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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes1996-006 , ~ , RESOLUTION FAILED Sponsored by: Garzini CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION NO. 96-006 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, APPROVING THE STRATEGIC PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN WHEREAS, in recognition of existing and foreseen future parking needs throughout the community, the City Council directed the City Manager to formulate a city-wide parking management plan which would assure continued adequate parking facilities as they are needed; and WHEREAS, in order to provide for the city's current and future needs, it is in the public interest to acquire the services of a professional parking management contractor and to set up a parking revenue fund which will be funded through paid parking and a business assessment plan; and WHEREAS, the City Council has conducted work sessions and has discussed the proposed parking management plan at various City Council meetings, and the plan has been the subject of discussion at the Planning Commission and the Port and Commerce Advisory Board; and WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City to implement the Plan in May, 1996; and WHEREAS, in order for the City Manager to proceed with the actions recommended under the Plan, the City Council must approve the recommendations set forth in the December 20, 1995, memorandum from Michael Yanez, a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment A and is incorporated herein by reference; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, that: Section 1. The parking management recommendations set forth in the December 20, 1995, memorandum attached hereto are hereby APPROVED, and the City Manager is authorized to proceed with implementation of the Parking Management Plan. Section 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. FAILED TO BE APPROVED by the City Council of the city of Seward, Alaska, this 8th day of January, 1996. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA RESOLUTION NO. 96-006 THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ~~Yk:"~ 01~ ouis . Bencardino, Mayor AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Anderson Bencardino, Deeter, Keil, King, Sieminski Crane None ATTEST: maS. urph, C City Clerk .' ,'iIlIlUlr,.. .f~i~ ~~?/':: . /r..__.., .. ,.~,..." . .:, :;. '-'..~ - (~.... /~ l... v:-, ':" .. .. ., ~ . '.1 .. 't , G i : " ~. I : \',1.. .... '_.\ ,ll.."" ~ ." ',~~ .. '", ( -'.Uke: 1 "CCl.-". ."~ , ....~..... l .... . ......., ",*,.. ..."i~<~'..'. .. . \_~..J ..,... <;/', ,l. 0" ,-- .'\ \,.. '1,1'''' ...)- r"~,~t.'~~. II......,,:.' , , , 'MEMORANDUM Date: December 20, 1995 To: Honorable Mayor & City Council Members Ron Garzini, City Manager fW.J' . Michael Yanez, Deputy City Manage~ Tbm: From: Subject: Revised Parking Plan Recommendations Upon receipt of comments from the city council, boards and commissions and members of the public related to the Strategic Plan Parking recommendations, we wish to submit for consideration/approval the following revised recommendations: I. We propose the adoption of a strong policy statement which places responsiblity for customer parking on the retailer. Businesses continue to develop and expand with little regard given to provision of parking for its customers thereby placing the burden upon the City. The existing annual parking assessment system does nothing to expand parking availability. It is recommended the city council adopt the folowing policy statement: Recommendation 1: A) Private and retail businesses shall be responsible for providing parking for its customers on privately-owned lots or remote site lots served by shuttle service at levels in conformance with the City zoning code requirements. B) The City of Seward shall not be considered as the primary source of parking generation as the private sector shall assume responsibility for its needs created by its business activities. C) The Oty of Seward will attempt to provide parking within funding limitations available through the adoption and implementation of recommendations related to the Parking Revenue Enterprise Fund. ll. We continue to support and endorse the creation ofa fund to receive revenues from parking activities as well as to provide funds for maintenance and creation of parking infrastructure. Recommendation 2: The Oty shall establish a Parking Revenue Enterprise Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to meet operating and capital costs of existing and new parking lots and other parking infrastructure. These costs will include land 4cquisition, equipment and major repair of new and existing lots and on-street parking. This Fund will function as an enterprise account. It is our intent that funds from paid parking operations can be used for maintenance of exiting lots and items such as striping, lighting, sweeping and signage as well as new lot acquisition and construction. However, revenues acquired from any new proposed "one-time" assessment fee can only be used for acquisition, equipping and construction of new lots. PARKING PLAN REVISION Page two "Parking infrastructure" as envisioned includes parking lots both existing and new, on-street parking as well as incidentals (signage, striping, plowing, lighting, repair, etc.) and other items which enhance parking such as curbs and gutters in commercial and residential areas. ill. Based upon public comment, we propose the following: Recommendation 3: The City shall seek through RFP a contract with a professional parking nuznagementfirm to conduct seasonal paid parking operations in the long-term harbor lots and in new lots constructed by the City. A) A Request for Proposals shall be drafted and circulated and will include the following criteria.' 1) Paid parking operations shall be conducted only in the harbor 72-hours lots (north, south and northeast) and in the lot north and adjacent to the Harbor Lights condos as well as any new public lots constructed by the Dty. 2) The contractor may negotiate for additional space required by special event needs, ego Boulder Stadium for Salmon Derby. 3) The harbor middle lot. !lth Avenue street "arkinf! in the harbor and downtown area sholl be restricted to 2-hour (ree "arkinf! between the hours of Bam -10pm seasonally. The contractor shall provide the staffing to monitor the use and time restrictions of these areas. 4) Some 2-hour free parking spaces wiN be designated in the northeast lot to serve customers for east-harbor area businesses. 5) The contractor shall provide a local office and designate a site supervisor. 