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07-08-86 Parking Comm Minutes16 • • • July 8, 1986 PARKING COMMISSION 2:00 P.M. Chairman Gordon Pirrie and Commission members Colin Wills, and Austin Miller in attendance. Mayor Kennedy, Councilmen Nystul, Ruiz, Palmer and Manning, Chief Stefanic, Ed Gallagher, Building Official Jackson, Ross Plambeck, Meter Maid Helmatag, Tom Kosena, Dick Burningham, Bruce Lutz, Henry Good, Frank Miller, and Roger Hopkins of the Daily Interlake also present. TOM KOSENA, MISSOULA PARKING COMMISSION - Mr. Kosena came at the invitation of the Parking Commission to share ideas and policies that have worked well for the City of Missoula. He began by saying that Missoula's Parking Commission is the only one he knows of that has taken advantage of all the laws, statutes and ordinances allowed by law regarding parking, and therefore he feels the need to share the pros and cons of their experience with other cities. He also stated that Kalispell's problems are not unique to Montana or other areas. RELATIONSHIPS: The Parking Commission must cultivate relationships with the entities it must deal with. 1) Although the operation of the PC is almost totally separate from the City appointments to the Commission are made by the Mayor and the PC provides cash flow to the General Fund budget through a contractual arrangement. 2) The Downtown Association plays an integral roll in development and works closely with the PC. 3) Redevelopment Association. This triology has been VERY successful in providing and utilizing parking. THE CUSTOMER IS KING - that is the No. 1 Rule. What is the value of a customer? In retail dollars a parking space is worth $10,000 - $12,000 per year. The PC must maintain good relations between the three entities listed above and at the same time always be sensitive to the Customer. "UNDER ONE ROOF" POLICY: Missoula is the only City to utilize this concept of full authority. Enforcement, income, development of parking, and leases are all under one department, which provides a vehicle that splintered authority does not have. He stressed that it was very advantageous to have enforcement included. LANDSCAPING: This is extremely important. Parking is a business and as such must be attractive, well lit (so people are not afraid to use the lots at night), and well signed. The intent of the lot must be easy to read and simple. MARKETING DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES: Mr. Kosena recommended putting out once every two years a glossy, well done phamphlet "advertising" parking lots. Advertising in the newspaper for customer and employee parking lots is also recommended. ENFORCEMENT: This is the absolute key to the success of everything the PC does. The cooperation of the Downtown Association was necessary to promote the philosophy that employers and employees CANNOT park downtown. That parking place on the street by a business means either 4 (2 hr parking) or just one if an employee parks there all day. Employers must promote and take the lead internally for this program to work. Mr. Kosena went on to say there are two types of businessmen: Level One includes retailers who live by the parking spaces, and Level Two which includes lawyers, etc. who have offices upstairs in the buildings and who do not live by the parking space. If employees are to be moved off the street two things need to be considered: 1) The providing of structured parking and/or 2) Residential Permit Parking Program where street parking permits are sold to homeowners to ensure parking in front of their homes. A residential area overloaded with parking devalues property values • U 0 PARKING COMMISSION July 8, 1986 Page 2 and makes for unhappy citizens. Again, enfo be stressed enough. Missoula has four meter what one meter maid covers in Kalispell. LEASE PARKING: Missoula sells 400-450 spa to $28.00. Enforcement keeps the lease parking that the City should not be afraid to oversell is necessary and cannot for an area smaller than th at charges of $8.50 full. Mr. Kosena indicated FINANCING: Missoula has 14 properties the deal with which are leased, owned or otherwise. They bought, relocated, de;olished, excavated - whatever was necessary to provide the parking. Funding as from two sources: Bond issue, which is being repaid by an SID. Requirements for building in the district do not include a parking requirement, but all owners must be part of the SID. A change of use for a building doeE not change the amount of SID. Revenue is also derived from leases, meters, permits, etc. Missoula derives $290,000 from parking, $145,000 from ticket collection, which gives the Parking Commission an annual income of $430000 - $450,000. The balance left at the end of the year after expenditures is put into a fund for future development. Assests now stand at over $4,000, 00. Mr. Kosena suggested that Ed Gallagher check into the availability ol Parking Facility Grant Funding. Mr. Gallagher stated that the EDA used to provide that funding but now the funding must be for job related items. But tax increment funding can be used for bonds or construction if necessary. KALISPELL PARKING AREAS: Mr. Kosena stated that he had toured the downtown area on foot and again with Ed Gallagher and had the following comments: 1. The appearance of the properties need improvement: seal coating, landscaping, cleaning - sweep and wash, signs. 