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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/7/2022 Item 6a, Swigger Delgado, Adriana Shannon DalPorto <shannon@downtownslo.com> Sent:Tuesday, June 7, 2022 To:E-mail Council Website Cc:Bettina Swigger Subject:Agenda Item 6a- Proposed Parking Rate Changes Attachments:Downtown SLO Parking Perceptions Survey as of June 6 2022.pdf This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. June 7, 2022 Dear Council Members: On behalf of the Parking and Access Committee of Downtown SLO, thank you for the opportunity to provide input while you review the recommendation for establishing parking rates (item 6a). We apologize for the lateness of this correspondence. Our Parking and Access Committee met this morning; our board of directors has not met. However, our organization has been in communication with City staff for the past two weeks. A group of Downtown SLO board members, including Board President Stephanie Stackhouse, Past President Laura Mullen, Parking & Access Committee Chair Mark Rawson, and former board member/president Pat Arnold has met several times with City staff to discuss, ask questions, and better understand the issues. DSLO Staff have asked clarifying questions about the parking fund and parking utilization. We understand the necessity of establishing new parking rates to secure financing. Our hope is to make creative recommendations for how to meet the parking revenue obligations without putting the entire burden on the customers and employees of downtown businesses, while we are still in economic recovery. These discussions and questions, along with questions from Council, led in part to two clarifying memos sent from City staff to Council members. DSLO staff also developed and sent out a brief survey to members to better understand their parking behaviors and needs. This survey was sent out on Wednesday, June 1, and has received 51 responses (see attached). For the past decade, Downtown SLO has advocated for the construction and development of the Cultural Arts Parking Structure. We support the project and understand the intricacies of the financing challenges. We do not wish to delay the project further. However, the business community has let us know that they are very concerned that the adoption of such dramatic rate increases may hinder our community's ability to recover economically. We believe there is opportunity to think creatively about how to maximize revenue and we look forward to working with City Staff to explore further. These ideas include:  Target existing opportunities for revenue collection by accelerating gateless payment and enforcing the hours of operation in the parking structures. Often, the gate is up during regular operating hours, resulting in revenue lost.  We strongly encourage Council to revisit the discontinuation of the first sixty minutes of free parking in the parking structures. The first sixty minutes free is a widely appreciated benefit to utilizing the parking 1 structures and is part of our message to encourage employees of downtown businesses to park in the structures and leave street parking for customers.  Create surge pricing and incentivize parking “specials” for locals. Downtown foot traffic is typically slow from Mondays to Wednesdays. Keep the first 60 minutes free Monday to Wednesday and collect fees on the weekends when parking is used by tourists. Other cities, such as Downtown Paso Robles, offer two hours of free parking. Surely there is a compromise that will serve our local and visitor population.  Address the issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for employees and lower-income City residents to access downtown by car.  Use strategy to review the supply and demand for current incentive parking programs such as the 10- hour meter passes, Proxcards, and parking validation. These programs should be developed and expanded. This will create regular streams of revenue from employers in the downtown area, and it will remove the customer burden of not being able to find street parking.  Move parking program payment online (10-hour meter permit, Proxcard, etc.) Downtown Paso Robles has a transparent online payment portal (Exhibit A: Paso Robles Employee Parking Program website)  Examine areas of the parking structure that grants could potentially fund. For example, the EV charging stations.  Revisit a lower maximum daily rate in the parking structures. Many downtown employees utilize the parking structures. Doubling their payment (from $6 to $12) presents a significant challenge for many workers. Downtown employees may begin utilizing parking in residential areas, which may lead to further dissatisfaction from neighboring residents.  