HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011AccessAndParkingManagementPlan City of San Luis ObispoCity of San Luis ObispoCity of San Luis ObispoCity of San Luis Obispo
ACCESS AND PARKING
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Amended November, 2011
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO PUBLIC WORKS
DEPARTMENT, PARKING SERVICES
1260 Chorro Street, Suite B, San Luis Obispo, California 93401
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City of San Luis Obispo
ACCESS & PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
Jan Marx, Mayor
John Ashbaugh, Vice Mayor
Dan Carpenter
Andrew Carter
Kathy Smith
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Jay Walter, Director
Tim Bochum, Deputy Director
Peggy Mandeville, Principal Transportation Planner
Robert Horch, Parking Manager
CITY ADMINISTRATION
Katie Lichtig, City Manager
Michael Codron, Assistant City Manager
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____ CITY TRANSPORTATION PLANS_____________________
The City of San Luis Obispo adopts and maintains plans that help direct the
implementation of the General Plan Circulation Element. These plans include:
Title of Document Status
Access & Parking Management Plan (this
document)
Amended November, 2011 to
include parking policies for
downtown residents
Updated July, 2001
Bicycle Transportation Plan Updated May, 2007
Short Range Transit Plan Updated May, 2009
Pavement Management Plan Updated October, 2009
For more information about City transportation plans, projects and programs,
contact the San Luis Obispo Public Works Department, Transportation Division at
(805) 781-7210.
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____ TABLE OF CONTENTS_________________________________
Topic Page
Introduction..............................................................................…...........................................................4
Relationship to Other Plans and Policies ...............................................................................................5
Scope of Plan..........................................................................................................................................5
Parking Management Goals...................................................................................................................6
Definitions..............................................................................................................................................6
General Use of Parking..........................................................................................................................7
Employee Use of Parking.......................................................................................................................8
Juror Use of Parking...............................................................................................................................9
Use of Parking for Downtown Residents.............................................................................................10
Expansion of Parking ...........................................................................................................................10
Enforcement..........................................................................................................................................11
Financing of Commercial Core Parking...............................................................................................11
Residential Parking...............................................................................................................................12
Program Administration and Promotion ..............................................................................................13
APPENDIX
A.1 Map of Downtown Parking and Business Improvement Area Showing Existing Parking...........15
A.2 Approved Parking Management and Demand Reduction Programs.............................................16
A.3 Map of Existing Residential Parking Districts .............................................................................17
A.4 City Council Resolution # 9350 (2002 Series) revising this plan ................................................18
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_ INTRODUCTION_______________________________________
Between 1977 and 1987, a number of studies were conducted to assess the vehicle parking situation
in downtown San Luis Obispo. As a result of this work, the City built two parking structures that
house 669 vehicles. The first parking structure located at the corner of Palm and Morro Streets was
completed in 1988. The second garage at the corner of Chorro and Marsh Streets was completed in
1990. An expansion of the Marsh Street garage that added 342 spaces (net increase of 245 spaces)
will be completed in September 2002. These three projects resulted in a total of 1,007 garage spaces.
In addition, the City manages over 1,600 spaces located in surface lots and along downtown streets.
Another result of these early parking studies was the City's adoption of its first Parking Management
Plan in 1987. The management plan was updated in 1990 and again in 1995 to reflect the completion
of some of the major parking projects and to better define management policies.
In February 1993, a group of local architects and designers completed a Conceptual Physical Plan for
the City's Center (commonly known as the Downtown Concept Plan). The City Council has adopted,
in concept, the Plan and feels that it should be considered when making planning decisions that affect
the City's center. The Plan was revised in 1997 to reflect changes to the Court Street Parking Lot
area. The Concept Plan suggests that a number of new parking structures be built and that the
pedestrian character of the commercial core be improved.
In November 1994, the City adopted a new General Plan Circulation Element. The adopted
Circulation Element directs the City to conduct studies of downtown parking needs and to consider
ways of reducing traffic congestion by promoting the use of other types of transportation. The
Circulation Element also directs the reevaluation of the use of curb space in the commercial core
with the aim of creating more short-term parking spaces.
This plan has been revised to address a number of events and decisions that have occurred since
1995, including the following:
In 1997, a Downtown Parking and Access Plan was completed by Meyer-Mohaddes and
Associates. While never adopted by the City Council, this draft plan estimated future parking
demand, identified candidate parking garage locations, as well as a variety of actions that the
City could take to better manage its current parking supply and reduce employee demand for
downtown parking.