2. Where is the waiting list for lease spces? With free parking in the residential area a few blocks out by pay? 3. Do counts on the lease lots 4 times a day to get a good curve of actual usage so that the lots can be managed to the fullest. POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT: In Missoula they regulate all parking outside of the Central Business District. Use of "the Denver boat", a C-clamp used on the tire which makes it so the vehicle cannot be moved for 10 unpaid parking tickets. In using this an officer is sent along to enforce. Missoula found that by removing responsibility from the ?olice Department to the Parking Commission it worked better. The PC also proce ses tickets for areas out of the CBD on a percentage basis (60% PC/40% PD). When all else has failed the immobilizing described above will usually s lve the problem. He noted that they have never had to immobilize a customer or a Level Two employer or employee. They have only 5-6 arrests a mont� that the PD handles, and then only when they have used every avenue to avoid them. • L PARKING COMMISSION July 8, 1986 Page 3 FORMULA FOR LEASING LOTS: In Missoula the only game in town. All leased properties have fee. Long term leases are enhanced by the impr Mr. Kosena stated that no two contracts were al the snow plowing of the lots in the winter, and lots. The City helps only when there is more s The PC pays $40,000 per year to the City and in than if they contracted out: attorney, Street D Department for sprinkling systems, etc. arking Commission is the ne to a negotiated flat monthly ements provided by the PC. e. Mr. Kosena himself does ost snow is stored on the w than can be stored onsite. eturn receives services cheaper artment for patching, Water RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONE: Resident can buy a $10/yr permit. The key for good relations here is to not go to the residents but let them come to you and ask for help. In Missoula when a group brings a petition with a majority of signatures from an area theninment the PC will act. If the PC goes to the residents it is viewed as more gave interference. KALISPELL: The PC should look for the mos with Community Development and utilize the know there. Studies are a necessity to provide a ba and demand. A long range plan is a must. Look it takes more initially but provides parking an same time. Mr. Kosena suggested that Kalispell of the Tax Increment monies for leverage rather lot. space for the dollar. Work dge of the CBD available s to go by to see supply or an use blight areas - cleans up the City at the hould use the $350,000 left han spending it all on one ENFORCEMENT: Meter Maid Helmatag stated that employees feel it is their right to park on the street. Some employers co perate, but she estimated that 60% of the parked cars are constants everyday. Mr. Kosena responded that until enforcement provides cooperation providing extra parking is not the answer. The ordinance allows for charging "mark removers" $10.00. Regulars are ticketed for moving over one space. Change the ordinance if necessary to make stiffer penalties. Again, oversell lots by 10%-15% (use curve) and don't assign spaces - that creates real problems. BAR PARKING: An SID is the best solution short of enforcement at night. One element of the formula for SID assessment is how many stools in the bar, and then a fairly healthy assessment because thi bars provide no parking and the customers are not paying. PARKING METERS: This is a difficult deci efforts, provide funding source and cash flow, General Fund. Mr. Kosena said he could not ma but that sometime down the road he would advoc also went on to suggest the use of tokens by b customers. The business purchases tokens from customers who then use them in the meters on t on! They do help regulation ad provide income for the the decision for Kalispell e returning to meters. He inesses, a practice that endears he PC and hands them out to it next trip to town. • VALIDATION PROGRAM: A list of all the businesses participating is provided for customers, who have their parking tokens va idated while shopping. Once a month the PC bills the businesses. Mr. Kasen stated it might cost a business $8.00 a month and again, it is good public rela;ions. t • • C� PARKING COMMISSION July 8, 1986 Page 4 SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT: This is a log selling proposition and takes cooperation, but leverages the monies alre dy available. In Missoula the PC has the authority to buy and sell properte'es without the consent of the City Council, but on the other hand the MyCouncil can abolish the PC at any time, so cooperation is needed. ADMINISTRATION: Missoula has one administrator/public relations person ($21,000 - $36,500), enforcement people, ticket collection (Mr. Kosena said if at all possible don't do this manually - use computer system!), a person for maintenance and collection of meters. Fundipg for these employees comes from meters and the SID, which includes enforcement and other costs. One last suggestion on enforcement was to provide license numbers for themselves and the can be taken with problem parkers. aj g ive cooperating employers employees so that action