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CR 98-73 Establish Changes To Downtown Parking SystemOverview. Primary Issues to Consider. Supporting Information. im Hartshorn Economic Development Coordinator \ T Y 0 P K May 1, 1998 Council Report 98 -073 ESTABLISH CHANGES TO THE DOWNTOWN PARKING SYSTEM Proposed Action. Staff is recommending adoption of the following motion: Move to accept the attached list of changes to the downtown parking system. With this motion, the Council will authorize staff to make certain changes to the downtown parking system. Last year, the Council requested staff to review the parking system approximately six months after the opening of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (HCA). The purpose was to review the system and see if it is providing adequate spaces to meet the increase in traffic downtown in a safe and convenient manner. It has been approximately six months since the opening of the HCA, and staff has reviewed the parking system and is now requesting approval of the parking changes outlined in this report. • What are the changes that staff is recommending? • Have the Public Works and Police departments reviewed the recommended changes? • What were HBCA's comments regarding the proposed changes? • Parking map • 1997 parking permit guidelines • Current general municipal parking regulations • Letter from Jay Strachota, Arts Center Facilities manager • Council Report 98 -073, May 1, 1998 - Page 2 Primary Issues to Consider. • What are the changes that staff is recommending? Issue two permits (if needed) per household for residents of 12th Avenue North. The permits will allow residents to park in spaces next to their homes. This was the preferred option resulting from a meeting with residents of 12th Avenue North. Staff will consider issuing permits to other downtown areas as needed. This action will result in a loss of parking spaces for the Arts Center, but will reduce the number of complaints from residents. Establish a loading zone on the east side of 12th Avenue North from Mainstreet to the alley that is north of the Center for the Arts. This area is presently signed for three -hour parking. The purpose would be to allow for unloading next to the stage door, prevent double parking on the west side of 12th Avenue, and increase safety. This action will result in a loss of three parking spaces. Change the direction of the alley located on the north side of the Center of the Arts to a westerly direction following completion of reconstruction of the alley. This action will allow more parking on the north side of the alley, pending an easement agreement with U.S. West. Advantages to this action include: creates more regular parking on the north side of the building and two additional handicap parking spaces on the northeast side of the building, for a total of three. Add "No Parking 2 a.m.- 5 a.m." signage to Lots 100, 200, 600 and 700, the Ninth Avenue lot, the lot behind Hoagies, and Snyders Lot. These public parking lots would then be compatible with other lots based upon maintenance issues such as sweeping and snow removal, etc. All snow emergency lots (Lot 300, Maetzold Field lot, and Ninth Avenue/Westbrooke) as well as Lot 500, will not be posted due to factors requiring emergency or 24 -hour use. The eastern half of Lot #100 (20 spaces) will be posted free all -day parking. Staff has received positive feedback from east Mainstreet business owners and managers regarding this proposed change. The purpose is to entice employees of Mainstreet businesses to park off Mainstreet, leaving more spaces for customer parking. Overnight parking is currently allowed in a designated area for residents in the municipal ramp with a free, green permit and in Lots 300 and 500 (w /o permit). Staff recommends adding overnight parking without permits in designated areas in Lots 100 and 700 and all of Lot 900. Staff is recommending designating parking areas for commercial vehicles that are marked for commercial use on an as- needed basis for a fee. This action would begin January 1, 1999. The purpose is to accommodate businesses that are commercial and wholesale in nature. Weight restrictions and fee structure will be determined at a later date. Council Report 98 -073, May 1, 1998 - Page 3 • Have the Public Works and Police departments reviewed the recommended changes? • What were HBCA's comments regarding the proposed changes? Alternatives 1. Adopt of the attached list of changes to the downtown parking system. With this action, staff will make changes to the downtown parking system. Staff is recommending changing the east side of Tenth Avenue South to a two -hour parking zone after discussions with business owners on Tenth Avenue South. This action would be consistent with other parking time zones in the downtown business district. Yes. Representatives from both Public Works and Police departments have reviewed the proposed changes and feel the changes are acceptable. The HBCA board reviewed the proposed changes at their last meeting on April 16, 1998. The board favors regular daytime parking in front of the Hopkins Center for the Arts. (Note: the board has not yet seen the memo from Jay Strachota, which is the basis for staffs recommendation not to allow parking in front of the HCA.) The board reviewed the other recommended changes and feels they are acceptable. Deny adoption of the recommended changes to the downtown parking system. If the Council denies adoption of the changes, no changes will be made in the current downtown parking system. 3. Continue for further information. If the Council indicates that further information is needed, the item will be continued. II n X 1 1111 0 (' n; ► 777 1,O . . 