6) The contractor must nuzke available special seasonal permits for purchase and use by slip holders, harbor-area employees and harbor-area users. B) The Dty shall select a contractor based upon experience and professional reputation as a quality provider of such services. 1) The contractor will be expected to recruit, train and supervise local residents as employees of its operations. C) A revenue sharing agreement shall be negotiated based upon a percentage share of gross revenues acquired in the paid parking operations. D) A three-year contract shall be negotiated. The contract shall be initiated with the 1996 season (May - October). The city council will hold a hearing on the terms and conditions the contractor will implement each year. Because of the recommended three-year contract committment and our need for experience, we continue to strongly advocate for selection of the contractor be based upon its' record and experience, not high bid.. As detailed above, we have revised our recommendations inasmuch as the harbor middle lot and downtown 4th Avenue where we suggest free two-hour parking during the day and early evening. This will create the desired turnover of parking space in these areas as well as address capacity needs , , , PARKING PLAN REVISION Page three by discouraging aU-day parking by retail outlet employees particularly in the downtown area of 4th Avenue. Slip holders wishing to work on their vessels will also be benefitted by the two-hour free parking allowance. Additionally, slip holders will have the option of purchasing seasonal permits for the long-term lots. We did consider 4-hour free parking in the harbor middle lot but decided to suggest the 2-hour recommendation as, with paid parking in the big lots, many harbor patrons and employees would plug the middle lot creating minimal turnover. In addition, there are retail offerings which do attract a large number of patrons for activities that operate less than four hours, ego Reknown Charters' 2 1/2 hour Resurrection Bay tours, morning half-day salmon fishing charters. These patrons would undoubtedly rely on any free 4-hour parking availability thereby congesting the lot for a large portion of the business day. IV. In accordance with other recommendations forwarded, we recommend the foUowing: Recommendation 4: The O(Y shall discontinue the existing harbor parking assessment program effective December 31, 1995, and begin the one-time assessment program described in Recommendation #5. V. We have interpreted support for some form of city-wide parking assessment program. We will begin a one-time assessment program where a new business unable to provide its own parking can apply for the privilege to purchase its' deficit. The fee for each space purchase approved by the P&Z Commission will be set annuaUy by the council at the first meeting in January. Recommendation 5: A) Effective January 1,1996, any new and/or expanded business in any zoned district shall be required to meet code-mondated parking requirements on private lots or remote site lots served by shuttle service. 1) A new business is a business that initiates operations after January 1, 1996 and applies for a 1996 or future Ci(Y business license and did not have a 1995 Ci(Y business license. An "ownership transfer" exemption applies if the continued use of the retail structure does not change the parking requirements. 2) An expanded business is any retail development which changes the use of a retail structure which causes the requirement of additional parking per the Ci(Y zoning code. R) Effective January 1, 1996, new, expanded or modified businesses that cannot provide parking as determined by standards adopted by the O(Y shall be required to pay to the Ci(Y a one- time capital contribution to the Parking Revenue Enterprise Fund. The amount of the contribution shall be based upon a determined cost of parking space development for the number of spaces required and not provided by the business i,. "ddition to parking spaces lost or deleted by the business expansion. PARKING PLAN REVISION Page four VI. An additional recommendation is proposed which addresses a parking managment issue related to the downtown area. Recommendation 6: Street parking on 4th Avenuefrom Jefferson Ave. to Railway Ave. shall be restricted to two-hour parking from 8.'00 a.m. to 10.'00 p.m. year round. Parking shall befree for on-street parking. Turnover shall be regulated by the private contractor. As mentioned earlier, the two-hour restriction will encourage turnover in the limited number of parking spaces thereby aiding in the overall availability of parking spaces. Presently, the spaces are impacted by employee parking, apartment dweUer parking and "long term" bar patrons. It is anticipated the parking contractor wiU provide enforcement on a seasonal basis at first and then on a year-round basis upon construction and operations of downtown public, paid lots. Vll. Realizing patrons may choose to use the camping areas for parking to avoid paid parking, we recommend the foUowing: Recommendntion 7.' As an additive to the parking malUlgement bid, a contractor may place a bid for operations and management of the Qty's public camping areas. A) This bid shall be considered as an additive to the parking management bid. A bid solely for campground operations is not proposed. B) The following criteria will be in effect in the RFP and evaluation of bids for prospective campground contractors: 1) A minimum bid of $100,000/year must be provided. The revenue sharing arrangement in the parking management contract will be modified for campground contracting proposals. 2) A prospective campground contractor will provide staffing for collections, custodial service for pavilions and restrooms, portable toilet rentals, dumpster charges, campground litter cleanup, visitor referral services and caravan services. Upon city council approval of the recommendations we wiU begin implementing the plan items. A prospective action plan/timetable for actions is as foUows: (aU dates 1996) * Adoption of parking plan recommendations - January 8, 1996 * Drafting and circulation of an RFP for contracted services - mid-January * Council action to create Parking Revenue Enterprise Fund; introduce ordinance to create new assessment program - January 22 * Initiate actions with P&Z Commission to develop standards for new assessment program - February 7 * Public hearing and action on parking assessment ordinance; set rate by resolution - February 12 , , , PARKING PLAN REVISION Page five * Receive, review and recommend contractor from submitted RFP's; submit contractor's bid to council for approval to initiate negotiations - March * Submit negotiated contract to city council for approval - April * Parking/campground management contract and fee parking begins - May