As a way of incrementally implementing the draft Downtown Parking and Access Plan, the
City Council authorized the implementation of a variety of measures to encourage employees
to use means other than their private vehicles to access the downtown. In July 2001 a “Gold
Pass” program was initiated that provides subsidized monthly transit passes to downtown
employees. Parking stalls for car pools have also been reserved in existing parking structures.
Other parking management activities have also been pursued. Appendix A.2 identifies these
approved activities.
On 05/01/2001 the City Council amended Section 6.1 of the Parking Management Plan to
provide clarity on the use of Parking Fund revenues.
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The City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with private property
owners that, among other things, calls for the construction of a new office/parking structure
on the southeast corner of Palm and Morro Streets that will house 243 vehicles. This project
is designed to satisfy parking demand created by the retirement of the Court Street parking
lot and the development of a retail commercial project on that site (the “Copelands Project”).
The City Council authorized its staff to solicit proposals from consultants to prepare
schematic plans for a transit-parking-mixed use facility east of Santa Rosa Street. Entitled
the “North Area Regional Facility (NARF),” this design work will investigate opportunities
for constructing new parking garages to serve the downtown core and the expanded County
Administrative Complex.
The San Luis Obispo Downtown Association participated in the review of the 1995 Parking
Management Plan. This updated plan will be used as a management tool to help direct how vehicle
parking should be provided and used throughout San Luis Obispo and how the demand for
downtown parking will be managed.
_ __RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS AND POLICIES________
The City's General Plan Land Use Element establishes the pattern of land uses throughout San Luis
Obispo. The General Plan Circulation Element identifies how transportation services will be
provided to land uses envisioned by the Land Use Element. One of these transportation services is
vehicle parking. This plan provides specific direction for the management of vehicle parking in a
way that supports the Circulation Element's overall transportation strategy. This plan focuses on the
management of vehicle parking in the community's commercial core. Parking of bicycles is
addressed by the Bicycle Transportation Plan (2002) but is an issue that is relevant to the use of City
parking structures and surface lots.
_ __SCOPE OF THIS PLAN___________________________________
This plan establishes vehicle parking policies and programs that apply throughout San Luis Obispo.
However, its primary focus is the management of parking in the commercial core. This plan also
identifies, in Appendix A.2, approved management techniques for putting to better use existing
parking spaces, and for reducing the employee demand for parking spaces in the commercial core.
This plan may be revised from time to time to address parking needs in areas beyond and within the
commercial core. For more information about City parking programs, contact the Parking Section of
the Public Works Department at (805) 781-7230.
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_ __PARKING MANAGEMENT GOALS________________________
Support the commercial as a viable economic and cultural center and preserve its historic
character.
Support the goals of the Conceptual Physical Plan for the City's Center.
Provide enough parking in the commercial core for visitors and employees.
Reduce the demand for employee parking through various programs such as carpooling,
vanpools, transit subsidies, and bicycle and pedestrian systems development.
Support the transportation strategy presented in the General Plan Circulation Element.
Support the residential component of mixed use development downtown as presented in the
Land Use Element.
Carry out actions described in this plan within budget constraints and consistent with
Financial Plan goals and policies that are updated every two years.
_ __DEFINITIONS___________________________________________
The following words and phrases used throughout this plan have the following meanings:
Commercial Core is the central business district in San Luis Obispo. Its boundaries are the same as
the Downtown Association Area (see Appendix A.1).
Commercial Deliveries are made to businesses in the commercial core using trucks that are
commercially licensed.
Downtown Association (DA) Advisory Board is an 11-member group established pursuant to
Municipal Code Chapter 12.36 by the City Council to promote the economic health of the
commercial core. The DA (and its advisory committees) participates in the development of City
programs that affect the downtown and provide advice to City staff and the City Council.
Long-Term Parking spaces may be free or metered, are located along streets, in monthly permit lots
or parking structures, and typically allow parking for 10 hours or more.
Parking Structures are multi-level buildings that are managed by the City and provide parking for
the general public, commercial core employees, and jurors at the Palm Street parking structure.
Short-Term Parking spaces may be free or metered and typically have a two-hour or less time limit.