0 REFUND PRO -RATED SCHEDULE January February March April May June • July August September October November December $100.83 $ 91.66 $ 82.49 $ 73.32 $ 64.15 $ 54.98 $ 45.81 $ 36.64 $ 27.47 $ 18.30 $ 9.17 $ 0.00 enueAV u ;4 • anuaAy 4 ;$' ■ ■ ■ anuaAy y }6 ‘\-\\‘‘,\‘‘\-1\1. anu ^Ad y!9i . _ moinalom t January Febuary March April May June July August September October November December S anuaAy y;TT PURCHASE 411M10.wnr 010:0 anuaAY girt PRO -RATED SCHEDULE $110.00 $100.00 $ 91.00 $ 82.49 $ 73.32 $ 64.15 $ 54.98 $ 45.81 $ 36.64 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 j L. OAV t 1o1o1a.!n - 1\ I�-__� I:.) (r ..i.. 0 O 1997 PARKING PERMIT GUIDELINES 1) Parking permits are $110.00 per year, $32.00 per quarter, and $15.00 per month. Permits are sold on a calendar basis beginning 15 days prior to the new quarter or year. Monthly permits may be purchased at any time and are valid for 30 days. Single day permits are $2.00 each. 2) Permits must be affixed to the car on the REAR WINDOW in the lower left -hand corner. They must be visible from the drive aisle at all times when the vehicle is parking. Avoid placing the adhesive permit sleeve directly over the rear defroster wires. 3) Parking permits may be transferred between vehicles owned by the same individual. 4) Lost permits will be replaced at a service charge of $5.00. __- 5) •. V �Prb= rated refunds are a aii'ablefrom - the - City in the event an employee onger - - - --- working in the downtown area. Red permit numbers 1 -120 are disqualified for any refund. Fractional months will not be counted toward a refund. A $5.00 service charge is subtracted from the total refund for processing, and a four -week processing period is required to issue a refund. 6) A parking permit does not guarantee or reserve a specific space in any municipal lot. GENERAL MUNICIPAL PARKING REGULATIONS TIME LIMIT PARKING regulations are enforced in the downtown area between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday - Friday. CUSTOMER PARKING time limits are posted in each lot and on streets. Please be aware that time lists may be different in each area. Municipal lots are generally posted for free three hour parking. EMPLOYEE PARKING is allowed in designated areas for longer than the posted limits if a current permit is displayed in the lower left-hand corner of the rear window of the employee's vehicle. HANDICAP PARKING is allowed in any parking space without displaying a City of Hopkins parking permit. The vehicle is required to show proper state handicap identification. MUNICIPAL PARKING RAMP is closed to parking from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. From: Hopkins Center for the Arts To: Jim Hartshorn Date: 4/15/98 Time: 6:36.28 PM MEMORANDUM TO: Chair and members of the Zoning and Planning Commission Steve Mielke Jim Hartshorn FROM: Jay Strachota, Facilities Manager DATE: 04/15/98 RE: Mainstreet parking and 12 Avenue loading zone designation at the Hopkins Center for the Arts (HCA) I am writing to request that the Zoning and Planning Commission retain the loading zone designation on Mainstreet in front of the HCA, and designate 12 Avenue on the west side of the HCA as a loading zone from Mainstreet to the 12 Avenue alley. These are some of the current uses of these areas that support the loading designation. • During Child's Play Theatre Company (CPTC) performance runs CPTC will have up to 700 school children dropped off and picked up by up to 20 busses. This is currently done with little congestion and very safely by having the busses unload and stage on Mainstreet. • For each art exhibit up to 20 artists unload /load multiple works of art. Some of the art is heavy, some delicate, and many of the artists are senior citizens. Often these artists need assistance from a staff person or volunteer waiting in the HCA to assist. By staging unloading and loading on Mainstreet this has been handled safely with little congestion. • Caterers and equipment rental companies deliver food, tables, chairs, technical equipment, etc. to the HCA through the front entrance using the Mainstreet loading zone. • This summer up to 250 children will be dropped off /picked up daily for CPTC summer workshops. • Each month the HCA has between 15,000 - 20,000 visitors, a high percentage of which are children and elderly. To be able to provide a safe area to drop off before locating parking or picking up after a function is over is important to our operation. Page 1 of 2 rrom: !lopKins center tor th Arts To: Jim Hartshorn Date. 4/15/98 Time: 6:36:28 PM Page 2 of 2 The 12 Avenue side of the HCA is where the stage entrance is located. People who are participating in a performance use this entrance. Currently we are having difficulty with people double- parking and letting children out to go between cars to access the stage entrance. The Hopkins Police Department brought this problem to our attention and CPTC has given direction to participants not to double park. This has had little affect on what is actually happening. People continue to drop children off in the middle of the street. From a risk management point of view we are reducing congestion, handling deliveries safely, and with the designation of 12 Avenue as a loading zone we are reducing mid street pedestrian traffic and congestion. From a risk management perspective also consider that the HCA is on the north side of the street facing south which provides for very good natural ice control. (sunlight) in the winter. On small snowfalls the Mainstreet sidewalk at times melts off before staff completes snow removal. This is a risk management strength. If the alley was used as a designated loading zone we are then dealing with a space on the north side of a very tall building. The alley will not receive any sunlight for most of the winter. The alley even with the best snow removal and ice control efforts will be icy at times. So from a safety point of view Mainstreet is the place to drop off 700 school children during a day, not the alley. Finally, the tenants have expressed that the HCA has tremendous curb appeal and was designated to have the public enter the front doors and staff and performers enter the west door on the 12 Avenue side. For special events (like the Gala) there may be valet parking. Why would we want to drop people off in the alley when we create such a tremendous image for the City of Hopkins with the development and revitalization of Hopkins?