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Home My WebLink About2004-05-17 City Council (5)TO: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 2 FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:POLICE PLANNING DATE:MAY 17, 2004 CMR:260:04 SUBJECT:RESOLUTION ADOPTING EXTENDED FREE PARKING FROM TWO TO THREE HOURS IN DOWNTOWN PARKING STRUCTURES R, S/L AND B RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the continuation of free three-hour parking in downtown City parking structures R, S/L and B until February 28, 2005. BACKGROUND On February 2, 2004, the Council directed staff to provide information about color zone parking, transferable permits and the extension of free parking in some downtown garages. This report addresses the extension of free parking in downtown garages. Staff will be providing the Council with an informational report on the remaining parking issues in the near future after further discussions with the Chamber of Commerce Parking Committee. Over the last year, demand for parking in the downtown compared to previous years has been reduced due to the general economic downturn. The opening of two new downtown parking structures last year and their additional 890 new parking spaces presented an opportunity to make parking in City garages more inviting and convenient for visitors and patrons. Prior to the past holiday season, the Chamber of Commerce Parking Committee and City staff agreed that it would be beneficial to extend the free parking in most of the City garages from two to three hours. Under the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the City Manager has the authority to change parking time limits up to 120 days. As a result, a temporary change was made in December 2003. This report recommends the adoption of a resolution that would extend this change in time limits until February 28, 2005. CMR:260:04 Page 1 of 4 DISCUSSION Based upon the success of the extended holiday season parking program, the Chamber’s Parking Committee and City staff believe that in order to facilitate shopping and visits to the downtown area, continuance of the three-hour free parking in specified City garages is needed for a full year. The additional hour of public parking was implemented under the City Manager’s authorization at three of the six downtown parking garages: R Garage- High!Alma South Garage; S/L Garage- Bryant/Lytton Garage; and, B Garage- Ramona!University Garage. Of the remaining three parking garages, the Civic Center and the Webster/Cowper garages were already designated as three-hour public parking facilities and the sixth garage, Q Garage, located on High Street south of Lytton, is limited to permit parking for downtown employees and consequently does not have public parking during the weekdays. The attached resolution includes a provision for extending the time in all of these garages until February 28, 2005. One of the beneficiaries of public parking time extensions in the downtown garages has been the Avenidas Senior Center located at 450 Bryant Street. Although the facility has 25 dedicated permit parking spaces in Lot C, located off of Ramona Street directly behind the Center, it is insufficient to accommodate the numerous seniors who regularly participate in daytime events. Moreover, the classes and activities at Avenidas frequently exceed the two- hour parking time limit. The addition of an additional hour of parking has ameliorated this issue and enhanced participants’ ease of access. Although the addition of an extra hour of free public parking has been generally well received as a favorable option towards supporting retail businesses in Palo Alto, it is not without some concern or consequence. As compared with two-hour parking time limits, three-hour parking may be more likely to promote employee monopolization of garage parking spaces designed for use by visitors and customers. Additionally, the change will reduce citation revenue as less overtime parking tickets will be issued. RESOURCE IMPACT Based on a five-month analysis of the three-hour parking extensions, staff estimates an average 12 percent reduction in parking citations, principally in overtime parking violations. This equates to an approximate reduction of $215,000 in citation revenue over a 12-month period. CMR:260:04 Page 2 of 4 POLICY IMPLICATIONS The one one-hour extension of free public parking in downtown garages is consistent with the 13-Point Parking Program goal (Goal T-8) for attractive, convenient public and private parking facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The provisions of this resolution do