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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCM Parking-Wayfinding Study Report ____________________________________________________________________________________ FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: 4-3-591 x 245 Council Meeting: 10/16/2017 Disposition: Accepted report Agenda Item No: 6.a. Meeting Date: October 16, 2017 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: City Manager Prepared by: Jim Myhers Parking Services Manager City Manager Approval: __________ TOPIC: DOWNTOWN PARKING/WAYFINDING STUDY SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL UPDATE TO CITY COUNCIL ON THE DOWNTOWN PARKING/ WAYFINDING STUDY PURPOSE: Staff is providing an update to City Council on the Downtown Parking/Wayfinding Study and a broad overview of some of the study’s recommendations to be covered in more depth at the Economic Development Subcommittee and future City Council meetings. Staff will be seeking Council feedback on specific recommendations when they are presented at upcoming meetings. BACKGROUND: In anticipation of SMART rail service coming to San Rafael, the General Plan 2020 (adopted in 2004) included a number of policies to help the City prepare for rail service, including the establishment of a Downtown Station Area Plan. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) on Economic Development and Affordable Housing assisted with the development of the plan and the final Downtown Station Area Plan was adopted by City Council in 2012. Along with its adoption, the plan called for the City to seek funding opportunities to study the area and implement policies and recommendations in anticipation of future needs related to SMART. On December 1, 2014, City Council accepted a $250,000 grant from the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) to fund a Parking and Wayfinding Study of the downtown area. The objectives of the study were to analyze the City’s current public parking; explore anticipated future parking needs including future transit ridership; examine and upgrade the current wayfinding program for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians; and to propose parking policies and management options to maximize usage of existing parking supply. Based on feedback from the community and recommendations from stakeholders, the study was expanded beyond the original scope of the Downtown Station area to include the greater Downtown San Rafael area. The study was conducted by consultants Kimley-Horn and Associates. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 The Parking and Wayfinding Study project was divided into the following four distinct phases: In Phase 1, Kimley-Horn and Associates collected a significant amount of supply/demand data on the current state of parking and wayfinding in the downtown area. This included, but was not limited to on- street metered parking usage and rates, usage at public and private parking infrastructure within the downtown area, traffic counts, destination-based parking behaviors, pedestrian counts on paths of travel, and extensive public outreach including in-person and online surveys. The information gathered included not only data about public parking facilities and options, but also included usage at private lots and structures. Based on the data gathered in Phase 1, a draft report with the consultant’s findings and recommendations was submitted to the City in spring 2016. That report has approximately 50 recommendations for the City to improve existing parking conditions downtown ranging from signage to implementing public-private partnerships with businesses downtown that have excess parking. More detailed information can be found online on the Downtown Parking & Wayfinding Study webpage. Please note that staff will be presenting a summary of detailed recommendations at upcoming City Council meetings. In Phase 2, City Staff presented the draft report and consultant recommendations to a number of stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, CAC, Economic Development Subcommittee, Business Improvement District (BID), Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and at the monthly meeting of the Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods and the North San Rafael Coalition of Residents. Based on the community’s feedback from this initial round of outreach, City recommended that more time needed to be spent with key stakeholders on understanding, evaluating and customizing the recommendations in the draft consultant report so that they were more tailored to San Rafael. Many felt that the initial recommendations from Kimley-Horn, while valid, would benefit from further analysis by stakeholders who were deeply knowledgeable and concerned with parking needs in the downtown area. In December 2016, a Parking & Wayfinding Community Working Group (CWG) was formed that includes the following 10 community members: • Jerry Belletto: Neighborhood Representative Phase 1 •Information Gathering •Summer 2015 -Summer 2016 Phase 2 •Draft Report + Consultant Recommendations + Initial Public Outreach •Spring -Fall 2016 Phase 3 •Feasibility Analysis + Comprehensive Engagement Effort •Winter -Summer 2017 Phase 4 •Final Report + City Staff Recommendations •Fall 2017 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 • Dirck