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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/17/1989, C-5 - FREE PARKING FOR HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND ART CENTER DOCENTS AND OTHERS MEnNG IIIN�IyIIIIYIIIII^I�I II � October DATE: ^II II �i��U� c� o san lugs oBIspo October 17, 1989 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ITEM NUMBER�_� FROM: David F. Romero Wayne A. Peters Prepared by: Keith Opalewski Public Works Director City Engineer Parking Program Coordinator SUBJECT: Free Parking for Historical Museum and Art Center Docents and Others CAO RECOMMENDATION: A. By motion, direct staff to mark two (2) additional reserved spaces for Historical Museum and Art Center docents to park free in parking lot 9 adjacent to the museum building and provide free validation stickers to the museum and Art Center. B. By motion, adopt policy that city departments and other organizations may provide free parking by means of parking structure validation stickers which are purchased by the sponsoring agency. BACKGROUND. At its September 19 meeting Council referred the report regarding the policy of free docent parking back to staff for further study. Staff conducted additional research into how extensive docent labor was utilized by downtown organizations. By far the biggest users of docent employees are the Historical Museum and Art Center. Each has 60 docents working revolving shifts throughout the month. DISCUSSION: A. Historical Museum and Art Center In the past staff has attempted to provide for the parking needs of these two agencies by providing one space for each agency in Lot 9 (next to the museum), and by issuing two (2) courtesy passkards to the Historical Museum for use in the Palm Street Parking Structure, and a courtesy Lot 15 (Broad and Monterey Streets) permit to the Art Center. This has not been fully satisfactory because passkards are difficult to transfer between docents working variable shifts. The Lot 15 permit for the Art Center does help meet their parking needs, but like the Historical Museum, they need additional parking and the passkard option presents logistical problems. After extensive discussion with musuem and Art Center management, we have jointly agreed to the following: 1. Provide two (2) more reserved spaces in Lot 9 in addition to the 2 spaces already provided. 2. Issue courtesy validation stickers to both organizations. This will permit free parking in the Palm Street Parking Structure. 3. Retrieve the passkards from the Historical Museum but allow the Art Center to keep the Lot 15 permit. The Art Center and museum curators would be responsible for the distribution of the validation stickers. They should only be used by docents, not customers. With the proposed additional spaces in Lot 9, each organization will have two reserved spaces for their exclusive use in addition to the courtesy validation booklets. The Art Center will have access to Lot 15 with their permit but no guaranteed space. Staff Report ���n�i�H►�Illll�llpn � �► city of san Lais oBispo NiS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Page Two B. All Other Volunteers and City Departments The solution worked out for the Art Center and Historical Museum is not entirely appropriate for all other volunteers and committee members who donate time to the city or other quasi-city agencies such as BIA and Chamber of Commerce or non-profit agencies such as fiesta, Red Cross, etc. Staff feels that the Parking Proeram should not subsidize these agencies. Decisions and operations would be overwhelming for managers of the Parking Program. Staff favors continuation of program already in place whereby each entity purchases books of validation stickers and issues them to whomever they feel is appropriate to have. free parking. Payment for the parking stickers comes from the agency's budget which also makes the decisions as to who should be entitled to the free parking. ADVANTAGES: 1. Establishes a city-wide standard for volunteers and city department visitors or guests. 2. Relieves parking management from administering the validation stickers. 3. Eliminates parking program from subsidizing parking spaces. DISADVANTAGES: 1. Volunteer agencies and city departments would have to pay for parking. FISCAL IMPACT: Providing two additional reserved spaces in Lot 9 and free validation stickers for Historical Museum and Art Center docents represents an annual loss of revenue to the parking program of approximately $2,500. OTHER DEPARTMENT AND ORGANIZATION COMMENTS: The Parking Management Committee has recommended the policy of not providing free parking for docents. The Chamber of Commerce also supports the policy of no courtesy parking for docents. CONSEQUENCE OF NOT TAKING RECOMMENDED ACTION: The parking situation for Historical Museum and Art Center docents will continue to be a problem. If the city offered free parking for all docents and volunteers who work in the city, the parking fund would suffer significant loss of revenue. An unlimited program of providing free parking for all docents and city visitors paid for and administered by the Parking Fund would be very difficult to manage. RECOMMENDED ACTION: A. Provide free validation booklets and two additional reserved parking spaces for Historical Museum and Art Center docents. ������i�N►�ulllllllllll ��III city of San LUIS OBISpo MMiGn COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Staff Report Page Three B. Adopt policy that all other city visitors or guests and volunteers would only be eligible for free parking through validation stickers purchased by their organizations. ACTION TAKEN: _ Approved _ as recommended _ as modified Denied Continued Vote: APPROVED: C/ ,.,✓Jo n Dunn City Administrative Officer William Statler, Director of Finance tto ney:' B 13/docent.wp I