Reinstate programs such as the trolley service downtown, which gives visitors another option for getting downtown, thereby relieving street parking congestion. This is a complex, thorny issue, and Council is being asked to choose between a large-scale project for which our organization has long advocated, which is part of the Downtown Concept Plan, and which has long-term implications for the identity of our downtown, and substantial rate hikes which have the potential to cause tremendous harm to the people who support and work at our local businesses, which are still in recovery. There are no easy answers here. Your Downtown business owners, employees, and patrons thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Bettina Swigger, CEO Shannon DalPorto, Operations & Public Space Manager Shannon DalPorto (She/Her) To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office Operations & Public Space Manager, Downtown SLO prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. S hannon@DowntownSLO.com 805-234-9674 |DowntownSLO.com | 1135 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo CA 93401  2 June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total Please provide any feedback about your general impression of parking downtown. We need a new parking garage asap and any delay in the new Nipomo structure is insipid Limited. Parking downtown is absolutely awful!!! As a business owner it is so disheartening to see the lack of care given to those who are responsible for keeping downtown stores open. I strongly disagree with the increased rates and lack of SAFE parking options for downtown employees. For those of us that do not wish to pay outrageous parking fees, we park in the surrounding neighborhoods and often have to walk 5+ block to get to our car. During the winter time this can be especially scary as it gets dark so early compounded with the horrible homeless problem, it can be very dangerous. Our customers constantly complain to me about how awful the parking situation is here. Many times I have had customers decide not to come shopping here because they simply June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total cant find parking or feel that it is far too expensive. I would love the city to step up and do more to actually support our businesses downtown rather than just care about outward appearances. 1 response The proposed parking fees would make parking in Downtown San Luis Obispo amongst the most expensive in the state by a significant amount. Has the parking department done a thorough analysis of how much higher parking will be relative to other cities? This will significantly impact downtown businesses. There is already a perception among locals that it's challenging to get downtown and this will further exacerbate that perception. We are still dealing with COVID, staffing challenges, economic recovery and this addition to an already challenging time will negatively impact Downtown SLO in the short and long-term. It will make it harder to attract employees, new businesses, and customers. 1 response The changes have negatively impacted my business. My customers and employees are confused and angry about the new parking kiosks, rate increases and tickets as a result of lack of clear directions to parking rules. Most long time local *aka regular* customers comment about the cost and inconvenience of shopping downtown. Other shopping developments are drawing locals away from downtown. Our company currently sees more random tourists and less reliable regulars. I have owned and operated my business downtown for 18 years and have recently considered relocating due to parking issues and events closing off easy access to my business resulting in significant loss of revenue. 1 response The removal of meters, the hard to operate pay stations, inadequate signage, and mostly the ticketing until 9pm seven days a week are a disaster -- this is according to my patrons who access the downtown in the evening only to find tickets on their cars after dinner or a movie. How these rules could have been implemented without thinking about how it would affect patrons is hard to believe. Yes, everyone took a financial hit during the pandemic -- now it simply feels like the City is greedy and punishing those who want to access our downtown. And now, the proposal to increase the fees. To be frank, these terrible decisions are leading me to close my business. 1 response The increased rates and the extended meter enforcement times have been devastating to our business those in terms of customers willingness to come downtown and employees willingness to work downtown. Increasing the rates further will just be awful for all of the downtown businesses that are already struggling underway have parking issues. The issue with parking is never the access to spaces, it is always the cost for customers and employees. These challenges are compounded by the building of shopping plazas in the periphery of the town. Employees and customers are preferring going to places with parking lots where parking is free. 1 response I was in Santa Barbara this week. Parked in the parking garage across from the Couthouse. Easy foot access to downtown and for 3 hours the cost was 3 dollars. So much to offer in the June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total downtown of SB and very reasonable, easy access parking made for a delightful afternoon. I did not fear for getting a ticket- ruining my day. Easy, can't say that for San Luis. Cars owners are punished with a labyrinth of driving and parking obstacles that not only wears one down but takes away from the downtown experience-which should be rich and enjoyable. 1 response Parking has gotten harder for my clients, they are frustrated with the app and frustrated with the parking options. The parking structure “first hour free” is the only saving grace, please consider keeping this option. The parking price increases will deter my clients from coming to downtown and I will need to reconsider having my shop downtown as I and my employees all park in public parking. This may be a way to secure funding but it negatively affects the consumer and small business owners. Please think of a better option. 