Brinkerhoff: Advisory Committee on Economic Development & Affordable Housing, local resident and commercial realtor • Jeff Brusati: Downtown business owner (T & B Sports) • Bill Carney: Advisory Committee on Economic Development & Affordable Housing, Sustainable San Rafael • Adam Dawson: Downtown business (Mike’s Bikes) • Judy Ferguson: Forbes neighborhood resident • Wick Polite: Developer, Seagate Properties • Jackie Schmidt: Montecito Area Residents Association • Roger Smith: Advisory Committee on Economic Development & Affordable Housing • Joanne Webster: San Rafael Chamber of Commerce As a part of Phase 3, the Working Group met monthly from January to October 2017 engaging in meaningful discussions and providing thoughtful and thorough feedback on each set of recommendations in the draft report. The group spent a total of over 25 hours with City staff and Kimley-Horn reviewing and providing input. City staff from the City Manager’s Office, Parking Services, Economic Development, Public Works, and Community Development attended these monthly meetings to provide input and ensure the recommendations were coordinated and in line with other City projects and initiatives. The Working Group categorized recommendations into seven major focus areas: • SMART • Marketing and promotion of downtown parking • Parking Policies (rates, time limits, enforcement, parking supply) • Pedestrian Network (crosswalks, sidewalks, paths) • Bicycle Parking Infrastructure • Zoning and Development Standards (parking district, parking requirements, bicycle parking requirements) • Wayfinding Due to the complexity and wide variety of the content of the recommendations and analysis that came out of the CWG, the results of the study and City staff’s recommendations are being presented over the next few months to the Economic Development Subcommittee and future City Council meetings. At the Council meeting on October 16th, City staff and Kimley-Horn will present on the existing conditions data and the findings of the information gathering, data collection, and public surveying that was conducted in 2015 to 2016. This presentation will provide a comprehensive project update to Council and provide the foundation from which Council may weigh in on recommendations brought forward in the upcoming meetings. ANALYSIS: The study, conducted by Kimley-Horn, focused on gathering measurable data on usage of current parking facilities and infrastructure downtown. The study area covered all areas within a half mile radius of the SMART station (though some more residential areas were deemed “Fringe of Downtown” and therefore not focused on in recommendations) and extended west from 5th Street to 2nd Street, to just beyond H Street. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4 Figure 1: Study Area Boundary Key metrics of the study were the usage, occupancy and parking supply of do wntown parking lots and garages. Usage rates during peak hours at each public City parking lot or garage was also separated by weekday peak periods and Saturday peak periods. The study does not take into account parking on Sundays as there are no parking restrictions or fees on Sundays. Finally, not limited to public parking, the study also surveyed usage at private lots and garages in the downtown area at peak times. In total, 6,709 total parking spaces in the downtown area were surveyed. Of the total parking supply downtown, 24% are on-street/metered parking spaces, 19% are spaces in City garages & lots, and 56% are spaces in private lots. The majority of surveyed visitors to the downtown area parked 1-2 blocks (2-3 minute walk) from their intended destination, and stayed downtown for an average of 1-3 hours. Of those surveyed, 62% stated that they park most often in on-street/metered parking spaces, and expressed their desire for more parking on 4th and 3rd Streets in the central downtown area. Some of the key findings of the study were as follows: • Peak parking demand in the downtown area is from 11am – 3pm daily • On-street/metered parking averaged 70% capacity during peak times • Private lots surveyed averaged 61% capacity during peak times • 7 City garages and lots averaged <85% occupancy o C Street Garage, A Street Garage, Fifth & C Street lot, Fifth & D Street lot, Menzies, 1550 4th Street lot, 1412 2nd Street lot • 5 City garages and lots averaged >85% capacity o 3rd and Lootens (1st floor), 3rd and Cijos, Walgreens, 5th and Lootens, 5th and Garden The study also mapped major pedestrian routes downtown to determine where pedestrian safety improvements could be made to be most effective for those traveling by foot downtown. The most traveled routes were East-West connections along 4th Street. Popular paths of travel to North-South streets were primarily those that connected to parking lots or structures, as well as streets that SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 5 connected to the BioMarin building on 2nd Street. Routes in close proximity to the Bettini Transit Center and SMART station, such as Hetherton and Tamalpais where also heavily traveled. Figure 2: Major Pedestrian Routes Finally, the study also surveyed and took inventory of existing bicycle parking facilities. The study identified where official options for bicycle parking currently exist on 4th Street and on nearby streets. While Kimley-Horn presented a series of recommendations