HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-0404 Study Session PACKET
CITY OF
ASHLAND
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
AGENDA
Monday, April 4, 2016
Siskiyou Room, 51 Winburn Way
5: 30 p.m. Study Session
1. Public Input (15 minutes maximum)
2. Look Ahead review
3. Downtown Parking Management and Multi-modal Circulation Committee status
update
Immediately following the Study Session, the City Council will hold an Executive
Session for labor negotiations, real property transactions and legal counsel pursuant to
ORS 192.660(2) (d), (e) and (h).
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this
meeting, please contact the City Administrator's office at (541) 488-6002 (TTY phone number 1-800-735-
2900). Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).
COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE ON CHANNEL 9. STARTING APRIL 15, 2014,
CHARTER CABLE WILL BROADCAST MEETINGS ON CHANNEL 180 OR 181.
VISIT THE CITY OF ASHLAND'S WEB SITE AT WWW.ASHLAND.OR.US
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CITY OF
ASHLAND
Council Communication
April 4, 2016, Study Session
Downtown Parking Management and Multi-modal Traffic Circulation Committee
Status Update
FROM:
Michael R. Faught, Director, Public Works Department, mike.faught a ashland.or.us
SUMMARY:
The Downtown Parking Management and Multi-modal Circulation Advisory Committee is nearing
completion of its Council assignment and staff is providing Council with an informational update on
the draft final plan. The Committee's work, with the help of a parking management expert, Rick
Williams, is strategic, thorough, comprehensive and visionary.
Key elements of the parking plan recommend: formalizing guiding themes and principles, hiring a full
time parking coordinator, establishing a downtown Parking Advisory Committee, centralizing parking
management within a single division, adopting the 85% rule for occupancy standards. Multi-modal
elements include: a proposal to reduce East Main from 3 lanes to 2 lanes, with the addition of a bike
lane, constructing wider sidewalks, and establishing permanent timed truck loading zones, removing
vehicular traffic from the Beaver Slide and creating a bike and pedestrian facility.
BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS:
As recommended by the adopted 2012 Transportation Master Plan, the City Council appointed the
Downtown Parking Management and Multi-modal Circulation Advisory Committee at its November 5,
2013, business meeting. Committee membership includes ex officio members from the Chamber,
trucking industry and city staff. In addition, 13 voting members were appointed (2 from the Chamber
board, 2 Planning Commissioners, 2 Transportation Commissioners, and 7 stakeholders from the
downtown area). Stakeholders include: merchants/business owners-managers, property owners,
downtown residents, OSF, Pioneer/A Street, Fourth/A Street, and one citizen at large.
Staff would like to sincerely thank the Committee members and citizens for the time and energy
invested in the Ashland downtown planning initiative. The group has been meeting monthly on the
first Wednesday since appointment of the Committee. The plan was originally estimated to take 12-18
months and the additional time required by the Committee is an example of its hard work and diligence
on the project.
Originally, the University of Oregon's Community Planning Workshop (CPW) was hired to guide the
Committee through the process. While the University of Oregon's CSC group provided some
foundational information for the Committee, staff decided to hire a parking consultant, Rick Williams
Consulting Parking and Transportation, to complete the project in 2015. Rick Williams is an
experienced parking management professional and has done an excellent job helping the Committee
develop a strategic downtown parking plan.
Page 1 of 4
11VAL4A
CITY OF
ASHLAND
Draft Plan Summary:
The first primary component of the plan is Guiding Themes and Principles which include the City's
role and coordination, priority customers, active capacity management, information systems (supply &
customer based) and integration with other modes.
