5. HRSR 05-07-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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llownrown 1'arl;ing Focus Croup l~ebruar~~ 12, ?007 1'agc 2 of 3 • There is interest from some do~vnto~vn businesses to pay (or have employees pajr) Eor the benefit of being able to perk closer to their business. • There remains concern among some downtown businesses about the safer}- of employees crossuig I-iighway 14 for parking, and safety concerns for employees who work evening shifts and have to walk to remote parking areas. The group discussed the following options to address these concerns: • Evening shift employees being able to move their vehicles closer after a certain hour • IIaring parking tagging/enforcement end by a certain hour, e.g. Anoka ends G:00 p.m. • Installuig safet}= devices (cameras in lots, blue emergency call posts) • Install blinking lights on Highway ld warning drivers of oncoming "red light" to slow traffic, better timing of the Highway 10 signals to allow more time for pedestrian crossing, constructing a pedestrian bridge, install stoplight at Lowell & I-I~~~}r 10 to slow traffic. • An understanding drat evening and weekend demand will be the highest ~vidt ne~v residents, visitors and businesses, and park activities. • i1t this tune the business tnis for die new developments are general retail, office/seLVice. No heati~~ traffic/puking businesses have been proposed }'et, due to available parking concerns. • Agreement that the current 3 and 4-hour parking time limits are too long for most businesses and customers. Instead it is being abused b}'some emplo}'ees moving tlieir vehicles. According to Cluef Beahen's research, most cities have 90-tzunute to 2- hour time limit tna.~ixnums. Agreement that 2-hour parking on-sweet would work, along with a few 3-hour stalls near the beauty shops for dzeir spa clients. • Use of north I Iighway 10 parking lots makes die most economic sense, is closest and has the most available parking, if safety modifications can be made. It was noted that die safe[~= modifications to die IVlain Street & I-I~vq 10 intersection made a definite improvement. • The Bank oFElk River will be relieving some demand on die Ding Ave. parking lot employee permit area in the nest week when the Bank's lot is completed. It is estimated dus will relieve 20 employee stalls, wide approaitnately '12 employee pernuts remaining. • Discussion about the option of shared private parking during closed busazess hours {evenings & weekends) - primarih}' «dd~ The Bank of Ells River and I~'irst National Bank of Elk River. )Main concern by prit*ate parlang owners is that residents of ne~v developments tna}' use die spaces, and issues ~vid~ how to best manage and patrol. • Members were encouraged to look at oilier downtowns for how die}' handle employee parking. Chief Beahen distributed a recent article about downtown Fargo, ND reinstating parking meters due to etnplo}'ees abusing d1e free parking and moving caxs to beat die time litrtits. • Currently over 300 etnphoyee parking permits have been issued for die SO employee designated stalls in the Itiirtg Ave parking lot. The group needs to identih' what the priority is for parking -employee or customer. Downtown Ellti River is unique uritl~ this of office (empoo}eee demanded) and destination retail (customer demanded), this makes the solutions more challenging. Now we will be adding a 3'~ dynanuc to tnis - residential. • Vern Hanson offered to communicate to their residents drat overflow resident & guest parking is available in the parking lots taoxth of I Tighway 10 and this would work