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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES OSHKOSH PARKING UTILITY COMMISSION MINUTES APRIL 14, 2010 PRESENT: Mary Murken, Jay Ratchman and Jim Stapel ABSENT: Harold Buchholz and Nicholas Janis 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 March 10, 2010 minutes. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). FINANCIAL REPORTS Ms. Murken moved to receive the financial reports. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). NEW BUSINESS REVISIONS OF MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2-50. 1. Mr. Strong walked the Board through the proposed ordinance changes. Ms. Murken moved to approve the revisions. Mr. Ratchman seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-0). 2. DISCUSSION OF REQUESTS FOR RESTRICTED USE OF CITY-OWNED PARKING. Mr. Strong said he has received numerous requests for relaxed parking enforcement to support various special events and construction activities. There hasn’t been a clear approval process in the past. While he noted these requests are relatively infrequent, he thought it would be important for the Commission adopt a policy to handle these requests. He would like feedback from the Commission on what type of requests the Commission feels comfortable with staff handling versus those which should have the Commission’s review. Ms. Murken was okay with a few spaces being used for a short time, but not a large amount. She suggested a percentage of each lot’s parking spaces. Mr. Stapel suggested contacting the main users of these lots when these requests occur. He suggested possibly 5 – 10 percent of the less utilized spaces. If the request is for a small percentage of the lot with a short notice, the City could grant it to them conditionally with a note that if it impacts the neighbors an adjustment may have to be made. PARKING UTILITY MINUTES Page 2 APRIL 14, 2010 Mr. Stapel felt if this request affects the neighbors, the requestor should contact them. He said if an entire lot was involved (example: filming of the movie “Public Enemies”), the Board needs to be involved. Mr. Strong said he would take these comments, sort through them and try to come up a policy to bring back to the Commission. STUDY OF USAGE OF SHORT-TERM PARKING. 3. Mr. Strong explained the short-term parking study he conducted. He said the data is a snapshot of what is happening in these lots. He noted that, for the most part, short-term parking is available. Mr. Stapel said we should use the Division Street Lot as an experiment and put notes on the vehicles that they are candidates for permit parking. Mr. Strong said that, according to his understanding of the State Statutes, we can’t put anything on the windshields unless it is related to handicapped parking (Wis. Stats. 346.94(4)). Mr. Stapel suggested putting a note in place of a parking ticket, which could serve as a warning. Ms. Murken suggested having this information available at the counter where parking tickets are paid. Mr. Stapel suggested putting the information about permit parking on the back of the parking tickets. DISCUSSION OF OVERNIGHT PARKING. 4. Mr. Strong said there is a perception that there is a shortage of overnight parking options for residents and visitors in areas served by municipal parking lots. Mr. Stapel suggested the Police gather some data on overnight parking usage. Ms. Murken asked if there was a law where owners are responsible to provide off-street parking for their tenants. Mr. Stapel didn’t think it was required. Mr. Strong said he understands that in the downtown area a developer must demonstrate that parking is available but not necessarily have to pay for it. Mr. Ratchman said it would be nice if overnighters would park in one area of the parking lot, which would help with snow removal. Mr. Stapel said that if overnight parking is such a scarce resource, shouldn’t we charge for it? One of the problems is that the owners don’t want to move their vehicles out of the spaces by 7 a.m. and enforcement doesn’t begin until after 9 a.m. He suggested that a map of available overnight spaces be made available at the counter. STAFF STATEMENTS None. AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING None. ADJOURNMENT There being no other business to come before the Parking Utility Commission, and upon being duly moved and seconded (Ratchman, Murken), the meeting adjourned at 4:58 p.m.