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HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-24 downtown parking1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 RESOLUTION NO. 96-24 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE DOWNTOWN PARKING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHEREAS, on June 5, 1992, the City Council and the Ukiah Redevelopment Agency adopted the Ukiah Downtown Revitalization Master Plan; and WHEREAS, the Master Plan identifies an inefficient utilization of existing resources and calls for improved management of those resources through the development of a Parking Improvement Program, of which various elements are defined within the Master Plan; and WHEREAS, the Downtown Master Plan Committee has continued to convene and subsequently completed the proposed Downtown Parking Improvement Program, as defined in Exhibit "A" of this document; and WHEREAS, extensive public input from downtown merchants, businessmen, and employees, as well as the City of Ukiah Traffic Engineering Committee, Planning Commission, and general citizenry, has been sought and included in the Program. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to directives established in the Downtown Revitalization Master Plan, the City Council does hereby approve and adopt the Downtown Parking Improvement Program. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of October, 1995, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Councilmembers Mastin, Mayor Schneiter. NOES: None. ABSENT: None. Cathy MoK/y, City/Clerk 4 :Res :Parkln~ Malone, Wattenburger, Shoemaker, and PREPARED BY THE UKIAH REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Octo~r,l~5 Introduction This program is intended to implement the policies and directives identified in the Downtown Revitalization Master Plan, adopted by the City Council and UkJah Redevelopment Agency on June 5, 1992. While the Master Plan identified resources in excess of 1,400 parldng spaces in the downtown, it also identified a number of deficiencies in the use of those resources. Collectively, these findings indicate the most efficient and cost-effective method of improving downtown parking is to maximize the utilization of existing resources, while remaining vigilant and responsive to increasing demands resulting from successful revitalization. This finding has become the foundation of the Program, and has led to the formation of the following goals, objectives and Program policies: Goal 1. Goal 2. Maximize the utilization of existing parking resources. Provide flexibility and creativity in solving the parking problems associated with downtown revitalization. Goal 3. Enhance and diversity the parldng scheme in the downtown. Goal 4. Increase pedestrian, bicycle, and mass transit access. Goal 5. Increase off-street parking resources in response to demand development and Redevelopment projects. from new O-1. 0-2. 0-3. 0-4. 0-5. Utilize the existing parking lots for designated downtown employee parking. Provide incentives to ensure use of the existing parking lots by employees. Enhance identification of off-street parking lots. Establish designated juror parking for the Courthouse. Provide alternatives to individual vehicle use through the increase and enhancement of pedestrian, bicycle, and mass l]'ansit access, services, and parking facilities in the downtown. Downtown Parking Prol:lram Pollcle.~ Policy A: Business Owner and Employee Parking It shall be the primary policy of the Downtown Parking District to ensure employee parking within the downtown core be concentrated off-street whenever possible, and that parking permits be available upon request. Downtown Parking Permits shall be issued on a specific location basis. Permits for off-street spaces may be made available in the areas designated in Exhibit "A." Policy B: Permit and Meter Fees The City Council may from time to time consider, adopt, and/or revise a Fee Schedule for metered and permitted public parking. Said Fee Schedules shall be reviewed by the Council during the annual budget process for the purpose of considering fee adjustments, or at such other times as the Council deems necessary. A volume discount shall be integrated into the adopted Fee Schedule for businesses, organizations, and/or agencies seeking to secure a minimum of six (6) or more parking spaces within the Parking District on an annual basis. Every effort shall be made to research and develop incentives for ridesharing to induce carpooling among downtown employees and shall also be incorporated into the Fee Schedule. Policy C: Time Zones Time zones within the Parking District are enforced Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only, and on-street parking within these time zones shall remain unmetered and free to the public during non-enforcement hours. The Parking District may, however, enforce parking regulations, time limits, and/or fees within off-street municipal parking facilities, seven (7) days per week, 24 hours per day in response to increased demand on resources. Parking regulations within each municipal facility shall be so posted and approved by the City Council. The Downtown Master Plan identifies the need for some short-term parking times within the Parking District to meet the specific needs of businesses and create high tumover of parking spaces. Time zones must be balanced to accomplish this goal while not overburdening enforcement and still creating the opportunity for 'browsing" in the downtown. To enhance the availability of parkJng resources and create turnover for the destination customer, 24 minute spaces shall be established along each block of School Street. The number of spaces so designated shall be determined by business needs and the overall number of spaces available within that block. In no case shall the number of 24-minute spaces exceed two per side of each block. Policy D: Metered Parking Metered parking shall be limited to the area of the District east of Pine Street; with the exception of School Street, between Smith and Clay Streets. On-street meters shall provide for up to a five (5) hour maximum, and off-street meters shail provide for a ten 2 (10) hour maximum. This action i~ to encourage centralized long-term parking off-street. Policy E: Handicapped Parkln¢l Handicapped parking shall be placed within all municipal perking facilities at a ratio of one handicapped space per 25 standard spaces. On-street handicapped parking shall be provided on School and Main Streets, at the rate of one space per 500 lineal feet of curb frontage. This requirement may be satisfied by the provision of additional spaces within appropriately located municipal lots. Policy F: Parkln;I Resource Improvements Parking facility improvements include landscaping and