February 7, 2008

Parking Commission

Agenda

  1. Call to Order and Minutes;
  2. Review Parking Meter Presentation;
  3. Distribute and Discuss Operator’s Report and 2008 Year End Expenses and Revenues;
  4. 2007 Downtown Parking Study;
  5. US Bank Annual Inspection Report; 
  6. Consider Other Business.

Minutes

Members Present: Chairman Commissioner Mike Williams, Karen Bergum, Kevin Swann, Margie Bailly

Others Present: Bob Stein, John Rogne, Rob Lynch, Paula Aalgaard, Jim Gilmour, Dave Anderson

Commissioner Chairman Williams called the meeting to order.  Ms. Bergum moved to approve the minutes of the January 3, 2008 meeting and Mr. Swann seconded the motion.  All members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Parking Meter Presentation
Mr. Stein distributed copies of the presentation and reviewed the contents with the Commission.  He pointed out key developments in the history of parking and in downtown Fargo.  The Commission discussed the needs of the city and how to meet them, as well as whether parking meters were the best way to do so.  They talked about how to involve the private sector.  They discussed how free street parking discouraged the use of off-street parking and how income from meters could reverse that trend by providing a revenue source other than lot space rent.  The Commission reviewed the changes to the parking violation fee structure and its part in parking management.

Operator’s Report
Mr. Rogne distributed copies of his report for January 2008 and reviewed the information with the Commission.  Mr. Stein explained the adjustment to the number of renters.  He noted that SEI had been over-paying for spots and had been consolidated to two lots.  Mr. Stein drew the Commission’s attention to the spreadsheet he had provided with the meeting’s agenda.  He reviewed the operating costs and incomes from the individual lots.  He noted that the final balance was about $100,000, even after paying for the repairs to the Radisson ramp.  He stated that the 2nd Avenue north lot was the only surface lot that needed repairs.  The Commission discussed with Mr. Anderson the possibility of finding private developers who were willing to integrate parking in new projects both on 2nd Avenue and for the US Bank ramp.

Downtown Parking Study Update
Mr. Stein explained why the 2003 study had been completed and how the numbers had been updated.  He reviewed the new numbers and what they meant to the conclusions.  He drew the Commission’s attention to the occupancy rates and explained that the ideal rate was approximately 85%.  The Commission discussed the implied rise in demand at the end of the day as well as over the noon hour.  Mr. Stein explained how the land use calculations and the parking demand ratios affected the final results.  He noted that the current supply matched current demand, if people were willing to walk a short distance.  He reviewed the table outlining possible and in-progress projects downtown and explained the deficit of parking spaces shown at the end of the study.

Commissioner Williams pointed out that transit ridership had increased 27% this January, compared to January of 2007.  Mr. Gilmour stated that route changes in October, 2007 had helped and that student ridership had increased 30%. The Commission discussed how transit affected parking downtown and possible related advertising opportunities.  Mr. Gilmour stated that two new routes were being developed and that two buses would be dedicated to transit between NDSU and the downtown buildings.  The Commission discussed private transit possibilities between downtown and other hotels.

US Bank Ramp Annual Inspection Report
Mr. Stein distributed copies of the report from Heyer Engineering regarding the structural condition of the US Bank ramp.  He reviewed the conclusions and noted that the recommendation was to do some minor repairs and maintenance and to continue to monitor its condition.  Commissioner Williams asked Mr. Stein to obtain an estimate for repairs and patching to improve its appearance.  The Commission discussed the safety of encouraging parking in the ramp after hours.  They talked about repair, demolition, and building a new structure, and about how finances affected those decisions.  They discussed increasing skyway use to take advantage of the parking lots at either end.

Mr. Stein noted that the new parking enforcement system was being implemented over a 90-day process.  He reminded the Commission of the recommendation sent to the City Commission regarding graduated fines.  He reviewed the new rates.  He distributed copies of Lots of Parking: Land Use in a Car Culture to the Commission and asked that they begin reviewing it.  There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned.