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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
December 7, 2003 | |
Author: |
Bob Macdonald | |
Phone No.: |
604 873 7347 | |
RTS No.: |
3872 | |
CC File No.: |
5654 | |
Meeting Date: |
January 15, 2003 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Parking Meter Equipment Purchase, Parking Meter Rate Review, and Associated Community Improvements |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the parking meter rate changes as detailed in Appendix A, and THAT the Director of Legal Services bring forward the necessary By-laws to enact these changes.
B. That Council approve the purchase of replacement parking meter housings at an estimated cost of $475,000; source of funding to be $225,000 from the parking meter replacement fund and $250,000 from on-street parking revenue.
C. THAT Council approve an increase in parking meter maintenance auxiliary staff costs of $60,000 ($25,000 in 2004) and an increase in parking meter depreciation costs of $12,000 ($9,000 in 2004); source of funding to be increased parking meter revenue.
D. THAT Council approve $200,000 in capital expenditures for the Kerrisdale community parkade as noted in the report with funds provided from the Parking Sites Reserve.
E. THAT Council approve an estimated $50,000 for a 50% share of a traffic signal at Hamilton and Nelson Streets, with funding provided from the Parking Sites Reserve and with the timing to coincide with the development of completion of the City Park and parking at this location.
F. THAT Council approve $30,000 for a study of pedestrian access improvements to Granville Street from the Pacific Centre parkade, source of funds to be the Parking Sites Reserve.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, C, D, E and F.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council policy is to provide parking meters to improve turnover of street parking for short- term use, with the support of local businesses.
Council policy is to set parking meter rates to reflect market rates and also to identify offsetting cost reductions or revenue enhancements for any increased expenditures.
PURPOSE
This report reviews the City's parking meter operations and recommends meter replacements, the purchase of additional equipment and selected parking meter rate changes to better reflect market conditions. The report also recommends associated community improvements.
DISCUSSION
PARKING METER RATES
Council policy is that parking meter rates reflect off-street rates to minimize circulating traffic, and that they be set to provide short term parking for area visitors. A balanced rate between parking meters and off-street parking increases the availability of on-street parking spaces. This reduces the long-term parking usage of the meters, typically by employees, and reduces the traffic congestion created by people looking for parking spaces.
Parking rates are reviewed on a regular basis and Appendix A details the proposed changes. The recommended changes would occur over a two year period and would raise average meter rates by 3.1% in 2004 and 3.6% in 2005. These changes include two reductions: from $1.50 to $1.00 along Columbia Street in Chinatown, and from $4.00 to $3.00/$2.00 on several new streets in the downtown (1000/1100 Cordova Street and 300 Thurlow Street).
EQUIPMENT PURCHASE
The parking meter program is a large City business unit and attention is needed to ensure it provides good service and value for the public. Parking meters provide a service to the public and the business community. Revenues have grown steadily in recent years due to expansion of meter areas and approved rate changes. It is recommended that additional meter equipment be purchased at this time, due to the increase in the number of new meter requests, and to replace some older meter housings, which are at the end of their life, and have become an increased security risk.
$475,000 is required for new parking meter equipment: $225,000 for replacement equipment provided by the Parking Meter Replacement Fund, and $250,000 for the purchase of equipment for meter infill. Funds for this purchase are available from additional parking meter revenue.
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RELATED COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS
The last time parking meter rates were raised in downtown, the Downtown BIA expressed a need for the City to reinvest more in the business community, and suggested that some of the parking meter revenue be directed towards downtown improvements.
The City has provided substantial investment and support to the downtown business communities. Recent investments by the City include major contributions to both the Gastown and Yaletown heritage areas, as well as significant upgrades to parking facilities in the Downtown, and amenities such as the plaza at the north end of Hornby Street which is on top of a City parkade. The City is also investing in other downtown amenities such as the Downtown South park and a new park space in Downtown adjacent to Yaletown. Later this year Council will be considering added funding for implementation of the Downtown transportation improvements.