The proposed phase 1 action strategies include:
• Formalize the guiding themes and principles as policies for downtown access within the
parking and transportation system plan;
• Adopt the 85% rule as the optimum occupancy standard for measuring performance of the
parking supply and triggering specific management strategies and rate ranges ;
• Establish a Downtown Parking and Transportation Fund as a mechanism to direct funds
derived from parking into a dedicated fund;
• Create a Centralized Parking Management Division;
• Develop a job description and hire a Downtown Parking Coordinator for the City of Ashland;
• Establish a Downtown Parking Advisory Committee (DPAC) consisting of downtown
stakeholders to assist in program implementation and review;
• Develop a reasonable schedule of data collection to better assess performance of downtown
parking;
• Identify off-street shared use opportunities and feasibilities based on data findings in Strategy
#7, Establish goals for transitioning employees, begin outreach to opportunity sites, negotiate
agreements, and assign employees to facilities (see Downtown Ashland Parking Utilization
map on next page);
• Create a critical path timeline to a new parking brand that can be utilized at all City-owned lots
and shared supplies and in parking marketing/communications;
• Simplify on-street time stays;
• Develop a new off-street signage package;
• Expand the bike parking network to create connections between parking and downtown in
order to encourage employee bike commute trips and draw customers to downtown businesses;
• Evaluate and pursue on-street pricing in high occupancy areas (85%);
• Solicit firms to establish wayfinding and dynamic signage systems in the public right of way
integrated with the off-street system using City parking brand developed in Strategy #9; and
• Deploy wayfinding system as developed in Strategy 14.
Page 2 of 4
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CITY OF
ASHLAND
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Parking Utilization ~ , Study area boundary 2015
84% - 70% Saturday, August 22
A.-Nand, Oregm 69%-56% 3:00 - 4:00 PM Peak Hour
RICK WILLIAMS CONSULTING <56%
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In addition to the strategic parking plan, the final document includes multi-modal concept capital
projects:
• A draft concept plan that reduces East Main from three lanes to two lanes, adds a bike lane,
widens sidewalks and provides truck loading zones;
• Removes vehicular traffic from the Beaver Slide by creating a multi-use path for bicycles and
pedestrians;
• Constructs a roundabout at the intersection of Pioneer/Fork/Hargadine;
• Street Improvements on A Street and B Street for improved pedestrian and bike activity and
safety; and
• Includes Downtown projects identified in adopted Transportation System Plan.
Page 3 of 4
~r
CITY OF
ASHLAND
COUNCIL GOALS SUPPORTED:
21. Be proactive in using best practices in infrastructure management and modernization.
21.1 Complete downtown parking management and traffic circulation plan.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND REQUESTED ACTION:
N/A
SUGGESTED MOTION:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
Draft Downtown Strategic Parking Management Plan
Page 4 of 4
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RICK WILLIAMS CONSULTING
Parking & Transportation
Table of Contents
Section I: Background ...........................................................................................................................2
Section II: The Role of Parking in Downtown 3
Section III: Plan Organization .................................................................................................................4
Section IV: Guiding Themes and Principles 5
Section V: Recommended Downtown Parking Management Strategies ............................................10
Section VI: Multimodal Downtown Projects 39
Section VII: Summary .............................................................................................................................46
APPENDIX
A. ACTIONS & IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
CITY OF ASHLAND: DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN
1. BACKGROUND
In 2013, the City of Ashland commissioned a study to evaluate the state of parking in the downtown.
The study was conducted by Community Planning Workshop and the University of Oregon, and analyzed
use, occupancy, and demand for customer and employee parking throughout the downtown, and
developed an initial set of recommended strategies and programs.' The project study area is illustrated
in Figure A.
Figure A
The City subsequently determined Project Study Area
that developing a more targeted
CITY OF
i
s -ASHLAND
parking plan for the downtown core
y2• s Do-t- Pubik Parkhg i
would be beneficial, both as a guide s t
' '4,- cater x Dowr*- Swdy Am
to daily management and as a
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template for future decision- o°
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making. To this end, the City ~P
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engaged Rick Williams Consulting to ZONING
work with its Downtown Parking ` E_;°
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Management and Circulation Ad ` A:V ~ R.t
§ a R-1
r` St
Hoc Advisory Committee and R-3
Southern Transportation
Engineering to compile a complete
simple, and effective set of
operating strategies for management of the City's downtown parking supply.
The Advisory Committee includes representatives of the business and development sectors, citizens,
City staff, City Commissions, and the City Council. Southern Transportation Engineering assisted with a
multimodal project component. The study entailed in-depth discussions with the Advisory Committee
and other community stakeholders to develop a comprehensive parking management plan that
responds to the unique access environment, goals, and objectives of Downtown Ashland. This was
coupled with an evaluation of planned multimodal projects in the downtown core and existing parking
policies, standards, and actual usage.2 The parking management plan and its development process are
summarized in this report.
