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GENERAL INFORMATION

Presenters: Geoff Fruin – City Manager’s Office

Chris O’Brien – Transportation Services

Sessions: Monday, December 10, 2012, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Location: Iowa City Public Library – Meeting Room A

Feedback: www.icgov.org/downtownparking/

Geoff Fruin 356-5013

Chris O’Brien 356-5156

AGENDA1.Background

2.Parking System Overview

3. Improving Access to Parking

4.Enhance Convenience for Users

5.Encourage Turnover of On-street Spaces

6.Entice Customers into Parking Structures

7.Additional Changes

8.Summation

9.Timeline Moving Forward

10.Questions and Discussion

PARKING SYSTEM OVERVIEW

• 5 parking structures, 7 surface lots, 1150 parking meters

• Over 4300 spaces

• 1974 parking permits

• 115,000 citations issued annually• 75,000 expired meter citations• 45,000 warning citations• 1,500 citation appeals (46% are overturned )

PARKING SYSTEM OVERVIEW

• Parking system is a business enterprise fund• Self-supporting, revenues are used to cover parking

expenses• No property taxes are used to support parking

operations• Parking revenues are not used to contribute to the

General Fund• Total Revenues = $5,350,000• Total Expenses = $5,135,000• Changes in the system must be revenue neutral

BACKGROUND• Approached by Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) about

parking in downtown Iowa City

• Multiple meetings with ICDD members to present the parking system overview

• Ongoing discussions about ways to improve the system

• Established list of priorities for the ICDD• Improved access ( Better information for users )• Enhanced convenience ( More convenient payment options )• Encourage turnover of on-street spaces ( Enforcement practices )• Entice customers into facilities ( Rate structure )• Establish mechanism to promote parking ( Improved marketing

efforts )

• City developed plan to address priorities• Maintain solvency of parking system• Utilize best practices and research other parking models

PROBLEM: ACCESS TO PARKING

• Information about parking difficult to obtain

• Customers circling block “hunting” for a parking space

• Lack of sufficient way-finding signage

• No permit access if structure is “FULL”

IMPROVE ACCESS TO PARKING• Don’t make people work for parking…• Push “real-time” parking information to the customer

• Rates, occupancies, locations

• Provide parking system information in the structures• Way-finding• Marketing materials

IMPROVE ACCESS TO PARKING• Permit only lanes• Allow access to permit holders…even when signs say

“FULL”

• …make parking work for downtown

PROBLEM: INCONVENIENT FOR CUSTOMERS• Coins only…really??• No one carries change

• Do you take…plastic??• Credit cards not accepted on-street

• Is there an app for that??• Mobile technologies for payments and parking info.• Merchants end up “feeding” meters for customers

ENHANCE CONVENIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS• Allow variety of payment options• Cash• Coin• Credit Card• And…

ENHANCE CONVENIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS• Mobile Applications• Where can I park?• Pay by cell – on-street

• Coming soon to a parking structure near you…• Pay by cell – off-street• “Starbucks” app

PROBLEM: LACK OF TURNOVER ON-STREET• Citation structure promotes lack of turnover• Multiple warnings• Three citations for $5…could happen

• Parking grid-lock after 5:00pm• Limits business activity• Frustrating to short term visitors• Leads to “hunting”

ENCOURAGE TURNOVER• Keep it moving

• Enforcement policies• Hours of enforcement• Expand to 9:00pm in downtown core

• Citation fines• Current Proposed$0 $0$5 $7$10(2) $12$15(2) $15$20(2) $20$25 $25*Reset every 6 months *Reset every 12 months

PROBLEM: NO INCENTIVE TO PARK IN STRUCTURES• Aesthetics• Structures need a facelift• Potential spaces for marketing• Walls, parking booths, elevators, etc.

• Rate Structure• Same rates on-street ($.75/hr.) as off-street ($.75/hr.)• After 5:00 pm, on-street parking is free and not

enforced

ENTICE CUSTOMERS INTO PARKING STRUCTURES

• Improved aesthetics• Better lighting• Enhanced appearance• Marketing opportunities• Public art opportunities

ENTICE CUSTOMERS INTO PARKING STRUCTURES• Differentiate rates on-street vs. off-street• Downtown core• $1.50/hr. from $.75/hr.

• High demand, non-core• $1.00/hr. from $.75/hr.

• Non-core• $.75/hr. from $.50/hr.

ENTICE CUSTOMERS INTO PARKING STRUCTURES• FIRST HOUR FREE• Applies to parking structures• Capitol Street, Dubuque Street, Tower Place, Court Street Trans.

Center

• Hour one…$0• Hours 2+…$1 per hour• Replaces Park-n-Shop Program• Everyone gets the benefit that parks in structures, less confusing

to customers

• Lower cost for the average stay• Average stay in parking structures is three hours• Cost for 3 hour stay would be $2.00 vs. $2.25(current rates)

ADDITIONAL CHANGES

• Increase contractor hood rates from $12 to $20 and limit the number of contractor vehicles allowed per block

• Increase annual moped/scooter/motorcycle permit rates

• Install access and revenue control equipment for Court Street Transportation Center

• Structures to be access and revenue controlled 24/7

• Expand parking meter zones

SUMMATION

• FIRST HOUR FREE

• Technology, technology, technology

• Make parking simple

TIMELINE MOVING FORWARD

• Public input sessions on December 10th and 12th

• Accepting feedback at www.icgov.org/downtownparking/ through December 21st

• Budget public hearings will be held in early 2013

• Capitol projects taking shape in Spring 2013• Smart meters• Mobile applications

• System enhancements go live July, 2013

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION