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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES OSHKOSH PARKING UTILITY COMMISSION MINUTES JUNE 10, 2009 PRESENT: Jim Stapel Presiding, Mary Murken and Jay Ratchman ABSENT: Harold Buchholz STAFF: Christopher Strong, Transportation Director Jennifer Weigand, Recording Secretary CALL TO ORDER Chairman Stapel called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Ms. Murken moved to accept the April 8, 2009 and May 13, 2009 minutes. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). FINANCIAL REPORTS Mr. Strong noted that he had worked with Director of Finance Peggy Steeno to improve the financial reporting. He added that he had discussed with Ms. Steeno the idea of providing the Board with a quarterly report on long-term assets and liabilities. Mr. Stapel would like some type of report that would give them a feel for future expenses. Ms. Murken moved to accept the financial reports. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1.REPEAL PARKING UTILITY COMMISSION BY-LAWS. Ms. Murken moved to repeal the Parking Utility Commission By-Laws. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). TH 2.REMOVAL OF PARKING METERS FROM W. 9 AVENUE PARKING LOT. Mr. Ratchman was concerned about customers who purchase monthly permit parking. He wants to make sure this is thought out before we anger the permit users. He felt enforcement would be easier if all time limits were consistent. Mr. Stapel felt daily permits would take care of this problem. Mr. Ratchman questioned the practicality of daily permits for beauty salon customers. They would be making four trips to and from their vehicle for each visit. He suggested 2-hour parking. Mr. Strong noted the Board earlier PARKING UTILITY MINUTES Page 2 JUNE 10, 2009 had agreed to 2-hour parking on the street and 90-minute parking in the lots. Mr. Stapel felt 90- minute parking made more sense. He felt with 2-hour parking, motorists would park there all morning. He felt it is unfortunate the Board can’t come up with something to make everyone happy. He said his top priority is to find parking for customers and patrons. Mr. Ratchman would like to find out who purchases permits and where they are used to help the Board with their decision. Mr. Stapel suggested having Scott Footit, BID officer, keep a tally sheet for a week to give the Board an idea where the permits are being used. Ms. Murken moved to layover this item. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). Item #7 was heard next. 7. CREATION OF ANNUAL, MONTHLY AND DAILY PERMIT PROGRAMS. Mr. Strong reviewed the proposed change to the municipal code, and how it differs from current language. He said by having the Common Council approve the fare rates each year, it would not be necessary to have them listed in the municipal code. He said the current language describing locations of parking locations is cumbersome so he suggested having an appendix with maps of each parking lot in the municipal code to add clarity. In reference to Brown Street, Mr. Ratchman suggested removing the meter heads but posting signs that read “Permit Parking” on the stanchions. Mr. Stapel suggested that the proposed permit program be worded to allow for different prices in different parking lots. This would allow the City to establish lower permit prices for underutilized lots. Mr. Strong said that the permits could be color-coded which would make this flexibility easier to enforce. Ms. Murken moved to create annual, monthly and daily permit programs as discussed. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 8. REALLOCATION OF SPACES IN WASHINGTON AVENUE PARKING LOT. Mr. Strong explained how one of the stipulations of the tax increment financing (TIF) district agreement with the Exclusive Company is that the City create a short-term parking lot. Utilization of the lot has decreased since 2002, which is around the time that the parking lot was switched from allowing long-term parking to when it was restricted to short-term parking. Mr. Strong thought it would be helpful to have greater flexibility in how the lot is managed, in order to support short-term and/or long-term parking, based on what is needed at the time. Mr. Strong noted that the TIF agreement provides no end date for its provisions regarding short-term parking. Mr. Strong requested the Commission’s authorization to pursue with the Exclusive Company a revision of this agreement. He suggested that the agreement be re-worded so that the Common Council has the ultimate authority on allocation of parking within that lot. Since the Exclusive Company has been there for several years, it can be argued that daytime usage levels have stabilized, and that the remaining capacity could be used in some way to support long-term parking. PARKING UTILITY MINUTES Page 3 JUNE 10, 2009 Mr. Jim Robl, owner of 404 North Main Street, said approximately 90 percent of the parked vehicles in this lot between 8 AM – 5 PM are tenants of 404 N. Main Street, who go out every 90 minutes and move their vehicles. He said he has lost several potential tenants due to the parking situation. He felt this could really benefit the downtown area because he could gain tenants, who would work there all day and bring business to the downtown area. Mr. Stapel noted the Commission had asked five years ago to renegotiate the contract, but the Exclusive Company did not want to re-open the contract. However, that may have been the case because it was just around the time they had moved there. He thinks it is wise to try again. Mr. Ratchman moved to revisit this agreement to better utilize the lot by including long-term parking. Ms. Murken seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). TH 3. REMOVAL OF PARKING METERS FROM W. 8 AVENUE PARKING LOT. Mr. Strong said this item is similar to #2, but the utilization is a lot less. Ms. Murken moved to convert these spaces to permit parking. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 4. REMOVAL OF PARKING METERS FROM RIVERSIDE LOT. Mr. Ratchman noted we are responsible for this parking lot but do not get any revenue from the lot. Ms. Murken is concerned about future use by the Convention Center. Ms. Murken moved to convert these spaces to unrestricted parking. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 5. REMOVAL OF ON-STREET METERS FROM CEAPE AVENUE AND MT. VERNON STREET. Ms. Murken moved to convert these spaces to 2-hour parking. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 6. REMOVAL OF ON-STREET METERS FROM ALGOMA BOULEVARD, ELMWOOD AVENUE AND IRVING AVENUE. Mr. Strong said the University wants to manage the areas without meters and this would delegate the on-street enforcement of these parking spaces to the University. Mr. Stapel said that while he is committed to getting rid of the parking meters, he is concerned that the Parking Utility would be forfeiting revenue. He noted that the Commission was open to keeping meters if they were the only viable solution in certain cases. With that option open, it might make sense to defer removing these meters until we know that other meters can be taken care of. Mr. Ratchman felt the meters give them the most turnover. Ms. Murken asked if the University would want to buy the meters. PARKING UTILITY MINUTES Page 4 JUNE 10, 2009 Mr. Ratchman was in favor of removing parking meters because most of them don’t work. However, the meters in the university are newer and work very well. Ms. Murken moved to layover this item. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 8. PROPOSAL TO DISCONTINUE LEASING OF PARKING SPACES. Mr. Strong questioned if there is merit to continuing with leasing spaces to specific individuals, whether on a 24-hour basis or for daytime use. There is some difficulty with enforcement with these 24-hour spaces. Mr. Stapel said some property owners depend on the leased spaces. He noted Susan Kepplinger fought for these tenant spaces and he felt she and the business owners should be brought into the discussion. He suggested that leased spaces should have a higher price than other parking spaces. This item was tabled until more information can be gathered. 10. PROPOSAL TO CHANGE HOURS OF ENFORCEMENT FOR MONTHLY PARKING SPACES. Ms. Murken moved to accept the proposed change. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING Mr. Strong said he would continue to bring forward proposals for removing meters in specific lots as outlined. Ms. Murken questioned if we could revisit the item of obtaining the charged parking revenue from the Riverside Lot when events are held at Leach Amphitheatre. STAFF STATEMENTS None. ADJOURNMENT There being no other business to come before the Parking Utility Commission, and upon being duly moved and seconded, (Stapel, Ratchman) the meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.