1 See: Ashland Downtown Parking Management and Multi-Modal Circulation Plan -October2014, (Community
Planning Workshop and the University of Oregon).
z Usage data was derived from two sources: (1) Ashland Downtown Parking Management and Multi-Modal
Circulation Plan (October2014) and (2) Off-street usage data collected by Rick Williams Consulting (August 2015).
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
II. THE ROLE OF PARKING IN DOWNTOWN
A successful downtown has a clear sense of place, and comprises an exciting
and attractive mix of uses and amenities. The role of parking is to support the realization of this vision. Simply put, people do not come downtown to park.
They come to experience an environment that is unique, active, and diverse. A
,gRKING
well-managed parking system helps make it safe, easy, and convenient for
them to do so.
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Discussions with stakeholders resulted in a number of desired outcomes for
parking management. Parking management in downtown Ashland should:
• Support a "messy vitality" by creating a vital, active, and interesting downtown environment.
• Get the right parker to the right stall.
• Assure convenient, affordable, and available parking for visitors and customers.
• Ensure that parking in a district is managed to meet the needs of its priority users.
• Ensure reasonable and safe parking for employees.
• Communicate a clear sense of movement to parking options.
• Provide for an integrated system on and off-street (parking & pedestrians).
• Integrate alternative modes, particularly biking.
• Anticipate and respond to increasing demand for access to the downtown.
Parking is just one tool in a downtown's economic development toolbox, and must be managed to
ensure an effective, efficient system of access that caters to the needs of priority users. In the case of
downtown Ashland, the priority user for the City-owned parking system has been identified as the
customer and visitor. The Advisory Committee concluded that the objective of parking management in
downtown should be:
"To support the development of a vibrant, growing, and attractive destination for
shopping, entertainment, recreation, living, and working. The components of this plan
need to be simple and intuitive for the user, providing an understandable system that is
affordable, safe, secure, and well-integrated into other access options (i.e., transit, bike
and walk)."
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
III. PLAN ORGANIZATION
The strategies outlined below are intended to spark discussion between the City of Ashland and
downtown stakeholders on policies and actions that will support a vital and growing downtown.
We begin with a set of Guiding Themes and Principles developed by the Advisory Committee and
designed to serve as a framework for decision-making. The principles encourage the use of parking
resources to support economic development goals and to effectively serve the diversity of customers
and visitors using the downtown (see Section IV).
Following this list, recommended parking management strategies are presented as a series of steps
intended to follow a logical progression, with each action providing the groundwork necessary for
subsequent actions. Steps are divided into policy actions and operations, and further categorized as
specific action strategies intended to be carried out in two phases that range from immediate to long-
term (see Section V and Appendix A).
Following this is a comprehensive summary of planned multimodal projects in the downtown core.
When developing the City's Transportation System Plan (TSP), Policies #3 - #9 presented policies aimed
at enhancing the downtown environment for multiple transportation modes while also facilitating
economic prosperity. These policies considered wider sidewalks, preferred pedestrian treatments, alley
enhancements, bicycle parking, incentives for truck loading/unloading, and downtown parking
management. The multimodal component categorized projects as pedestrian, bicycle, transit,
intersection and roadway, and railroad. Planned projects specific to the downtown area for each are
described (see Section VI).
As the City and its partners consider these strategies, discussion of the "who, what, and how" of
implementation will be essential, and it may be determined that strategies should be reordered or
implemented concurrently. Such refinements will be based on opportunities and challenges that arise,
momentum, resource identification, and broader community input. The plan presented here is a
template for a new approach to parking and multi-modal management in downtown Ashland, and
changes and refinements can be expected.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
IV. GUIDING THEMES AND PRINCIPLES
The development of Guiding Principles for parking in downtown
r St
Ashland supports creation of a parking system that facilitates and
rya ti ° ' ~j\y.4`
contributes to a vital and growing downtown. Guiding Principles Ctfl
are based on the premise that growth and development in the
' • f'~ ,r,
downtown will require an integrated and comprehensive package = l f,,
of strategies to support economic development and
redevelopment. The ensuing parking plan becomes but one critical
element of a larger coordinated package for economic growth.
