majority of surveyed vehicles parked less than two hours in public on- and off-street parking stalls. • Future Demand: Existing downtown public parking can accommodate projected future parking demand. Public parking in on- and off-street areas near Las Tunas Drive is the most desirable. Management strategies to balance supply and demand are crucial as commercial uses convert to restaurants. • Parking Management: Additional short-term public parking is needed for patrons visiting businesses on Las Tunas Drive. This can be met by reducing parking time limits in public lots closest to the corridor; designating employee parking areas in public lots away from Las Tunas Drive; and instituting a formalized enforcement program for parking stall turnover. Moving ahead, the following implementation program is recommended fora 12 -month period. Among other goals, these identified tasks will address current land use shifts, difficulty in finding available parking, and a general lack of understanding for accommodating employee parking. • In -Lieu Parking Fee: Most cities use an in -lieu parking fee as a source for funding public parking facilities or other transportation improvements. It is used as an option for developers/applicants to pay a fee to opt -out of providing on-site parking (associated with a proposed project or business). Payment of this fee then provides the developer/applicant certain access entitlements into public parking facilities proximate to the project site. As the City does not impose this fee, it is recommended that staff explore its components and applicability using three case studies as basis for Council discussion. The adoption of such a fee would create an additional funding source for downtown parking management and maintenance activities. • Two -Hour Parking Change: Based on analysis from the Plan Update, staff will identify up to five areas near Las Tunas Drive that could accommodate a change to two-hour parking. As part of this exercise, a public outreach and signage plan will be created before and after implementing the two-hour parking change, as well as a plan for enforcement (including a grace period during the initial rollout). • Enforcement Strategy: The downtown area is void of a coordinated parking City Council December 17, 2019 Page 4 of 5 enforcement strategy. Under this task, staff will evaluate current enforcement operations and apply any deficiencies to the best practices of four municipal enforcement agencies. This exercise will also: evaluate the types of parking citations previously issued in the downtown area; identify gaps in existing downtown enforcement practices; and recommend new strategies. • Wayfindinq: The downtown area currently lacks a coordinated wayfinding system for public parking. This initiative will yield a signage plan that identifies the number, type and location for new public parking signs. A branded parking map will also be created for the city website and for distribution to local businesses. • Employee Outreach: Staff will educate existing business owners and employees where long-term (all -day) employee parking is available through in-person meetings and a variety of bilingual communications collateral. This education will also be integrated into the City's annual business license process. (Note: Designated employee parking areas are planned for the City's underutilized Primrose and Woodruff public parking lots.) At the conclusion of each implementation task, a formal report will be presented for Council review, including requested direction and follow-up budget appropriations (if any). Should Council concur with this implementation program, staff will require technical assistance from Transpo Group. The attached professional services agreement details their proposed work scope at a cost of $49,400. If approved, staff will commence the implementation program in January 2020. The City Manager will return to Council in January 2021 with a report on accomplished tasks, along with a proposed implementation program for the calendar year. This program will build upon findings of the initial program to focus on longer-term downtown parking needs, including a potential employee permit parking program and charge for parking mechanism. These potential tasks are identified as Strategies 4 through 8 in the Plan Update (pgs. 34-38). CITY STRATEGIC GOAL: Actions contained in this report align with the City's strategic goals of economic development, good governance and sustainable infrastructure. FISCAL IMPACT: The recommended implementation program presents a fiscal impact for technical assistance. Staff is requesting a $49,400 appropriation from the General Fund reserve City Council December 17, 2019 Page 5 of 5 (unassigned fund balance) for contracted services, ATTACHMENTS: A. Downtown Parking Strategic Plan Update B, Draft Services Agreement with Transpo Group ATTACHMENT transpoi w,��I,HANSPONIh,,ONCIANIN Introduction ................. ...........................................................1 Comprehensive Downtown Parking Strategic Plan (2012) .............................................4 StudyArea......................................................................................................................8 Existing Parking Conditions..... mesa on seems 0 message Nam Ewe assume ask on named 0 am me Memo moons OR ass 9 StakeholderEngagement.............................................................................................17 KeyFindings............................................................ Method........................................................................... Forecasts......................................................................................................................22 Parking Study Recommendations.................................................................................................. 5 Figure 1:2002 Downtown Specific Plan Districts and Downtown Parking Update Study Area ...........................8 Figure 2: KeyFindings,.........".,. ........ a ... a 1 0 0 4 0 * 0 a a A a a a a a a a ....... I ...... ............... V a a P 1 0 4 a a a a a I a a ........ 24 Implementation Plan...........................................................................................25 Near -Term Implementation...........................................................................................27 Future Parking Strategies ........................... Table 1:2012 Parking Study Recommendations.................................................................................................. 5 Figure 1:2002 Downtown Specific Plan Districts and Downtown Parking Update Study Area ...........................8 Figure 2: Temple City Downtown Core Parking Study Area.................................................................................8 Figure 3: Weekday Peak (2-3 PM) Parking Occupancy ..... add ........................................................................A..... 11 Figure 4: Weekday Off -Street Average Parking Duration ..... ........ ......... .................................... .................... A..... 12 Figure 5: Weekday On- and Off -Street Parking Duration by Location. 114 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 . . A . . . . . . . I . . I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I a 0 1 P I a P I I I a . I . . . . . . 13 Figure 6: Saturday Peak (1-2 PM) Parking Occupancy...................................................................................... 14 Figure 7: Weekend Off -Street Average Parking Duration................................................................................... 15 Figure 8: Saturday On- and Off -Street Parking Duration by Location.............................................a...........6...... 16 Figure 9: Survey Question Responses, I I . . I . . . . I . . . . . . I . I . I . I . . I ado I a 14 4 4 . . . . . . I I I . . I I I . I . . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . a 6*4 **to a I I . . . . . I . . . . . A . . . . . . . . I . . . 18 Figure 10: Parking Model Structure............................................................................................................4.......21 Table 2: Existing and Future Land Use Summary ............................................................................................... 22 Figure 11: Future Weekday Peak Hour Parking Demand without Management...............................................23 Figure 12: Future Saturday Peak Hour Parking Demand without Management ................................................ 24 Figure 13: Potential New 2 -Hour Parking Restrictions.......................................................................................30