Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Downtown Parking Recommendations <br />November 15,2006 <br /> <br />Page 3 <br /> <br />4) There is an expectation by downtown merchants that customers should be able <br />to park near their establishments. As the vitality of downtown increase this <br />expectation does not seem to be a realistic goal. <br /> <br />5) There are a number of dynamic tensions that results in parking frustrations, <br />some of these can be addressed and some cannot. An example of this principle <br />is that some businesses have private parking and others do not, meaning that <br />they have to rely on the City "providing" parking for their customers, as opposed <br />to those who pay to access private lots (i.e. Sunshine Depot block). <br /> <br />6) The creation of the new commercial spaces (20,000 sq. ft.) will result in not only <br />an increased demand for parking but potentially could create relationship issues <br />between existing owners and new owners. The two new projects are projected to <br />have. only about 40% of their commercial parking needs met on site. Staff views <br />that it is critical to factor in a future parking load demand not only for the <br />commercial but also the residential. With almost 100 new residential units (built <br />at 50% on site parking per the City's old zoning requirements but reduced to <br />1.25 per new standards) it seems reasonable to expect that some type of <br />overnight public parking will be needed, from time to time, for guests. <br /> <br />7) Parking demands at times will spike during the evenings or on weekends <br />depending on activities at the new park. <br /> <br />8) What is the proper number of parking stalls for downtown? Should the City's <br />goals be to satisfy only a "full capacity" factor, or should the City have a "bounce <br />factor", e.g. 25% over a typical full capacity to ensure adequacy for special <br />events, perception and allowance for new business and other market <br />opportunities? <br /> <br />StatfRecommendations <br /> <br />1) Council's modifications and agreement on the above assumptions. <br /> <br />2) An advisory focus group be assembled to discuss the actual solutions and develop <br />recommendations to the City Council. Staff further recommends that the advisory <br />group consist of both existing downtown business owners and representatives of the <br />new redevelopment projects, and staff. The group's singular task would be to <br />develop parking solutions based on the Council's assumptions, and eventually to <br />have the same incorporated into the Comprehensive Downtown Redevelopment <br />Plan, for Council's future action. <br /> <br />Phase III <br />Staff has explored the preliminary design and cost for a parking ramp to be constructed at <br />the King Ave lot. City Engineer Terry Maurer estimates a parking ramp could cost in a <br />range of $15,000 to $20,000 per stall. Additional factors to be considered: cost to acquire, <br /> <br />S: \Community Development\Scott Clark\parking paper.doc <br />