Memo Parking Committee Discussion
CITY OF HOPKINS
. MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 4, 1995
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council
~FROM: Paul T. steinman, Community Development Specialist
SUBJECT: Parking Committee Discussion--October 10 Work Session
overview
The purpose of this memo is to provide a basis for a discussion
of the future of the Parking Committee.
Based on this discussion, staff is asking the council to aid in
more clearly defining the future goals and activities of the
Parking committee or direct staff to undertake the necessary
steps to dissolve this group.
. Backqround and Purpose of the Parkinq committee
The Parking Committee was formed in 1987 as an advisory board to
the City Council regarding parking issues in the downtown area.
It was created in conjunction with the implementation of the
City's permit parking system. This system, at its onset,
generated numerous issues which the Council felt would be better
served by utilizing the services of an advisory board that would
make recommendations to the Council.
Between the years 1987 and 1991, the Parking Committee met more
than 50 times for the following purposes: to conduct public
informational meetings; hear citizen complaints and comments;
provide direction to staff on parking issues; and provide a link
between the business community and City Council on parking
issues. Over the past four years, however, there has been a very
limited need for this group to meet on a formal basis, due to the
following:
The major issues related to the permit system have since been
resolved.
Staff has been dealing with the minor policy issues on an
administrative basis.
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Memo to The Honorable Mayor and city Council, October 4, 1995
Page 2
A summary of the objectives of the Parking Committee, as
indicated in its bylaws, is as follows:
Analyze and review parking issues and make recommendations to
the City council
Consider implementation of, and changes to, the operation and
management of the parking system within the central business
district
Implement and change parking time limits and regulations
Analyze and review parking components of redevelopment
proposals
Review parking concerns raised by citizens
Review parking-related items referred by the City Council
staff feels that, over the past four years, such objectives have
been appropriately and positively addressed at the staff level
without the involvement of the Parking committee or City Council.
staff Recommendation
Staff does not foresee a substantial level of involvement in
future activities for the Parking Committee. As a result, staff
recommends that the Parking Committee be eliminated and the
following process be implemented to deal with parking issues:
Staff initially reviews citizen requests, comments, and
concerns
Staff resolves minor issues on an administrative level
Issues of more major concern are reviewed by staff, discussed
with HBCA, input is gathered from affected business and
property owners, and a recommendation is made by staff to the
zoning and Planning Commission or City Council.
In conclusion, it has been the feeling of staff that the parking
system should primarily serve the interests of the majority of
business and property owners in the downtown area. with regard
to this, staff recommends that over a period of time, more of the
responsibilities associated with parking issues be given to the
HBCA and individual business/property owners. staff's approach
when issues arise would be to help build consensus among affected
business and property owners, and then recommend the changes to
the City Council prior to implementation.
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