The results of stakeholder input can be summarized as five Guiding Themes comprising seventeen
Guiding Principles. Ideally, these will establish a basis for consensus and provide near - and long-term
direction for parking management in the downtown.
A. CITY ROLE AND COORDINATION
1) Centralize management of public parking to ensure optimal use of the supply.
Parking issues are too complex and widespread for status quo approaches to management.
The City needs to provide more focused, coordinated, and strategic attention to daily
management and delivery of near- and long-term parking solutions.
2) Coordinate parking in a manner that supports the unique character of emerging
downtown districts and neighborhoods. Where appropriate, manage parking by zone.
The downtown comprises several unique economic enclaves (e.g., the core, the theater
district, the railroad area). As the areas differ economically, so too do the character and
needs of their patrons. This may require a management approach tailored to each area,
known as management by parking zone.
3) Ensure that a representative body of affected private and public constituents from within
downtown routinely informs decision-making.
Active participation by those affected guarantees an understanding of and consensus on
parking management and the "trigger" points for decision-making built into the parking
plan. This is best accomplished through an established parking advisory committee that
reviews performance, serves as a sounding board for issues, and acts as a liaison to the
broader stakeholder community.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
4) Create a sense of security at all times, on-street and off-street.
Public off-street lots should be maintained so as to not deter users due to poor design,
pavement quality, or perceived security issues. Safe and well-lit links between parking areas
and shopping, entertainment, and work sites should be planned for and provided.
6. PRIORITY CUSTOMER
1) The on-street parking system is a finite resource and will be managed to provide a rate of
turnover that supports "district" vitality.
Most users of the downtown favor on-street parking. The parking management plan
recognizes this premium on-street parking resource needs to be managed to provide a rate
of customer and visitor turnover that supports downtown and district vitality. With this
principle comes the recognition that growth in downtown parking demand will, over the
longer term, need to be accommodated in off-street locations. Longer-term patron and
employee parking must be managed so as not to conflict with customer parking, particularly
on-street. On-street parking must be managed according to demand and time-stays
conducive to customer need.
2) The most convenient on-street parking will be preserved for the priority user - as defined
by base zoning in the affected district.
The on-street parking system in the downtown must be formatted in a manner that assures
turnover and minimized conflicts between the priority user and other users. Ashland will
use base zoning in parking districts (e.g., commercial versus residential) to facilitate and
support reasonable definitions of priority users.
3) Provide sufficient parking to meet employee demand, specifically in conjunction with
other reasonable travel mode options.
All parking strategies should be coordinated with transportation demand management goals
and objectives to ensure that employees and customers have reasonable options available
for access. For downtown Ashland, this should be initiated with efforts to encourage
bicycling to the downtown, with longer term goals for transit/shuttles and ridesharing. This
effort should be pursued as a partnership between the City and private sector businesses.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
C. ACTIVE CAPACITY MANAGEMENT
1) Manage the public parking system using the 85% Occupancy Standard to inform and guide
decision-making.
The 85% Rule is an operating principle for coordinating parking supply. When occupancies
routinely reach 85% during peak periods, more intensive and aggressive parking
management strategies are called for to assist patrons in finding available parking. The 85%
Rule will facilitate reasonable and effective decisions regarding time stays, enforcement,
and other decisions related to capacity management.
2) Supplies in excess of the 85% Occupancy Standard will require best practice strategies to
minimize parking constraints.
Several strategies identified in the plan are triggered by the 85% Rule. The City and the
Advisory Committee are committed to moving forward with recommended strategies when
parking demand requires them. Changes to the status quo can be difficult, but continued
constraints in parking and access will adversely impact the downtown's success and ability
to absorb growth.
3) Encourage shared parking in areas where parking is underutilized. This will require an
active partnership with owners of private parking supplies.
Numerous parking facilities in some downtown locations are underutilized. Efforts should
be made to facilitate shared use agreements between different users (public and private) to
direct parking demand into these facilities, in order to maximize existing parking resources.
4) Capacity will be created through strategic management of existing supplies, reasonable
enforcement, leveraging parking with alternative modes, and new supply.