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_ __GENERAL USE OF PARKING __________________________
POLICIES
1.1 The City should maximize the use of all parking structures and surface lots.
1.2 The City should encourage any development of surface parking lots in the commercial core
to conform, to the degree possible, to the “Conceptual Physical Plan for the City’s Center.”
1.3 Curb parking spaces are intended for short-term parking. People parking for longer periods
should use monthly permit lots and long-term metered spaces and parking structures.
1.4 The City may install parking meters or post parking time limits where at least 75% of a
block's frontage is developed with commercial uses. The City will consider requests by a
majority of residential and commercial property owners along a block to install parking
controls.
1.5 Thirty-minute parking spaces shall be placed at the ends of blocks in the commercial core
where short-term parking is needed. The City will consider requests by property owners to
locate 30-minute spaces at other locations.
1.6 Parking for commercial deliveries in the commercial core should be managed so that:
Illegal double parking or excessive circulation by delivery vehicles is discouraged.
Deliveries are discouraged during peak traffic periods and during retail business
hours. Merchants may consider lockbox systems that allow for unassisted nighttime
access for deliveries.
Oversized vehicles do not attempt deliveries.
ACTIONS
1.7 The City will:
Publicize the availability of parking spaces in underused lots and will offer incentives
to increase their use.
Take actions that better direct people to parking structures and underused parking lots
and long-term metered curb parking areas.
Continue to offer permits for 10-hour metered parking spaces.
Maintain long-term metered spaces on Pacific Street and alongside streets near the
Marsh Street parking structure for overflow parking, but periodically evaluate their
use.
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1.8 The City will consider:
Allowing the mixture of daily and monthly parking in underused permit lots.
Managing employee use of the Marsh Street parking structure so that (A) more
spaces can be reserved for shoppers, and (B) more employees are encouraged to use
the Palm Street structure, which has more vacant spaces.
Allowing the use of long term parking for downtown residential uses in City owned
parking facilities.
1.9 City staff will periodically evaluate and revise as appropriate:
The placement of 15- and 30-minute parking meters.
The layout of existing parking lots or structures when they are resurfaced or restriped
with the aim of: (a) maximizing their use, (b) improving circulation and (c)
complying with requirements to provide parking for the disabled.
The use of curb space in the downtown (including no parking and loading zones) to
identify opportunities for creating more short-term spaces.
The optimum mixture of long- and short-term metered spaces and the expansion of
metered curb areas.
1.10 If congestion levels in the commercial core exceed standards set by the Circulation Element,
the City will adopt an ordinance that limits times for commercial deliveries.
_ __EMPLOYEE USE OF PARKING___________________________
POLICIES
2.1 Employee parking programs will be consistent with the goals and objectives of the
Circulation Element.
2.2 The City and County should develop programs that reduce the number of their employees
that are driving alone to work.
2.3 Commercial core employers should establish programs that encourage employees to:
Use Palm Street Parking Structure, monthly permit lots, and long-term metered
spaces.
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Use other types of transportation to get to work or to carpool. A listing of approved
programs is included as Appendix A.2.
ACTIONS
2.4 The City will establish a program in the commercial core that fosters carpooling by
employees and visitors.
2.5 The Downtown Association (DA) and Chamber of Commerce should sponsor on-going
education programs that discourage employees from using curb parking and promote
alternate transportation.
2.6 The City should discourage long-term employee use of curb parking in the commercial core
by:
Expanding areas with two-hour parking limits when needed to maintain convenient
customer parking opportunities.
Monitoring the use of 15- and 30-minutes curb spaces;
Consider increasing the fines for overtime violations;
As requested, consider establishing resident parking districts in areas adjoining the
commercial core and office districts.
2.7 The City will institute a trip reduction program for its employees in compliance with goals
established by the Circulation Element.
2.8 The City should develop a bulk discount rate for its transit passes without negatively
affecting transit funding. Employers should purchase passes and make them available to
employees who substitute riding the bus for driving to work.
2.9 The City will install bicycle lockers at convenient locations in the commercial core and will
promote their use by commercial core employees on a space-available basis.
2.10 The City will work to consider park-and-ride lots that serve the commute needs of
commercial core employees. The City will evaluate outlying parking lots for their use by
commercial core employees with a shuttle connecting these lots with the core.
_ __JUROR USE OF PARKING________________________________
POLICIES
3.1 The City will provide free parking for jurors in the Palm Street parking structure or in
metered spaces when the Palm Street parking structure is full or when a juror drives an
oversized vehicle as per the agreement with the County for limited use.