with each section of survey data (e.g. recommendations for improving available parking downtown, wayfinding, bicycle parking, etc.), those will be presented to Council later this year in conjunction with the final City staff recommendations and implementation plan. It is important to note that several minor improvements and recommendations have already been implemented, based on the timing of SMART service and with the support of the CWG. Parking Services conducted outreach at the SMART station during the first two weeks of operation to inform northbound travelers of parking options, and the City’s website has been updated with information on SMART parking. Finally, variable message boards were installed along Irwin St. informing drivers that SMART parking is available at the 3rd/Lootens lot and at the 3rd/A garage. Another recommendation implemented in prototype-form is the installation of several parking/wayfinding signs in the downtown area to guide visitors to San Rafael. New signage indicating a City parking garage has been installed at the 3rd/A Street and at the 3rd/B Street garages, and one sample wayfinding sign with walking distances has been installed on Fifth/B Street. Based on initial positive input on the signs, and their very low cost, City staff intends to install similar signage at other locations in the downtown area to guide visitors to other City parking garages, commercial and merchant districts, and other points of interest. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 6 Figure 3: Wayfinding signage at 5th and B Street COMMUNITY OUTREACH: The City and Kimley-Horn have conducted extensive community outreach and public engagement throughout the entirety of the Downtown Parking and Wayfinding Study process. During the Information Gathering phase of the study, the online survey promoted to residents and visitors to San Rafael received more than 1,200 responses. The survey was made available in both Spanish and English, and was distributed both online and in-person at community meetings and events. In addition, the project team hosted three “pop-up” workshops at the Downtown Art Walk, Bio Marin, and Winter Wonderland events. These workshops gathered additional input by having attendees mark their feedback on exhibit boards, and this information was added to the data which informed the draft study. Once the draft study was finalized, City staff and Kimley-Horn presented the results to stakeholder groups in the community such as the Chamber of Commerce, CAC, Economic Development Subcommittee, Business Improvement District (BID), Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and at the monthly meeting of the Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods and the North San Rafael Coalition of Residents as a part of Phase 2. Feedback was sought at these meetings, and the public was able to provide feedback online. Figure 4: Links online to provide feedback The Community Working Group was formed as a result of these presentations made to stakeholder groups. As discussed earlier in length, the Working Group was the process by which all recommendations provided by Kimley-Horn were analyzed and finalized with City Staff. FISCAL IMPACT: The Parking and Wayfinding Study was funded by a $251,573 grant by the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) with a $29,082 local match by the Parking Services fund (#501). There are also costs associated with the implementation of the recommendations of the study, which will be included when staff presents the final recommendations. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 7 OPTIONS: 1. Accept the Informational Update. ACTION REQUIRED: None. ATTACHMENTS: 1. None STAFF REPORT APPROVAL ROUTING SLIP Staff Report Author: Jim Myhers Date of Meeting: 10/16/2017 Department: Parking Services Topic: Downtown Parking and Wayfinding Study Subject: Informational Update to City Council Type: (check all that apply) ☐ Consent Calendar ☐ Public Hearing ☐ Discussion Item ☐ Resolution ☐ Ordinance ☐ Professional Services Agreement ☒ Informational Report *If PSA, City Attorney approval is required prior to start of staff report approval process Was agenda item publicly noticed? ☐ Yes ☐No Date noticed: ☐Mailed ☐Site posted ☐Marin IJ Due Date Responsibility Description Completed Date Initial / Comment DEPARTMENT REVIEW FRIDAY noon 09/29 Director Director approves staff report is ready for ACM, City Attorney & Finance review. 10/10/2017 ☒ JM CONTENT REVIEW TUESDAY morning 10/03 Assistant City Manager City Attorney Finance ACM, City Attorney & Finance will review items, make edits using track changes and ask questions using comments. Items will be returned to the author by end of day Wednesday. 10/10/2017 Click here to enter a date. Click here to enter a date. ☒ CA ☐ ☐ DEPARTMENT REVISIONS FRIDAY noon 10/6 Author Author revises the report based on comments receives and produces a final version (all track changes and comments removed) by Friday at noon. 10/10/2017 ☒ JM ACM, CITY ATTORNEY, FINANCE FINAL APPROVAL MONDAY morning 10/9 Assistant City Manager City Attorney Finance ACM, City Attorney & Finance will check to see their comments were adequately addressed and sign-off for the City Manager to conduct the final review. 10/10/2017 10/11/2017 10/11/2017 ☒ CA ☒ LG ☒ TUES noon 10/10 City Manager Final review and approval 10/11/2017 ☒ JS