Active effort must be made to manage the parking system on a daily basis. This will require
partnerships with the private sector to leverage existing off-street supplies and to
coordinate management in a manner that supports the development and growth of
alternative modes. New parking supply becomes more feasible when all capacity options
are maximized.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
D. INFORMATION SYSTEMS (SUPPLY & CUSTOMER-BASED)
Supply-based
1) Use performance measurements and reporting to ensure Guiding Principles are achieved.
Committing to a routine and objective system of measurement and reporting ensures that
decision-making will be informed. Key metrics include occupancy, turnover, average
duration of stay, rate of violation, and customer input. Performance monitoring also
provides a basis for routine evaluation of program effectiveness.
Customer-based
2) Improve existing, and create new, information and educational resources (outreach,
education, maps, websites, etc.) for use by the public and private sectors.
Efforts to improve understanding, awareness, and ease of use of the parking and access
system should be upgraded. A clear schedule should be maintained for the dissemination of
information. This could be coordinated through a partnership between the City and a
downtown business association.
3) Develop and implement a unique and creative wayfinding system for the downtown that
links parking assets and provides directional guidance, preferably under a common
brand/logo.
Parking resources should be clearly identified and explained through branding and
signage, increasing understanding of how to access on- and off-street parking
resources. A common brand that unifies marketing materials, signage systems, and
other communications simplifies customer recognition and use of the system.
E. INTEGRATION WITH OTHER MODES
1) Encourage and facilitate increasing percentages of use, particularly by employees, of
alternative travel modes to free up parking capacity.
Parking should not be the only access option for employees. Every parking stall occupied by
an employee means a lower rate of turnover and less access for customers and visitors.
Employees should be given reasonable access to parking, but encouraged to use alternative
modes that include walking, biking, transit, and ridesharing. If Ashland develops a strong
system of alternative mode options for employees, these will then become options for
residents, visitors, and customers.
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Strategic Parking Management Plan
2) Increase bike parking on and off-street to enhance the broader bicycle network.
The City of Ashland's bike parking network should be as effectively formatted as the auto
parking system. On- and off-street parking facilities for bicyclists are efficient and low-cost.
3) Explore remote parking locations and transit/bike connections to minimize the need for
new parking structures.
As the City explores new parking supply options, scenarios should include remote locations
connected by transit and bike networks. Such options may be more cost-effective than
structured parking and/or may be necessitated by land supply constraints in the downtown.
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V. RECOMMENDED DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
From discussions with the City and stakeholders, specific parking management strategies have been
identified and are recommended for implementation. These recommendations are informed by
evaluation of current policies and practices, information in the 2014 Community Planning Workshop
report, and data collection in off-street facilities conducted by RWC in August 2015.
This report contains recommendations for changes in current management/organization and several
near-term Action Strategies for the first 18-months of implementation (Phase 1). The timing of
implementation outlined in this document assumes that Phase 1 work will formally begin in July 2016
and run through November 2017. However, some work should precede Phase 1 (January - June 2016)
through work with an interim Parking Work Group led by current Public Works staff.
Phase 2 would begin in January 2018. However, any and all strategies can be implemented on an
accelerated schedule or be reordered based on opportunity and resources. The proposed timeline is
provided as a means to communicate a reasonable schedule and order of tasks.
The strategies recommended in this report will assist the City in more effectively managing its
downtown parking supply and preparing for future growth. They are organized as follows:
• Policy and Organizational Action Strategies: Phase 1 (0 -18 months)
• Recommended Parking Management Strategies: Phase 1 (0 -18 months)
• Recommended Parking Management Strategies: Phase 2 (18 - 36+ months)
A summary of all recommended Strategies is attached as an Implementation Schedule at the end of
this report.
A. POLICY AND ORGANIZATION ACTION STRATEGIES
These elements ensure that the goals of the parking management plan can be achieved by incorporating
parking system management into the City's development policy. Grounding in the Guiding Principles
and application of the 85% Rule as the threshold for decision-making connect the various policy
elements. Centralizing the policy recommendations within a responsible and responsive Parking
Services Division ensures that the life of the parking management plan extends beyond the first round of
strategy implementation. It is recommended that the Policy Recommendations be adopted and
implemented in the very near term.
