Parking Efficiency Study
March 5, 2018 City Council Workshop
Teresa Brum, Economic Development Division Manager
Julie Dixon, Dixon Resources Unlimited, Principal Jennifer Campos, Senior Planner
• Project Objectives • Stakeholder Engagement • Data Collection (July & August 2017) • Initial Findings • Recommendations
Presentation Overview
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1. Identify current and future staffing needs 2. Perform a financial analysis on current
paid parking and parking related revenues 3. Conduct Comparable Cities Analysis 4. Examine the City’s current parking
programs and identify best practices for moving forward
Project Objectives
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Parking Efficiency Study Contents
• Initial On-Site Visit & Findings • Initial Recommendations • Stakeholder Engagement • Comparable Cities Analysis • Financial Analysis • Occupancy Data Collection (July &
August)
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Public Engagement Stakeholder Meetings: • March 15, 2017 • April 24, 2017 • July 28, 2017 • October 16, 2017
Parking Advisory Committee: • November 29, 2017 • January 24, 2018
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On-Street Occupancy: Thursday vs. Saturday
42%
64% 70%
53%
66%
51%
90%
66%
51%
65% 69% 66%
61% 51%
86%
60%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Hourly Permit Hourly Permit Hourly Permit Hourly Permit
Morning Afternoon Mid-Afternoon Evening
Average Thursday On-Street Occupancy by Month
July Aug
57%
88%
66% 68%
54%
70% 66% 75%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Total Total Total Total
Morning Afternoon Mid-Afternoon Evening
Average Saturday On-Street Occupancy by Month
July Aug
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July On-Street Heat Maps: MORNING
Thursday Saturday
July On-Street Heat Maps: AFTERNOON
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Thursday Saturday
July On-Street Heat Maps: MID-AFTERNOON
Thursday Saturday
July On-Street Heat Maps: EVENING
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Thursday Saturday
On-Street Heat Map Takeaways • Highest occupancies observed during Afternoon and Evening periods
on Thursdays and Saturdays during both July and August • Highest occupancy is observed in core of Downtown between 13th St.
and 6th St. and Broadway and Columbia St • Higher occupancies on Saturdays immediately around Esther Short
Park during Farmer’s Market • Pockets of high occupancy on 100 Grant St. on Thursdays (Columbia
Way construction)
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Off-Street Occupancy: Thursday vs. Saturday
43% 45%
27%
43% 42% 47%
36% 33%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Morning Afternoon Mid-Afternoon Evening
Average Thursday Off-Street Occupancy by Month
July August
21%
43% 34%
18%
31% 38%
26% 23%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Morning Afternoon Mid-Afternoon Evening
Average Saturday Off-Street Occupancy by Month
July August
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July Off-Street Heat Maps: DAILY AVERAGE
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Thursday Saturday
VC VC
August Off-Street Heat Maps: DAILY AVERAGE
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Thursday Saturday
VC VC
Off-Street Heat Map Takeaways • Overall, many of the City’s lots experienced parking demand below the 85-90% occupancy threshold
• Generally low off-street occupancy during the morning
• Important to consider the impact of summer events on off-street occupancy in many areas, especially in the proximity of Esther Short Park
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Initial Policy Findings Summary
• Parking codes: restrictive time limits &rates
• Lack of process for formation of RPP
• Restrictive TDM, development and zoning codes
• Transit Overlay District is a “voluntary” requirement which limits effectiveness
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1. Adjust Parking Fines and Rates to Reduce Infractions Modify sections of the municipal code to increase parking fines and penalties for common infractions (done)
2. Transition Away from 20 Minute Free Button Remove 20 minute free button from single –space meters as transition occurs to pay stations and identify remaining single-space meters to have button removed (in progress)
Policy Recommendations
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3. Modify Code to Provide Flexibility on Paid Parking Days/Hours Modify Chapter 19.11 of the municipal code to allow for the City Manager to adjust meter days/hours in a flexible way to respond to changing parking demand; the code language should be such that days/hours may be adjusted to manage demand
Policy Recommendations
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4. Evaluate Demand Based Pricing Program Study and evaluate the impacts and feasibility of implementing a demand-based pricing program
5. Improve Parking Opportunities for Employees Downtown Consider transitioning some periphery short-term parking to long-term parking, including the Government District; determine a nominal cost for employee parking that will sustain the program while allowing employees to park at a discount (some progress)
Policy Recommendations
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6. Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Process Improvements Modify Chapter 19.08 to create an improved process for forming and administering the RPP program; the City should charge a fee to cover cost of administering the program; all permits should be available online for purchase
Policy Recommendations
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7. Modifications to Parking Requirements Evaluate modifications to Chapter 20.945 of the municipal code to consider establishing exemptions from parking minimums, options for parking in-lieu fees, allowing off-site parking/shared parking, expanding parking maximums, improved parking design guidelines, and reevaluating parking ratios for businesses
Policy Recommendations
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8. Wayfinding, Branding and Parking Education Improvements Pursue and develop a wayfinding and branding campaign throughout Downtown; the City can consider its ‘Park n’ Go’ logo that currently exists outside the Vancouvercenter garage; also consider the creation of a parking application to assist visitors in locating available public parking; on-street signage and curb paint should be improved to ensure transparency among parkers (some progress)
Policy Recommendations
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9. Modification of Prolonged Parking Policy Modify section 19.12.100 to change the limit of prolonged parking from 24 hours to 72 hours
10. Modifications to Transit Overlay District Evaluate eliminating the voluntary use of the Transit Overlay District (TOD) and requiring all development in the TOD zone to abide by its policies and consider modifications to parking requirements
Policy Recommendations
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11. Establish a formalized TDM Program Incentivize Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs by allowing for greater and more flexible reductions in the minimum number of required parking spaces; establish minimum required TDM elements for all new Downtown development above a certain size; adopt a bicycle parking ordinance
Policy Recommendations
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Next Steps • Parking Advisory Committee will
evaluate policy changes and make recommendations to Council
• Staff will bring policy recommendations to Council for review, 2018-2020
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Questions and Discussion
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