TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Anne McIntosh, Community Development Director
Steve S. Charelian, Interim Finance Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Increase Parking Meter Duration to Three Hours after 6 PM Daily and Permit Overflow Merchant Parking in the Civic Center Parking Structure Lower Level on Closed City Hall Days (Community Development Director McIntosh).
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council approve an increase to the parking meter duration to three hours after 6 pm daily, as well as permit overflow merchant parking in the Civic Center parking structure lower level on closed City Hall days.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
An increase in the parking duration from two hours to three hours after 6 pm will not have any significant impact to the parking meter revenue, since the occupancy rates would not be expected to change during those hours. However, a one-time cost of approximately $5,000 would be needed to modify the existing parking signs on about 1,000 parking meters. A reduction of approximately $18,000 per year in revenue (at 50% merchant permit occupancy) from the lower level of the Civic Center parking structure would be expected because vehicles with merchant permits would occupy many of the currently metered spaces on (closed) Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Parking is not metered in this lot on Mondays through Thursdays after 3 pm.
BACKGROUND:
On October 21, 2008, after several months of Commission meetings, public hearings and discussions, the City Council approved the 2008 Downtown Parking Management Plan (Plan). The purpose of the Plan was to evaluate the overall parking situation in the downtown area and develop strategies for optimizing usage of the public parking lots and on-street parking spaces. The plan was implemented through a series of measures to address parking deficiencies and issues. The current parking operation and regulations have been in place since 2008.
During FY 2018-20 budget discussions, several items were brought forward related to parking meters and merchant parking permits that could have an effect on revenue and parking operations. The City Council directed staff to investigate and provide a report for further discussion on the following items:
• Increase holiday meter bagging time from 3 weeks to 4 weeks in December;
• Extend the parking meter duration from 2 to 3 hours after 6 pm for evening visitors
• Allow overflow merchant parking in the Civic Center parking structure
• Increase the hourly parking meter rate to match market rates.
DISCUSSION:
The Downtown Business and Professional Association (DBPA) has asked the City to make some changes to time limit parking and merchant parking in Downtown, in order to improve customer and employee parking conditions. They requested the following:
1. Extend the maximum time limit of all two hour metered parking spaces to three hours after 6 pm to provide extended parking for dinner and shopping in the evenings.
2. Allow merchants with parking permits to park in the lower level of the Civic Center parking structure during currently restricted Civic Center permit parking hours, but when City Hall is closed - including alternate Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Meter Time Limits
On-street metered parking spaces throughout the City have a maximum time limit of two hours between 8 am and 9 pm. In addition, Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and the Civic Center lot provide two-hour metered parking (Attachment 1). Current meter rates are $1.25 per hour for on-street parking and $0.75 per hour in public parking lots, except for the State Pier Lots which are $1.50 per hour. The purpose of this difference in rates is to encourage long term users to park in the underutilized public parking lots, to discourage employee street parking, and to reduce overtime parking (feeding the meter).
Staff believes that extending the maximum parking time from two hours to three hours after 6pm is reasonable, and would not materially change the parking dynamics in Downtown. It would encourage commercial activity in the evenings, and reduce overtime parking. An additional hour in certain areas could enhance the experience of those seeking to enjoy the restaurants and shopping in Manhattan Beach. For example, a diner arriving at 6 pm could pay for three hours and occupy the space worry-free without relocating their car.
While there may be a small revenue increase because more people may pay for more time then actually taken, enforcement revenue may decrease somewhat due to fewer citations for “Expired Meter” violations. Therefore, this potential meter adjustment is considered revenue neutral. While this change would require a small adjustment in the smart meter programming, it would require the modification of over 1,000 parking signs. Staff recommends that the three hour time limit be implemented on a citywide basis rather than in Downtown only in order to reduce any confusion by the public who may park in different areas of the City after 6 pm.
Employee Parking in City Hall Garage
The City offers both biannual and monthly merchant permits to park in the lower level of the Metlox parking structure, as well as special merchant permits for Lots 1 and 2. Overflow merchant parking is allowed on the top level of the Lot 3 parking structure. About 700 bi-annual and 90 monthly permits are issued by the City to park in about 260 non-exclusive spaces in the Metlox parking structure, plus about 53 overflow spaces in Lot 3. The bi-annual parking permit cost is $160 and the monthly permits are $27. The City issues over twice the number of permits than available parking spaces to maximize parking occupancy, since not every merchant permit is used every day. However, the parking spaces used for merchant parking are also open to the public, who can park up to 10 hours in those spaces by paying the meter. As a result, the combined parking demand for these spaces typically exceeds capacity after 10 am during the week, and on most summer weekends.
The lower level of the Civic Center parking structure is restricted to Civic Center employees with parking permits until 3 pm on Mondays through Thursdays, and is free to the public after 3 pm. Parking on Fridays through Sundays is metered and limited to two hours between 8 am and 9 pm. To help relieve merchant parking demand, staff supports non-exclusive merchant permit parking in the lower level of the Civic Center parking structure on (closed) Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which is often under-parked on those days. However, merchant parking should not be allowed during the week, because this is a primary public parking area for evening meetings held at City Hall and the Manhattan Beach Library.
This measure would likely be implemented in conjunction with a longer term plan being considered to secure the lower Civic Center parking area for City Hall and Library employees during City Hall work hours. A capital project is included in the Capital Improvements Plan to install electronic gate arms at the parking entrances to improve security for City staff, as well as to provide a clear indication when the lower lot is open or closed to the public. This will reduce confusion, simplify enforcement, and reduce the likelihood of a citation in violation of the posted restrictions. The closed gate arms would be activated during City Hall hours through a multi-purpose access badge or card issued to employees and remain open when City Hall is closed.
PUBLIC OUTREACH/INTEREST:
This item has been previously discussed with the DBPA Board. Public notices for this item were posted in three public locations and posted online on the City’s website, www.citymb.info <http://www.citymb.info>, and has been forwarded to the DBPA and North End BID for distribution to local businesses.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
Attachment:
1. Downtown Parking Map