CC 2017-08-22_12d Short Term Parking in the Village
MEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: TERESA McCLISH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
BY: MATTHEW DOWNING, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF SHORT-TERM PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN THE
VILLAGE (STAFF PROJECT 17-007)
DATE: AUGUST 22, 2017
RECOMMENDATION:
The Downtown Parking Advisory Board recommends that the City Council adopt a
Resolution amending parking restrictions in the Village to: 1) designate two on-street
spaces in both the westbound and eastbound directions of Branch Street for 20-minute
parking; 2) maintain 2-hour parking restrictions on East and West Branch Street; 3) limit
parking on Olohan Alley along the creek from Bridge Street to the Olohan Alley extension,
the Car Corral, and the southernmost row of the Le Point Street parking lot to 3-hour
parking; and 4) direct staff to investigate options and/or sources of funding for parking
enforcement.
SUMMARY OF ACTION:
Although no studies have been completed, there has been an increase in complaints of
short-term parking spaces being utilized for long-term parking in the Village. Shorter time
limits are a method of ensuring prime parking spaces turnover and are available for
customers.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
Impacts to financial and personnel resources associated with the changing time limits
include a one-time materials cost to replace Village parking signs as necessary and costs
for Public Works personnel to replace the necessary parking signs estimated at
approximately $500, which will be paid for from the Downtown Parking Fund. The impacts
associated with increased enforcement will vary depending on a number of factors,
including frequency of enforcement, personnel assigned to enforcement, and prioritization
of enforcement. Preliminary discussions between the Police and Community
Development Departments have attempted to minimize impacts to financial and
personnel resources. However, these discussions are preliminary and ongoing. This item
is identified in the recently adopted City Council Goals, both with regard to enhancing
parking and supporting economic development.
Item 12.d. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF SHORT-TERM PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN THE VILLAGE
(STAFF PROJECT 17-007)
AUGUST 22, 2017
PAGE 2
BACKGROUND:
Over the last few years, the City has received complaints from a number of Village
businesses regarding an increase in Village employees parking in prime parking spaces
near other businesses that rely on the parking turnover. The Downtown Parking Advisory
Board (DPAB) has made several attempts to have Village businesses work together to
address the issue surrounding employee parking, such as encouraging employees to
park away from the Village Core or in the upper portion of the Le Point Street parking lot.
On April 20, 2016, the DPAB conducted a workshop style meeting to discuss the parking
challenges experienced by Village merchants and to further identify solutions. However, a
resolution to the issue was not successful and on July 20, 2017, the DPAB recommended
the City Council implement restricted time limitations on parking in the Village.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Parking is an important component in many land use decisions. It affects trip generation,
mode choice, urban design and form, economic viability, and personal mobility. In an
automobile dependent state, region, and county, the character, competitive capability,
and commercial convenience of the Village is largely determined by the quantity and
quality of parking availability for both short-term uses, such as customers, and long-term
uses, such as employees.
Parking Restrictions
One general objective of regulating parking time limits is to balance the need and
availability for both customer and employee parking. Most cities, including Arroyo
Grande, try to manage on-street parking in front of businesses as the most convenient
source for short-term customer parking while providing for longer-term parking elsewhere
on perimeter or side public streets and public parking lots. The DPAB has recommended
that two (2) spaces on Branch Street in both the west and eastbound directions (four (4)
spaces total) be limited to twenty (20) minute parking, in order to allow for quick patron
stops into nearby businesses. It is recommended that these spaces be reserved in front
of the Car Corral for westbound traffic and in front of 138 E. Branch Street for eastbound
traffic. These are recommended due to being at the ends of the rows of parking and
generally being in the center of the Village Core, allowing patrons access to Village
businesses. The remainder of parking on Branch Street would remain 2-hour.
The DPAB also recommended the parking in the Car Corral, parking on Olohan Alley
between Bridge Street and the Olohan Alley Extension, and the first row of parking at the
Le Point Street parking lot be limited to 3-hour parking. Currently, these areas are
available for all day parking and the DPAB has identified that these restrictions would be
long enough to allow for patronage of nearby restaurants and hairdressers but short
enough to not be frequently taken by long term parkers. It should be noted that four (4) of
the eight (8) parking spaces in the first tier of the Le Point Street parking lot are ADA
Item 12.d. - Page 2
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF SHORT-TERM PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN THE VILLAGE
(STAFF PROJECT 17-007)
AUGUST 22, 2017
PAGE 3
reserved spaces, which would not be subject to the time limitations. This would result in
173 spaces being available for employee usage by approximately seventy (70)
businesses, before employees will need to locate on surface streets outside of the Village
Core.