1 response Parking is a significant issue for our employees and clients. Our clients are often being ticketed for being in a space for over 2 hours. Most of our clients are in the salon for 3+ hours. this makes it very inconvenient for them. It has been hard for our employees to be able to pay the six dollar a day parking structure fee. The passes are also not feasible for them. I’d love other lower cost options for my employees for parking. 1 response For the most part, there is enough parking for our customers in the structures. Occasionally they fill up and get jammed and that is frustrating. (i.e . Thursday nights.) We encourage customers to park in the structure when possible, and the free hour is a great incentive! (I don’t want to see this go away!) I think a price jump from $6 to 12 is a lot. Getting to $12 incrementally over the next year might be easier to deal with. 1 response Parking for employees is difficult, most employees can't afford to live in SLO. There should be a parking structure discount for employees. With 25 employees we could not afford to provide a parking structure permit or 10 hour meter pass to each one. It's a scramble everyday to find free street parking because they can't afford the parking either! 1 response 1 hour free and free after 6pm is crucial to incentivize people to come downtown. otherwise they will stay home or go elsewhere. it's a simple decision that people emotionally make all the time. right now it's very confusing, most people dont know how the kiosks work. I am constantly helping strangers and educating them. 1 response It’s too expensive and there’s not enough parking available to accommodate all of the people who work in and around downtown. Raising the rates again seems unnecessary and there are probably more constructive ways for the city to increase its revenues without out placing a greater burden on the people who work downtown. June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total 1 response I feel increased rates will frustrate customers coming into the downtown. With limited parking as it is with the parklet situation increasing rates will discourage people from coming to our city I’m concerned they will go to other surrounding cities that have plenty of free parking which many are already doing 1 response Downtown Slo is already suffering. Gas prices in general/overall insulation is affecting everyone. Raising parking prices as planned needs to be reevaluated. Our downtown area is in jeopardy. Eliminating the first free hour and raising parking rates significantly be one of the final nails in the coffin. 1 response You have never put any retail first.... The past shows developers money buys lots past and present how many spots have we lost to development have we gotten anymore spaces then given up. Go back 20 years count. How many empty properties? why you ask your actions... great job. 1 response I feel the parking rates should be from 9 am to 5 pm and NOT into the dinner hour the park-lets need to be controlled to offer a few more spaces If you are going to have such large loading areas then the delivery trucks need to use them or add more parking 1 response I feel there is ample parking on most occasions. The best incentive for customers remains the hour free in structures, and is a benefit that we use to keep our loyal local customers coming back downtown. 1 response I think extending the parking to 9 PM was a huge mistake.The perception of parking downtown is awful. We need to find a way to put a positive spin on the parking situation DOWNTOWN. 1 response Our staff cannot afford to spend $12 a day for parking. It is upsetting that our staff cannot park for free as we are needed to support your downtown businesses. 1 response Extending paid parking until 9pm on meters is absolutely ridiculous and a money hungry move. Completely deaf to business owners and patrons needs. 1 response Extremely hard on retail businesses!!! Customer complaints are mostly that they hate coming downtown -expensive meters and lack of parking. 1 response June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total Parking downtown right now is confusing and inconsistent through the district, kind of embarrassing really. 1 response We need to build the structure. The city has said it is coming and they need to follow through. 1 response We need to eliminate all parking meters that do not accept credit cards. No one carries coins. 1 response First hour should be free in the structures. There should not be an increase in fees. 1 response This raise is insane. Charge the bars and restaurants for the parklets. 1 response Need more parking and the rates are super cheap for what is provided. 1 response It's already too expensive, especially given the price of gas. 1 response Parking ticket fees should remain where they are 1 response get rid of the stupid parklets 1 response Expensive and inconvienent... 