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STRATEGY 1:
Formalize the Guiding Themes and Principles as policies for downtown access within the parking and
transportation system plan.
Implementation Timeline: Immediate to Near-Term (by July 2016)
Formalizing the Guiding Principles by incorporating them into the policy element of the City's
parking/transportation system plan will inform decision-making and development of future public
facilities. Incorporating these principles into City policy assures the intent and purpose for parking
management, established through this study, is carried out over time.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY I):
It is estimated that costs associated with this strategy would be minimal and mostly expended in efforts
of existing staff to develop resolutions and ordinances through routine city planning processes.
STRATEGY 2:
Adopt the 85% Rule as the optimum occupancy standard for measuring performance of the parking
supply and triggering specific management strategies and rate ranges.
Implementation Timeline: Immediate to Near-Term (by July 2016)
In the parking industry, it is assumed that when parking exceeds 85% occupancy in the peak during peak
periods, the supply becomes constrained and may not provide full and convenient access to its intended
user. Once parking routinely exceeds that figure, the 85% Rule requires that strategies be implemented
to bring peak period occupancies below 85%.
The parking inventory for Ashland revealed that existing peak occupancies within the core are often in
excess of 85% for significant periods of the day. Having the 85% Rule formalized in policy will assure
that a process for evaluating and responding to parking activity is in place.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 2):
It is estimated that costs associated with this strategy would be minimal and mostly expended in efforts
of existing staff to develop resolutions and ordinances through routine city planning processes.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
STRATEGY 3:
Establish a Downtown Parking and Transportation Fund as a mechanism to direct funds derived from
parking into a dedicated fund.
Implementation Timeline: Immediate to Near-Term (by July 2016)
As the supply of parking becomes constrained, it will be important to direct funds into supporting
transportation and access in the downtown. This can be done with existing and/or future parking
revenue, or with new revenues generated as a result of implementing this plan. The Downtown Parking
Fund should be dedicated to:
a. Debt service
b. Parking operations
c. Lot/garage maintenance
d. Marketing and communications
e. Transportation Demand Management programs
f. New supply
It is recommended that such a fund be established as soon as feasible to ensure that new revenues are
appropriately directed.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 3):
It is estimated that costs associated with this strategy would be minimal and mostly expended in efforts
of existing staff to develop resolutions and ordinances through routine city planning processes.
STRATEGY 4:
Centralize Parking Management. Consolidate the management and administration of parking
management within a single division for Parking Services.
Implementation Timeline Immediate to Near-Term (by July 2016)
The success of any multi-faceted parking system is dependent on administration, management, and
communication of the City's parking program. This includes daily management of facilities, oversight of
third-party vendors, financial accounting and reporting, marketing/communications, customer service,
and strategic and capital planning.
Ashland's existing administrative system for managing parking is spread across multiple departments,
divisions, and commissions, which include Public Works, Community Development, Administrative
Services, and Police. From a strategic management point of view there is no clear single point of
responsibility for guiding the parking system in a manner that gives due diligence to the complexity of
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
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the existing system and the level of technical and response capability called for in the Parking
Management Plan.
Industry best practices recommend centralized management under the purview of a professional
Parking Coordinator. Centralized management best supports the concept of an integrated parking
system, as all elements of the parking system (off-street, on-street, enforcement, and oversight of any
third-party provider) are consolidated within a single division and leadership structure. As such,
administration and decision-making are structured to consider parking assets both individually and as a
system. Resources can be managed in a tailored fashion where necessary and leveraged as appropriate
and most efficient.
It is recommended that the City begin internal discussion on restructuring parking management into a
single Parking Services Division.
A "downtown parking coordinator" will direct daily operation of the system, strategic implementation of
policies and programs, and planning for growth.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 4):
At this time, the costs associated with restructuring parking management into a single operating division
are unknown. There may be efficiencies, and there may be new costs (see Strategy 5, below). It is
recommended that any new costs be supported by revenues derived from the parking system.
STRATEGY 5:
Develop a job description and submit a service package to create and hire a position of Downtown
Parking Coordinator for the City of Ashland.
