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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPKG MTG STAFF MEMO FEB 9_2011PARKING UTILITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEMS FEBRUARY 2011 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. APPOINTMENT TO DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING GROUP At the January 12, 2011 Parking Utility Commission meeting, the Commission supported the idea of a joint working group with Commission representation and representation from the Downtown BID to work on a long-term vision or strategic plan for downtown parking. Staff recommended that the Commission appoint one member to this group. With the absence of two commissioners from last meeting, the Commission elected to table the appointment of this individual until this meeting. The specific responsibilities of the working group are yet to be determined. I envision this group would meet monthly, for a 60- to 90-minute meeting. City staff would be responsible for scheduling meetings, developing agendas, and compiling a vision/plan based on the working group discussions. No formal minutes will be taken. To enable this group to move forward, I recommend the Commission appoint one of its members to serve as its representative on this working group. Commission action will still be required on any recommendations emerging from this working group. NEW BUSINESS 2. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT FOR PARKING UTILITY COMMISSION In follow-up to last meeting, a draft statement has been prepared which can be read at the beginning of future Commission meetings. While the specific word choice is at the chairperson’s discretion, this introduction can be used to help define how public input will be received at future Commission meetings. For comparison, I have attached the statement which is read at the beginning of the Traffic Review Advisory Board meetings. 3. USE OF RIVERSIDE PARKING LOT FOR POKER ON THE FOX, AUGUST 6, 2011 Poker on the Fox is requesting the use of the Riverside lot for its 2nd annual event, from 6 AM to midnight on Saturday, August 6, 2011. This request includes the southern four rows of spaces in the Riverside lot (shaded in magenta in Figure 1). The lot would be used as a power sports show vendor display area for boats, jet skis, and similar items. The vendor show would run from 9 AM to 9 PM. The additional hours are requested to provide time for the vendors to set up and take down their displays.  Figure 1: Map of Riverside Lot According to section 7(a) of the attached policy on reserving Parking Utility lots, this request requires review by the Parking Utility Commission. The following is the staff analysis of this request, per the criteria identified in section 6 of the policy: a) The positive and/or negative effects to properties adjacent to municipal parking areas This parking area is surrounded by other municipal parking areas. No negative effects are anticipated. b) The positive and/or negative effects to the City as a whole Poker on the Fox brings people downtown and is a fundraiser for local recreational organizations. The reserved use of this lot is part of the concept for this event, and is important in preserving Poker on the Fox in its current form. c) The availability of capacity of the parking lot This parking lot experiences low utilization, except when there are events at the Convention Center and/or the Leach Amphitheater. During this weekend, there is both Poker on the Fox and a wedding at the Convention Center on the evening of August 6. Neither the Parks Department nor the Convention and Visitors Bureau have indicated that the reserved use of this portion of the Riverside Lot would be a problem for these other activities. d) The availability of alternative parking areas in nearby lots or on-street Any potential alternative parking areas would be used primarily by Poker on the Fox and wedding attendees at the same time. Usage of these lots outside of these events is expected to be relatively low on Saturday. e) The potential to harm the physical infrastructure of the lot, including but not limited to pavement, curbing, landscaping, street lighting poles, signage and similar appurtenances, beyond normal wear and tear that occurs through customary activities in the parking lot The vehicles and exhibits included in the vendor display are typical of those which might be used in the lot during boating season. Care will need to be exercised to ensure that any larger-than-normal vehicles avoid parking on landscaped areas. f) The extent to which the request limits the ability of others to use the lot Vehicles would not be allowed into this lot at this time unless they were displayed in the power sports show. Apart from this event, however, there would be little demand to use this lot during this time, so the restriction should have little practical impact. g) The amount of revenue, if any, to be collected by the applicant for the privilege to park in the municipal lots during the time of the reservation No separate revenue is expected to be collected for any parking activity in this lot, although Poker on the Fox expects to generate revenue through fees charged to vendors and exhibitors as a part of the event. This request does not adversely affect revenue to the Parking Utility, as the Parking Utility does not collect any revenue from the spaces being requested. h) Potential adverse aesthetic or noise impacts No adverse aesthetic or noise impacts are anticipated. i) The extent to which applicant complied with the terms of any or all earlier reservation requests submitted by the applicant This is the first time the applicant has made this request. I recommend the Commission approve this request. 