Parking Enforcement
The DPAB has recognized that even if parking limitations are reduced, enforcement of
the reduced duration is a key component to ensuring compliance. Village parking
enforcement has typically been handled by Police Department personnel, most recently
by Neighborhood Services Technicians (NSTs). Recent increased workload of NSTs has
resulted in very little time available to conduct parking enforcement in the Village.
Additionally, as has been voiced by a number of Village merchants, parking enforcement,
unless performed daily, needs to be conducted on an irregular schedule, as offenders will
learn the enforcement schedule and work around the rules. In order to address the
enforcement component of restricted parking limits, the Police Chief has identified the
following options to better enforce parking time limits:
Hiring of an additional, dedicated, part-time parking enforcement officer;
Transfer work currently performed by NSTs to incoming Police Cadets to allow for
NSTs to perform parking enforcement; or
Reduce or eliminate services offered by the Police Department to allow for
additional enforcement.
It should be noted that these ideas are preliminary and will require additional research by
staff for a recommendation if the Council directs staff to do so. The Council could
alternately direct staff to discontinue researching parking enforcement strategies at this
time. It should be further noted that reductions to Police Department services are not
recommended and would only be considered as a last resort if the Council directs
increased parking enforcement occur.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration:
1. Adopt the attached Resolution to limit parking in the Village as recommended by
the Downtown Parking Advisory Board and provide direction to staff regarding
options for parking enforcement;
2. Modify and adopt the attached Resolution to limit parking in the Village as
recommended by the Downtown Parking Advisory Board and provide direction to
staff regarding options for parking enforcement;
3. Do not adopt the attached Resolution and direct staff to continue working with
Village merchants to address the parking issues; or
4. Provide other direction to staff.
Item 12.d. - Page 3
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF SHORT-TERM PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN THE VILLAGE
(STAFF PROJECT 17-007)
AUGUST 22, 2017
PAGE 4
ADVANTAGES:
The recommendations will be a step toward ensuring local and visiting customers have
access to parking spaces closest to their destinations.
DISADVANTAGES:
The change in parking restrictions will result in the need for time to change behaviors in
the Village with regard to parking, is anticipated to result in Village employees being
required to park on surface streets outside of the Village Core, and may result in tourists
and customers receiving parking citations, which would negatively impact their
experience. In addition, in order for parking restrictions to be effective, additional parking
enforcement may be necessary.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with
Government Code Section 54954.2. A notice of the meeting was sent to all businesses
contributing to the Downtown Parking Fund. At the time of report publication, no further
comments had been received.
Item 12.d. - Page 4
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARROYO GRANDE IMPOSING A TWENTY MINUTE
LIMITATION ON PARKING FOR FOUR SPACES ON
EAST BRANCH STREET, AND THREE HOUR
LIMITATIONS ON PARKING ALONG EAST BRANCH
STREET, IN THE CAR CORRAL, ALONG A PORTION OF
OLOHAN ALLEY, AND A PORTION OF THE LE POINT
STREET PARKING LOT
WHEREAS, Chapter 10.16 of the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code regulates parking of
vehicles on City streets and municipal parking lots; and
WHEREAS, on June 24, 2008, the City Council adopted an ordinance to allow the
Council to adopt parking restrictions on any street or in any municipal parking lot by
resolution; and
WHEREAS, on September 10, 2013, the City Council amended parking restrictions in
the Village to eliminate 2-hour parking restrictions on Sundays and replace the
overnight parking prohibition in public parking lots in the Village with a 12-hour parking
restriction; and
WHEREAS, on July 20, 2017, the Downtown Parking Advisory Board recommended the
City Council further amend parking restrictions in the Village to address the issue of
business employees parking in prime parking spaces.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande
does hereby direct staff to restrict two (2) spaces in both the west and eastbound
directions of East Branch Street to 20 minutes and limit parking in the Car Corral, Olohan
Alley between Bridge Street and the Olohan Alley Extension, and the first tier of the Le
Point Street Parking lot to 3-hours, as shown in Exhibit “A”, attached hereto and
incorporated herein by this reference. Staff is also directed to designate the parking
restrictions with appropriate signage and/or markers.
On motion by Council Member seconded by Council Member and by the
following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 22nd day of August, 2017.
Item 12.d. - Page 5
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE 2
______________________________________
JIM HILL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KELLY WETMORE, CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
______________________________________
JAMES A. BERGMAN, CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________________
HEATHER K. WHITHAM, CITY ATTORNEY
Item 12.d. - Page 6
NEVADA STNEVADA STSHORT STSHORT STE BRANCH STE BRANCH ST
OLOHAN ALLEYOLOHAN ALLEY
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
CITY COUNCIL
AUG. 22, 2017 PROPOSED 3 HOUR PARKING
PROPOSED 20 MINUTE PAKING
0 100 20050 FEETµ
~173 REMAINING ALL DAY PARKING SPACESEXHIBIT A
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