Vancouver City Council |
CITY OF VANCOUVER
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date:
January 20, 2005
Author:
Bob Macdonald
Phone No.:
7347
RTS No.:
04715
CC File No.:
5654
Meeting Date:
February 15, 2005
TO:
City Council
FROM:
General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:
Parking Meter Equipment Purchase
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the purchase of replacement parking meter equipment at an estimated cost of $310,000, with funds provided from the Parking Meter Replacement Fund.
B. THAT Council approve the purchase of new parking meter equipment, for installation in approved meter areas, at an estimated cost of $100,000, with funds provided from increased parking meter revenue estimated to be $200,000 annually.
C. THAT Council approve an increase in parking meter maintenance costs of $48,000 to increase parking meter maintenance staffing, and $15,000 for additional clerical staffing (Clerk 3 level subject to classification review), with funds provided from increased parking meter revenue.
D. THAT Council approve an annual increase of $15,000 to the Parking Operations budget to enhance parking meter security. In 2005 these funds will be used in partnership with ICBC, which matches City funds, to increase Crime Prevention patrols. The City funding is to be provided from increased parking meter revenue.
E. THAT Council approve an annual increase of $7,000 to the parking meter replacement fund to ensure the future replacement of the new meters added in recommendation B above.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, C, D, and E.
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, and the purchase of additional equipment.
DISCUSSION
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 equipment, which is at the end of its life and has become an increased security risk.
$410,000 is required for new parking meter equipment: $310,000 for replacement equipment provided by the Parking Meter Replacement Fund, and $100,000 for the purchase of equipment for meter infill provided from additional parking meter revenue.
SECURITY SERVICE
Parking Operations currently has a small budget for security ($5,000) which is typically insufficient to combat theft from Parking Meters. In late 2004 the City partnered with ICBC and the Downtown Business Improvement Association on a program to provide support for street security patrols, which have been helpful in deterring vehicle theft and vandalism as well as tampering with City parking meters. It is recommended that $15,000 be approved to enhance security of on-street meters, noting that in 2005 ICBC will contribute matching funding.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The parking meter program provides significant revenues to the City, totalling approximately $22,000,000 per year, and growing at $1 to $2 million per year. Operating costs for maintenance and coin collection amount to roughly 10% of the total revenues. The estimated $100,000 for new meters and the increased staff and security costs of $78,000 would be funded from new revenues of $200,000 associated with these meters. The estimated $310,000 for replacement equipment is available in the Parking Meter Replacement Fund.
The Parking Meter Replacement fund should be increased by $7,000 in 2005. This is due to the expansion of meters on the street, and to provide adequate funding for future replacement of meter equipment.
In addition to the increased revenues projected in this report, there will be a further increase of $750,000 in revenues from a previously approved rate increase for 2005.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
There is a need for additional meter maintenance staff resources, at an estimated annual cost of $48,000 for maintenance technicians, and $15,000 for increased clerical support in parking meter maintenance, to continue to adequately deal with the increased meter revenue and increased number of meters. This would be funded from the increased parking meter revenues. The additional funds identified in this report, along with existing auxiliary funding previously approved, will result in the creation of one Regular Full Time Meter Maintenance Technician and one Regular Full Time Clerk 3, subject to classification review. A copy of this report has been given to CUPE 15.
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