4. DISCUSSION OF CEAPE AVENUE LOT PARKING Commission members expressed interest in discussing the current allocation of parking in the Ceape Avenue lot. The purpose of this agenda item is to generate discussion and recommendations for staff to pursue.  Figure 2: Layout of Ceape Lot The Ceape lot has 169 spaces, six of which are designated as handicapped parking while the remaining 163 spaces are designated as permit parking. Prior to parking meters being removed in 2009, these 163 spaces were controlled through 10-hour/blue-banded meters. The fact that the spaces were intended for long-term use motivated the staff recommendation to switch to permit parking. However, the lot has had relatively low usage in recent years as the demand for employee parking has abated. Most usage occurs in the western portion of the lot. There has been increased interest in this lot in the last couple of years, from a couple of different sources. In 2008, the management at 100 North Main had expressed interest in having some spaces dedicated to their building, for supplemental tenant parking. When this request was discussed in November 2008, the Parking Commission recommended against designating spaces in this fashion, until the renovated Convention Center had at least one year of experience behind it. The ownership of 217 North Main is trying to attract office tenants, and is interested in designating spaces in this lot for leased parking; similar to what the Commission recommended in its January 2011 meeting. Events at the Convention Center and the Leach Amphitheater will use this lot from time to time. Convention Center events may occur on weekdays when there could be demand for employee parking in this lot. While daily permits would allow event attendees to use this lot, these may not be practical for many Convention Center events, such as trade shows or weddings. Currently, Parking Utility spaces are generally managed under one of three schemes: free short-term (2-hour or less) parking, permit parking, and leased parking. The short-term parking is typically geared toward retail uses, and would not seem to be appropriate for the types of uses this lot currently receives. Leased parking may create conflicts on days when there are events at the Convention Center or the Leach Amphitheater, especially if event attendees do not understand what leased parking means. Permit parking creates enforcement challenges when there are events which require the use of this lot. This may be a case where it is necessary to investigate other solutions, such as pay-and-display, pay-by-space or gate-entry systems. Parking Utility Commission Draft Opening Statement I will call the (date)_______meeting of the Parking Utility Commission to order. Good afternoon and welcome. The Parking Utility Commission is an advisory board of the City of Oshkosh with jurisdiction over many municipal parking lots in the downtown and Oregon Street business districts. The Commission reviews items of interest related to these lots in serving its advisory role to the Oshkosh Common Council. In many cases, actions by the Commission will result in recommendations to the Oshkosh Common Council. The Council can accept or reject any recommendation from the Commission. Citizen participation in the Commission meetings is welcome. For this afternoon’s meeting, I will read each agenda item, at which time citizens will be allowed to speak. If you would like to speak, please give your name and address. I do ask you keep your comments pertinent to the agenda item, and that you limit your comments to five minutes or less. The item will then come back to the Commission for discussion and action. Traffic Review Advisory Board Opening Statement I will call the (date)_______meeting of the Traffic Review Advisory Board meeting to order. Good afternoon and welcome. The Traffic Review Board reviews items of interest regarding parking and traffic items. We are an advisory board and our favorable recommendations today will go before the Oshkosh Common Council. The Council can accept or reject any recommendation from this Board. If you don’t agree with our decision, you can discuss the item with any Council member. If the Board does not recommend an item, a Common Council member may sponsor a new ordinance regarding this item. All items require two readings before the Common Council. The first reading will take place on Tuesday, (date)_______ at 6 p.m. and you will be allowed to comment on the item at that time though the council will take no action. On Tuesday (date)_______ at 6 p.m. the item will be on second reading at which time the Council will take action. You will again be allowed to speak. For this afternoon’s meeting, I will read each agenda item, at which time if you’d like to speak, please step up to the podium and give your name and address. I do ask you keep your comments pertinent to the agenda item. The item will than come back to the board for discussion and action.