The means to provide investment in Parking in the business areas in through the Parking Sites Reserve fund, established from the surplus revenues generated by the City's off-street parking revenues. There are a number of additional improvements in the metered areas which should be considered at this time.
· In Yaletown there is a need for a signal at Hamilton and Nelson for the continuation of the Downtown Silk road, and to serve the new park and parkade which Council recently approved at Hamilton and Nelson. The estimated $100,000 cost of this work would be shared equally between the developer of the 901 Mainland development and the Parking Sites Reserve. While traffic signals are generally funded through the annual capital Traffic Signal Program this signal is directly related to the development of the Yaletown community parking and the major housing development at this location. Although the actual work may not proceed immediately a decision on the signal needs to be made now as it is a requirement of this mixed use development.
· In the Downtown the City controls the parking in Pacific Centre through a long term lease agreement. It is timely to review the pedestrian access to this parking facility, which does not connect well to Granville Street. The replacement of an existing elevator near Robson with one which connects to the street would greatly improve access for the public, particularly in the evening and weekends. This will likely be an expensive upgrade; however, it is recommended that $30,000 be approved to hire consultants to explore this potential opportunity and its cost with Pacific Centre management, Sears, EasyPark. This would also be coordinated with the Granville Mall redesign team, and discussed with the RAV project team, as there is a station at this location and there may be a mutually beneficial design solution. Funds for this review would be provided from the Parking Sites Reserve.
· In Kerrisdale, the City-owned parkade, which supplies parking for the community, requires capital improvements, estimated to cost $200,000, to preserve the structural integrity of this mixed use building. The parkade is located under a high rise condominium and Legion building, and the floor slabs and some expansion joints of the parkade have deteriorated to a point where repairs are needed as this building predated the current code requirements for slab protection. This work includes repairs to expansion joints and drainage and the installation of a protective floor membrane. Funds for this are available in the Parking Sites Reserve.
Staff are also preparing a proposal call for a cellular phone payment option for the on-street parking program which would allow customers to make parking meter payments by phone. The City's new wireless enforcement equipment makes this a feasible option for meter payment, and will enhance public service. It is not expected that there will be an added net cost to the City; however, the proposals and any costs will be reported to Council for approvals when received.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
$475,000 is required for new parking meter equipment: $225,000 for replacement equipment provided by the Parking Meter Replacement Fund, and $250,000 for the purchase of equipment for meter infill and security related changes funded from on street parking revenues.
The increased staff costs of $25,000 in 2004 and a further $35,000 in 2005, for a total of $60,000 ongoing, should be funded from the increased parking meter revenues. The Parking Meter Replacement fund should be increased by $9,000 in 2004 and a further $3,000 in future years. This is due to the expansion of meters on the street, and will provide adequate funding for future replacement of meter equipment.
The parking meter rate increase is expected to generate an additional $500,000 (gross) in 2004 and a further $700,000 (gross) in 2005, for a total increase of $1,200,000 over the two years. The new meters should generate an added $150,000 (gross) in 2004 and an additional $50,000 (gross) in future years. The 2004 Parking Meter revenue budget currently is $19,600,000. The revenue increases, together with the above mentioned annual costs, will mean a net increase to the base of $366,000 in 2004 and a further net increase of $962,000 in 2005.
The Parking Sites Reserve supports off-street parking improvements and funding is available for the estimated $200,000 cost of the Kerrisdale parkade improvements, the $50,000 share for the Hamilton/Nelson signal, and $30,000 for the Pacific Centre access study.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
There is a need for increased auxiliary staffing in parking meter maintenance to continue to adequately deal with the increased meter revenue and increased number of meters. It is recommended that $25,000 in ongoing auxiliary staff be approved in 2004, with an added $35,000 in 2005 for a total ongoing increase of $60,000, funded from the increased parking meter revenues, but subject to the 2004 budget review process. A copy of this report has been given to CUPE 15.
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