ACTIONS
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3.2 City staff will work with the Jury Commissioner to inform prospective jurors of the City's
parking policies. Staff will monitor the amount of jury parking and inform the Jury
Commissioner if overflow parking becomes a problem.
_ __USE OF PARKING FOR DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS_________
POLICIES
4.1 As a pilot program, the City will provide a limited number of parking spaces to accommodate
residential tenants within the Downtown-Commercial (C-D) zone consistent with General
Plan Land Use Element Policy 4.22 and Housing Element Policy 3.12.4. These spaces may
be provided in structures or other locations that are suitable for overnight parking programs.
4.2 Monthly fees for such parking spaces shall be as adopted by City Council Resolution to
financially contribute to the cost of the new program.
4.3 Parking spaces shall be in locations suitable for overnight use and shall be in locations that do
not significantly interfere with necessary parking for downtown customers and employees or
encroach into adjacent residential neighborhoods.
ACTIONS
4.4 The City shall establish a pilot program to allow residents within the downtown core to
utilize public parking and to monitor the amount of residential parking required.
4.5 The City Council shall adopt a resolution that establishes a fee program, use limitations and
enforcement options for regulating use of parking for downtown residents.
4.6 The Municipal Code shall be amended to include parking options for downtown residences.
4.7 The City will assist owners of downtown residences to inform prospective tenants of the
City’s parking policies and transportation choices. The Parking Services web page is one
element that could be used as a component of this information source.
_ __EXPANSION OF PARKING_______________________________
POLICIES
5.1 Parking should be provided in the commercial core for shoppers, tourists, employees and
patrons of government and private offices.
5.2 Building parking structures is the best way of providing more parking facilities while
minimizing the use of valuable commercial land. City-owned land earmarked for parking
structures may be used as temporary surface parking lots.
5.3 Existing City-owned surface parking lots purchased by the Parking Fund which are not
earmarked for parking structure locations may be sold to finance expansion of parking in
permanent structures when and after new parking structures have been built to take their
place.
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5.4 Parking structures and surface lots should be located along the periphery of the commercial
core as a means of eliminating traffic congestion and enhancing pedestrian activities.
ACTIONS
5.5 Develop a program to encourage use of underutilized parking lots, which would benefit the
commercial core.
_ __ENFORCEMENT________________________________________
POLICIES
6.1 Parking laws will be strictly enforced to:
Discourage overtime parking;
Discourage habitual parking violations -- people with six or more violations;
Encourage meter payments; and
Direct people parking for long periods to use long-term parking spaces.
ACTIONS
6.2 City enforcement officers will strictly enforce all parking laws, especially overtime violations
and the misuse of loading zones.
6.3 The City in cooperation with the BIA will develop a plan to discourage habitual violators.
_ __FINANCING OF COMMERCIAL CORE PARKING__________
POLICIES
7.1 The City’s Parking Program will be self-supporting. The principal purpose of Parking Fund
revenues will be used to:
Maintain and expand parking operations and supply, including effective parking
demand reduction programs
Repay bonds that financed the construction of the parking structures.
Pilot or “test case” parking demand reduction activities may also be funded, provided that
they are well defined and monitored for a defined period of time and a measurement of
effectiveness is predetermined.
7.2 Commercial core merchants, business owners, and property owners should help finance the
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parking program.
ACTIONS
7.3 The City will deposit all revenues from parking fines into the Parking Fund.
7.4 The City will:
Review parking meter and citation rates every two years and make adjustments as
needed.
Continue to charge variable rates for different types of parking.
Continue to collect in-lieu fees from development projects in the commercial core.
Consider new fee programs applicable to commercial core merchants, business
owners and property owners.
7.5 The City, upon Council direction, will evaluate the elimination of parking meters in the
commercial core and the creation of a comprehensive financing plan to finance the Parking
Program.
_ __RESIDENTIAL PARKING________________________________
POLICIES
8.1 Parking along streets in residential areas should be used by residents and their guests.
However, no individual household has the exclusive right to use a particular section of curb
parking and curb parking is not guaranteed in front of each household.
8.2 The City may prohibit or limit curb parking in residential areas to ensure safe traffic flow,
pedestrian crossing conditions or to install motor vehicle or bicycle lanes consistent with the
Circulation Element or the Bicycle Transportation Plan.