not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act because it can be seen with certainty that no significant environmental impact will occur. ATTACHMENT Map of Downtown Palo Alto Parking Zones Resolution PREPARED BY: LIEUTENANT MARK VENABLE Traffic Manager City Traffic Engineer l DEPARTMENT HEAD: JOHNSON Police Chief CMR:260:04 Page 3 of 4 TEVE EM’SLIE Director, Planning and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: EMIIJY HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR:260:04 Page 4 of 4 Downtown Palo Alto Parkin, Lots and Color Zones Parking Lots ~ Free 2 Hour Parking illllli Free 3 Hour Parking ~,~,~ Free 2 I-Iour & Permit Parking ~C~ Free 2 Hour & Senior Center Permit Parking ~Free 3 Hour & Permit Parking ~ Permit Parking Parking lot restrictions and color zone requirements in effect 8 am - 5 pm Monday to Friday only, holidays excepted. KEY to Lots and Garages A. Emerson/Lytton lot B. Ramona/University garage C. Ramona/Lytton lot D. Hamilton/Waverley lot E. Gilman/Bryant lot F. Florence/Lytton lot G. Gilman/Waverley lot H. Cowper/Hamilton lot K. Lytton/Waverley lot N. Emerson/Ramona lot O. Emerson/High lot P. High/Hamilton lot Q. High/Alma North garage R. High/Alma South garage S/L. Bryant/Lytton Garage T. Lytton/Kipling lot CC. Civic Center Garage WC. Webster/Cowper Garage ***NOT YET APPROVED** RESOLUTION NO RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVING AND ADOPTING CHANGES IN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO’S RESTRICTED PARKING ZONES The Council of the City of Palo Alto does RESOLVE as follows: SECTION i. The City Council finds as follows: (a) Council is authorized pursuant to Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 10.44.010 to adopt parking restrictions on city streets and in city-owned parking lots through ordinance or resolution; and, (b) On April 12, 1982, Council enacted Resolution 6106 approving and adopting an parking zone map for the Downtown District of Palo Alto; and, (c) On November 14, 1994, Council enacted Resolution 7413 which approved and adopted an updated parking zone map for the Downtown District and adopted parking restrictions which prohibited reparking within designated zones for a trial period to commence on February 13, 1995, and to terminate on February i0, 1996; and, (d) On January 23, 1995, Council enacted Resolution 7479 rescheduling this trial period of reparking prohibitions to commence on March 17, 1995, and to terminate on March 16, 1996; and, (e) On March 4, 1996, Council enacted Resolution 7576 extending the reparking prohibitions for an additional year and approved and adopted an updated parking zone map entitled ~Downtown Palo Alto Parking Lots and Parking Zones"; and, (f) On April 7, 1997, Council enacted Resolution 7659 extending the reparking prohibitions for an indefinite duration and approved and adopted an updated parking zone map entitled "Downtown Palo Alto Parking Lots and Parking Zones"; and, (g) In December 2003 the City Manager, acting pursuant to the authority granted in Pa!o Alto Municipal Code Section 10.44.010, extended the two-hour parking limits in the off-street public parking garages B, S/L, and R located in downtown Palo Alto to three-hour parking limits for the duration of four months; and 040512 cl 0044387 1 ***NOT YET APPROVED** (h) Council has determined that these extended three- hour parking limits have been effective and desirable in serving the parking needs of the Downtown District and desires to extend these three-hour parking limit through February 28, 2005; Now therefore, the Council does hereby resolve: SECTION i. The two-hour parking limits in the off-street public parking garages B, S/L, and R located in the Do~town District are hereby extended to three-hour parking limits effective on the date of adoption of this resolution through the date of February 28, 2005. SECTION 2. The updated parking zone map for the Downtown District of Palo Alto, entitled "Downtown Palo Alto Parking Lots and Parking Color Zones" which is attached hereto is hereby approved and adopted. This document supercedes all previous similar parking zone maps for the Downtown District. SECTION 3. The Council finds that the provisions of this resolution do not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act because it can be seen with certainty that no significant environmental impact will occur as a result of the changes in parking duration in specified public parking lots and garages approved by this resolution. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mayor APPROVED: Senior Asst. City Attorney City Manager Police Chief Director of Administrative Services 040512 cl 0044387 2