aesthetic upgrades, and the acquisition and the eventual construction of new facilities. Improvements to existing facilities shall be accomplished through the streetscape improvement Program and will include Iow intensity decorative security lights, enhanced pedestrian walkways through the lots, perimeter landscaping, and interior tree planters. All parking lot improvements will be completed in accordance with the Downtown Design Guide. On-street parking resources shall be increased where possible through the elimination of unnecessary loading zones, no parking zones, and the realignment of parallel speces to diagonal spaces. The Redevelopment Agency will initiate negotiations with applicable property owners along the west side of Main Street for the purpose of securing long term leases on underutilized poorly configured parcels and inaccessible existing private lots. Acquisition of leases on these properties will allow the Agency to improve these properties through consolidation, coordination of circulation, and aesthetics. The net effect will be the creation of additional resources on currently undeveloped and highly underutilized properties, maximizing existing resources, while minimizing large acquisition costs. Policy G: Public Awareness The public awareness Program shall include an active campaign to promote not only identification of facilities but usage as well. City lots are currently identified by signage, however, landscape improvements should provide spotlighting of those signs along with security lighting throughout the lots. Informational flyers and brochures, including maps and type of peridng available, shall be developed and distributed to downtown businesses, inserted in local publications, and distributed through utility billings. Workshops with downtown businesses should include counseling employees to promote a positive image of downtown shopping and parking. Policy H: Jury Parklnq Every effort shall be made to develop and maintain a Program which provides convenient, available, and if possible, complimentary parking for jurors encouraging them to shop and eat in the downtown while on jury duty. A specific Program shall be completed in cooperation with the Jury Commissioner's office and forwarded to the City Council for 3 approval. Policy I: Requirements for New Development Parking requirements for new construction within the Parking District shall be calculated at one space per 350 square feet of net leasable space, eliminating hallways, closets, elevator shafts, restrooms, and mechanical equipment areas from the calculations. An in-lieu parking fee shall be established within the Parking District to assist development of private parcels and provide for future resources. The purpose of these fees is to allow property owners in possession of parcels too small to support development with on-site parking, to "purchase" off-site spaces. By opting for an in-lieu fee, these owners can increase the square footage of a project, making it economically feasible, while funding future improvements to public facilities to offset project impacts. This should facilitate new development on many of the smaller parcels which currently would require a cumbersome, and difficult to attain, variance. Policy J: Bicycle Parklnq The Downtown Parking Improvement Program provides for the addition of new bike racks strategically placed along downtown streets and within public lots. In addition, the adoption of this Program will provide developers with a parking requirement exemption for new construction at the rate of three bike spaces per vehicle space, not to exceed the exemption of two (2) spaces per parcel, or 15% of total parking requirement, whichever is greater. Bicycle parking amenities will be incorporated into the landscape and pedestrian areas as well as within municipal lots. Bicycle traffic will be encouraged along all downtown streets. Bike lanes shall be included in future street improvements wherever possible. Policy K: Future Improvements Off-street parking facilities are lacking south of Church Street. This area should be targeted first for future parking expansion. Additional off-street parking may be needed north of Church Street, contingent upon development and/or revitalization of the Palace Hotel and the completion of potential restaurants in this area. Further improvements and increases in resources may include expansions of existing facilities and should be based upon demand created by future projects and the success of the revitalization effort. The Master Plan calls for close monitoring of parking demand, and development of resources in response to increases in that demand. With improvements in the impact of employee parking, the need for additional resources should be assessed at a future date. The City of Ukiah and Ukiah Redevelopment Agency shall, in cooperation with the Mendocino Transit Authority, initiate a public transportation Program for the downtown. This Program shall include a designated shuttle service connecting the Redwood Business Park, Perkins Street Shopping District, and the Downtown Shopping District. Every effort shall be made to create this service through a public/private partnership with direct funding being provided through businesses and retailers within the service area. Rider charge to 4 the public for this shuttle service should be complimentary, if possible. Future improvements identified in this Program ara intended to ensure greater availability of both on- and off-street parking resources and provide the foundation to meet any increasing demands in accordance with the Downtown Master Plan. Policy L: Administration Parking development, implementation, and administration of the Parking Distdct will be the responsibility of the Redevelopment Agency in the course of carrying out the responsibilities of the Downtown Master Plan. Enforcement will remain the responsibility of Public Safety and the Redevelopment Agency will coordinate with the Traffic Engineering Committee in parking issues which may result in impacts to traffic circulation. 5 EXHIBIT "A" On-Street Permit Locations Oak Street (Between Church & Seminary) 25 100% School Street (Seminary to Clay) 5 45% (Henry to Smith) 12 63% Pine Street (Henry to Smith) 5 45% (Smith to Standley) 5 ' 41% (Perkins to Church) 5 41% (Church to Stephenson) 5 45% (Stephcnson to Clay) 5 41% Bush Street (Smith to Standley) 10 71% (Standley to Perkins) 5 50% (Perk/ns to Church) 7 50% Seminary (State to School - median) 14 100% postable (School to Oak - median) 14 100% postable (School to Oak - curbside) 9 69% Clay Street (West of Oak) 10 50% Perkins (Oak to Pine) 4 57% (Pine to Bush) 4 50% Smadley (Oak to Pine) 7 64% Smith Street (Oak to Pine) 2 40% (Pine to Bush) 4 57% TOTAL I 1571 Prime locations to be utilized first