HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5i. Estabilish Free Parking in Parking Structures on specific days during the Holiday Season Item 5i
Department: Public Works
Cost Center: 5101
For Agenda of: 11/16/2021
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Matt Horn, Public Works Director
Prepared By: Gaven Hussey, Parking Program Manager
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FREE PARKING IN THE CITY’S
PARKING STRUCTURES ON SPECIFIC DAYS DURING THE HOLIDAY
SEASON
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution entitled, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo, California, establishing free parking in the City’s parking structures on specific
days” during the holiday season and authorize the City Manager or designee to suspend
the collection of parking fees for a period of up to fourteen consecutive days annually.
DISCUSSION
The parking structures are currently staffed and fees are collected every day of the year
except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The COVID-19 pandemic was
the first time that the collection of fees has ever been suspended for an extended period
of time and was done so in support of the local economy and of downtown businesses.
Collection of fees was slowly re-established as the City moved through the County of San
Luis Obispo’s reopening phases of the pandemic.
As the City’s Parking program continues to recover from pandemic impacts, current
revenue projections place the Fund in a stronger standing than anticipated. Staff will
return to Council at the Mid-Year Budget Review with a Fund Forecast and as appropriate
identification of areas where operations can be adjusted to better serve the needs of the
community (such as shortening hours of meter collection at night). The program
recognizes the integral role parking provides for customers and employees accessing the
downtown area particularly during the winter holiday season when downtown activity is
at its peak.
The Parking program is recommending that City Council establish free parking in the
City’s parking structures on specific days during the holiday season each year in
continued support of downtown economic vitality. Staff, in partnership with Downtown
SLO, have identified key days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day when
providing free parking in the structures would have the greatest benefit to the community.
Those days are as follows:
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Item 5i
November
Thanksgiving Day
Black Friday
Small Business Saturday
Sunday following Small Business Saturday
December
Every Sunday
Christmas Eve Day (December 24th)
Christmas Day (December 25th)
Day after Christmas (December 26th)
New Year’s Eve Day (December 31st)
January
New Year’s Day (January 1st)
The parking structures have long served as the recommended location for visitors and
employees to park downtown since the first hour is free, the hourly rate is lower than the
on-street parking in the downtown core, and payment of fees is collected upon exit.
Offering free parking in the structures on the days listed above supports the continued
use of the structures as the go-to place for long-term parking. Encouraging parking in the
structures increases the use of the overall public parking supply downtown and more
effectively manages parking demands during peak seasonal times. Effective parking
demand management allows more customers and visitors to access the downtown area
to patronize local businesses while reducing vehicles cruising downtown for open on -
street spaces.
Overnight rates on the days above will still apply to ensure vehicles are not abandoned
or stored in the structures. On-street and surface parking lot rates and time limits will still
apply on these days as they do on every other day of the year.
Staff anticipates that providing free parking will have a minimal impact on the Parking
Fund and will not jeopardize the funding of existing or future capital improvement projects.
Staff will return at the Mid-Year Budget Review with an updated revenue projection s for
the Parking Fund including the structures as well as an analysis of the extended on -street
enforcement hours approved by Council at the Financial Plan budget adoption last June.
Staff is recommending that the Council approve a resolution that allows for this free
parking each and every year at the City Manager’s discretion. This will provide
consistency for downtown business and reduce the burden to the City to seek
authorization for this free parking annual.
Public Engagement
The proposed days for free parking in the structures was presented to Downtown SLO’s
Executive Board on November 8, 2021.
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Item 5i
CONCURRENCE
The City’s Attorney’s Office concurs that City Council can establish free parking in the
parking structures by resolution of the City Council finding a public purpose. Downtown
SLO supports the establishment free parking days in the parking structures in support of
downtown businesses and the local economy.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in
this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines
Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: On-going
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Source
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
Parking Fund $1,275,000 $11,580 $1,263,420 $11,580
Total $1,275,000 $11,580 $1,263,420 $11,580
Staff has estimated that the total reduction in revenue to provide free parking in the
structures on all days listed above will be approximately $11,580. This amount will be
partially offset by approximately $1,920 in salary savings from reduced staffing on those
days. If approved, the budgeted revenue assumptions for the parking structures will be
reduced accordingly. Staff anticipates that providing free parking will have a minimal
impact on the Parking Fund and will not jeopardize the funding of existing or future capital
improvement projects.
ALTERNATIVES
Do not adopt the resolution. Staff does not recommend this alternative because parking
in the downtown area plays a significant role in supporting businesses and the local
economy. Providing free parking during the busiest shopping period of the year directly
supports downtown businesses and provides a benefit for visitors and employees who
choose to park downtown.
ATTACHMENTS
A – Draft Resolution adopting free parking in the structures on specific days
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R ______
RESOLUTION NO. ______ (2021 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING FREE PARKING IN THE
CITY’S PARKING STRUCTURES ON SPECIFIC DAYS
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo wishes to maintain effective usage of its
public parking structures; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes the integral role parking provides in support of
downtown economic vitality; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to suspend collection of off -street parking fees on
specific days during the holiday season to support community members visiting
downtown and the City’s holiday activation and to support increased patronage of
downtown businesses.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. All recitals set forth above are adopted as though fully set forth herein
as findings in support of this Resolution; and
SECTION 2. The City Council finds that suspending collection of off-street parking
fees serves a public purpose of encouraging the community to visit the downtown during
the City’s holiday activation and to support increased patronage of downtown businesses,
thereby stimulating the local economy.
SECTION 3. Parking in the City’s parking structures will be free on the following
days each year:
1) Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November).
2) Black Friday (Friday following Thanksgiving Day).
3) Small Business Saturday (Saturday following Thanksgiving Day).
4) The Sunday following Thanksgiving Day.
5) Every Sunday during the month of December.
6) Christmas Eve Day (December 24th).
7) Christmas Day (December 25th).
8) December 26th (Day following Christmas Day).
9) New Year’s Eve Day (December 31st).
10) New Year’s Day (January 1st).
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Resolution No. _____ (2021 Series) Page 2
R ______
SECTION 4. Overnight parking rates in the structures will apply on all days
throughout the year including free parking days identified herein.
SECTION 5. The City Manager or his or her designee is hereby authorized to
suspend collection of off-street parking fees for up to a fourteen-day period, not to exceed
two consecutive periods, and not to exceed six fourteen -day periods in a fiscal year to
address unforeseen emergency needs of the community or to accomplish Major City
Goals established by City Council.
SECTION 6. The establishment of free parking days in the parking structures do
not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
Upon motion of ___________________, seconded by_____________________
and on the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this ____ day of ___________, 2021.
__________________________
Mayor Erica A. Stewart
ATTEST:
_________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the
City of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________.
__________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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