1 response Opposed to this increase 100% 1 response more is needed 1 response None 1 response June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total Do you have any creative ideas to secure the funding needed for the Cultural Arts District Parking Structure?23 responses Raise parking rates. Those who park downtown should pay for the cost of the new parking. I am unclear on how much funding is required to secure financing but the City has known about this and been planning for this for many years. It's nice to have pretty bike lanes and planters in the downtown but at some point, we are going to have to make building the structure a priority and make sure the dollars needed are allocated so no further delays are caused, which only exaggerate the costs over time. No If the structure is going to be named for Cultural Arts then fundraiser events’ focus and target should be in acquiring needed funds from that sector of the community rather than forcing the entire working downtown to sacrifice. If a project is not sustainable for city budget then it’s not sustainable for business owners or customers either. Why should the expense for underfunded projects be shifted to anyone else but the city? Find a way to manage city budget and plan for sustainable development. What about funds collected for all the parking lots that have been sacrificed to large hotel development? Why shouldn’t those developers be responsible financially for replacing parking spaces? This city is losing the unique charm that maintains community. Part of that charm depends on the decisions made by our council to either sell out to unsustainable developments that sit vacant after the model predictably fails, or to invest in actual cultural development—like individual small businesses—not just naming a parking lot something fancy after the construction bleeds the working people of their resources to build anything of true substance and value. Creative idea to raise funds?… How about retrieving lost funds from all the parklet-dining businesses that take away street parking; ticket sales proceeds for cultural arts events; ticket proceeds for tours of the historical properties downtown. Get people interested in what you are selling. What goes around comes around. If you want the community to fund your development ideas then the city needs to show some generosity too; consider free parking for employees or a campaign that gives parking vouchers to customers who spend X amount per month at downtown businesses. Don’t start gauging for parking and making our city look like the greedy metropolis’s to the north and south. This problem sounds like a recession economy/budgeting issue to me. There are seasons of recovery and seasons of growth, this is natural sustainable thinking. Please, allow this community recover. 1 response Wait until economic times settle out over the next few years then re-address it. When cost of money, building costs, supply issues stabilize and fuel costs are lower. Look into reducing City ovehead, by re-evaluating salaries, benefits, subsidy programs and workload, to help fund future June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total construction costs. Increase the parklet fees and use the existing parklet rental fees and sales tax from the sales receipts in the parklets to fund any additonal parking. 1 response once open, Create multiple advertising opportunities all over it. digital billboards, wrap the structural columns with banner ads, let people throw private parties and events. there is a garage in Miami I believe that is architecturally unique and many people host weddings there. create retail opportunities on the ground floor for people to lease. maybe they can also stop wasting money in other areas of the city budget and spend it wisely. 1 response ARPA funding. Other cities have provided free parking as an aid to economic recovery due to COVID-19 (e.g. City of Danville). Therefore revenue lost due to measures taken during the pandemic (free parking, parklets, etc.) should be shored up by funds that were given to the city for economic relief. Business sponsorship (the Amazon garage?). 1 response There needs to be regulation to motivate the various property companies that leave their buildings vacant to exploit tax loopholes instead of leasing to small businesses. It makes SLO downtown look terrible having a of these empty spaces and think about all the tax revenue SLO could get from having more businesses thriving downtown. 1 response If this is being proposed, then why on earth are paraklets still being allowed? If a business has a parklet, they should be paying fair market value for that space-loss of parking and "rent" for the space. Wasn't this thought about before hotels and other buildings took over existing parking lots and parking revenue was lost? 1 response Cutting spending is how my business, and household, generate money for new spending. It is also reasonable to make the argument that a new structure is not necessary if the funds do not exist in a time of record government surplus. 1 response Sit and Saunter events are always fun. Perhaps each store could donate an item for a silent auction and the proceeds of the ticket sales plus the auction could go towards the parking structure. 1 response Removal of the parklets so the city can recoup parking fees. Charge the new hotel a tax surcharge since they are the reason many parking spaces are no longer existent 1 response June Downtown SLO Parking Perception Survey as of June 6, 2022 49 responses total Do not break ground until the materials costs have reset back to normal levels again and hold the contractor to his bid. 1 response Find out who uses the cultural arts district and is passionate about it and get them to donate. V 1 response Raising fees seems to be the only option? Private fund raising maybe to the arts community 1 response Have DTSLO pay for the first 60 minutes and provide services that have an impact. 1 response Make the hotels pay for them. And charge more for the parklets. 1 response Charging higher rates during busier downtown times. 1 response possible grant programs through the state? 1 response reduce entitlements in SLO government 1 response It is in the wrong location 1 response wish that I did! 1 response I wish I did!! 1 response None 1 response