Title
Parking Strategy Status Report
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on the Parking Strategy project. Briefing only; No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on the Parking Strategy project.
Staff Contact:
Max DeJarnatt, Parking Program Analyst, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3723.
Presenter:
Max DeJarnatt, Parking Program Analyst
Background and Analysis:
Staff will provide an overview of the work completed on the Parking Strategy, recommendations to date and next steps to complete the project. Staff will present progress on short-term “Phase I” recommendations from the draft strategy; updates on “Phase II” items; and receive feedback and direction from the Committee.
Previously identified Phase I items include:
• Implement new technology including pay-by-phone, new parking software and license plate recognition (LPR) (1.1)
• Convert some 9-hour meters to 3-hour meters in retail core to encourage turnover and increase availability (2.3)
• Begin a shared off-street parking pilot in the area of the Washington Center (3.2, 6.1)
• Conduct a lighting audit to evaluate lighting needs in and around parking areas (4.5)
• Start a free bus pass program for low-income downtown employees (4.7)
• Develop a Downtown Employee Parking Education program to encourage alternatives to long-term on-street parking for downtown employees (5.3)
Phase II items to be discussed include:
• Evaluate occupancy to ensure pricing and time restrictions prioritize ground-floor demand effectively (2.1)
• Expand occupancy studies to evaluate evenings and weekends (2.2)
• Begin scoping for potential downtown mixed use project to include structured parking (3.3)
• Updating residential and employee on-street permit pricing (5.1, 5.4)
• Assessing ADA requirements in parking (7.2, 7.3, & 7.4)
• Build a strong communications framework to engage community about the parking system
• Determine value of curb parking to inform considerations related to development and frontage improvements
Neighborhood/Community Interests:
The goal of the Parking Strategy is to ensure convenient, predictable parking for all downtown users (a perceived lack of which is a barrier to downtown’s success).
Options:
N/A
Financial Impact:
Financial impacts of the Phase I and II recommendations will be discussed in detail during the presentation.
Attachments:
Parking Strategy Fact Sheet
Link to Parking Strategy Web Page