8.3 The City will create residential parking districts when needed to manage parking and
maintain the quality of life in residential areas.
8.4 All residential parking districts must comply with provisions of Section 10.36.170 of the San
Luis Obispo Municipal Code.
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ACTIONS
8.5 Upon receiving a petition from a 60% majority of affected residents living within a proposed
parking district, the City Council may create a district consistent with provisions of the
municipal code. (For the location of existing Residential Parking Districts, see Appendix
A.3.)
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND PROMOTION
POLICIES
9.1 The City's Parking Manager is responsible for interpreting and implementing the provisions
of this plan.
9.2 As the need arises, the City will evaluate the potential for hiring a private company to
manage its parking structures.
9.3 The Parking Manager will continue to work with the Downtown Association (DA), Chamber
of Commerce, and County government to cooperatively implement this plan.
9.4 The Parking Manager will undertake a wide range of actions to make the public aware of the
provisions of this plan.
9.5 Applications for amending the Access and Parking Management Plan shall be filed with the
City’s Parking Manager. Applications will receive and extensive review process and will be
acted on no more frequently than annually by the City Council.
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APPENDIX
A.1 Map of Downtown Parking and Business Improvement Area Showing Existing Parking
A.2 Approved Parking Management and Demand Reduction Programs
A.3 Map of Existing Residential Parking Districts
A.4 City Council Resolution # 10317 (2011 Series) amending this plan
G:\Transportation-Data\_Unsorted Stuff\Transportation\Transportation Projects\Parking\Current
Projects\Downtown Parking 2010\CAR\2010 Access and Parking Management Plan Final Edit.docx
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APPENDIX A.2
Approved Parking Management and
Demand Reduction Programs
# Description Status
Parking Demand Reduction Programs
1 Increase the maximum charge for garage parking Approved/Completed
2 Transit pass subsidies for downtown employees Approved/Completed
3 Reduce monthly parking pass costs for high-occupancy vehicles Approved/Completed
4 Improve bicycle access to the downtown Approved/Ongoing
5 Establish an advertising program for downtown parking demand
reduction (PDR) programs
Approved/Ongoing
6 Encourage the county to establish a trip reduction program similar to
the City’s program
Approved/Ongoing
Parking Management Programs
1 Reduce free parking in garages from 90 minutes to 60 minutes Approved/Completed
2 Increase the in-lieu parking fee charged to new development to better
reflect the cost of downtown parking
Approved/Completed
3 Increase 2-hour parking in the commercial core and limit long-term
parking
Approved/Completed
Respond to citizen proposals to establish residential parking districts in
neighborhoods adjoining the downtown.
Approved/Ongoing
4 Increase long-term parking at the periphery of the downtown Approved/Ongoing
5 Work with the Downtown Association to establish a program for
discouraging habitual violators
Approved/Ongoing
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RESOLUTION NO. 10317 (2011 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
AMENDING THE ACCESS AND PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN
WHEREAS, the City adopted its first Parking Management Plan in 1987 and revised the
Plan in 1990 and 1995 and revised and retitled the Plan in 2002; and
WHEREAS, the City's General Plan contains policies and programs to encourage
housing
development in the downtown core, including allowing more flexible parking regulations for
housing developments through amendments to the Zoning Regulations and Access and Parking
Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted public
hearings on May 25, 2011, July 27, 2011, and August 24, 2011, and recommended approval of
amendments to Access and Parking Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a public hearing
in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, on
November 15 ,
2011 to consider amendments to the Access and Parking Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the Negative Declaration of environmental
impact as prepared by staff and reviewed by the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has duly considered all evidence, including the testimony
of
interested parties, and the evaluation and recommendations by staff, presented at said hearing.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings . The Council makes the following findings:
1. The proposed amendments will not significantly alter the character of the City or cause
significant health, safety or welfare concerns.
2. The proposed amendments further the goals and policies of the General Plan in support
of downtown residential development.
SECTION 2. Environmental Determination. The City Council finds and determines that
the project's Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact (GPI/ER 83-07) prepared for the
Access and Parking Management Plan and Zoning Regulations amendments adequately
addresses the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project in accordance with the
California Environmental Quality Act and the City's Environmental Guidelines, and reflects the
independent judgment of the Council. The Council hereby adopts the Negative Declaration.
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