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (bv September 2016)
A single person should be assigned to oversee and manage all aspects of parking in the downtown,
providing the community a single reference point for parking management. As stated in Strategy 4,
consolidating parking operations within a single department under a Downtown Parking Coordinator
creates administrative and operational efficiencies and seamlessly integrates on- and off-street parking,
enforcement, and long-range strategic planning. It also provides a point of accountability and assures
that adopted policy is fully implemented. The process for approving this type of service addition should
be completed immediately to facilitate near-term hiring or restructuring of an existing position (see
discussion below related to position options).
Ideally, this person will staff a representative stakeholder group (see Strategy 6) to routinely review
parking activity in the downtown overall and by district. Information would be used to evaluate "action
triggers" and implement appropriate strategies.
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The Downtown Parking Coordinator will, at minimum, lead in:
• Coordinating and implementing all approved aspects of the Parking Management Plan.
• Oversight of all personnel (City and third-party) involved in the delivery of on-street, off-street
or enforcement services in downtown municipal parking resources.
• Acting as liaison among businesses, users, and other agencies.
• Coordinating with Administrative Services in the creation of consolidated financial reporting
systems for parking.
• Annual budgeting for parking services.
• Oversight of any third-party management agreements for parking operations or enforcement
services in City facilities.
• Ensuring contract compliance by third-party parking providers.
• Coordinating with relevant Departments and Divisions necessary policy and code changes
approved in the Parking Management Plan.
• Developing new signage and communications systems.
• Developing and implementing marketing and communications programs and their on-going
delivery.
• Routinely assessing and recommending rate and fee adjustments based on demand dynamics.
• Oversee data collection efforts as defined by policy.
• Coordinating the transition to new parking revenue collection technologies necessary to
implement performance-based pricing, as called for in Phase 2 of the Parking Management Plan.
• Development of RFPs for parking services, equipment, and technology.
• Coordination of review and selection of parking services, equipment, and technology providers.
• Assessment of other upgrades (e.g. signage, lighting, security, maintenance, enforcement) as
necessary.
• Development and negotiation of contract agreements as necessary.
• Developing usage tracking and reporting systems to measure and monitor program success or
failure.
• Troubleshooting program glitches.
• Hosting and facilitating the work of a Downtown Parking Advisory Committee.
Options for establishing this position include:
Option A:
New position/FTE
Ashland could establish a new position and solicit professionals from within the parking industry.
The consultant team favors this approach given the complexity of the recommendations in the
Parking Management Plan.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
New technology, responsive demand management, financial management, communications,
coordination and integration of on and off-street assets, monitoring/reporting, and community
liaison functions, to name a few, will require an individual who has demonstrated, successful
experience with managing multi-faceted municipal or private sector parking systems.
Option B:
An existing FTE & Contract Consultant
This model proved successful in Ventura, California. After adoption of a comprehensive parking plan
in 2008, parking control was consolidated within a smaller number of departments, with an existing
City employee assigned responsibility for coordinating operations and implementation of the plan.
Through the reorganization process, it was determined that internal FTE capacity was available, and
existing City staff could be utilized for the new position; ensuring that there was no additional
burden on the parking fund. The reorganization process also identified the need to provide training
and assistance to the Parking Coordinator to elevate their skill set to a level commensurate with
new programs, services, and responsibilities called for in the parking plan.
To this end, the City of Ventura contracted with a professional parking and transportation consulting
firm to provide ongoing training and mentoring to the new Parking Coordinator. The consultant also
provided assistance in establishing reporting formats, operating protocols, organizational
development, and additional implementation planning to the City. The consultant contract provided
up to 20 hours per week in consulting assistance and was in place for one year following adoption of
the new parking plan. The Ventura model has been very successful, and was pursued because
internal staff capacity was available and engaging the consultant was seen as less of a burden on the
parking fund budget.
Option C
Improvement of systems and protocols with existing staff
There are likely improvements in efficiency, coordination, and communications that could be made
within the City's existing parking operations. These could include:
• Increasing the total FTE responsible for administration.
• Establishing a Parking Management Work Group, facilitated by a designated parking
coordinator, that routinely reviews operations, performance, occupancy, and rates, and
supports responsive and strategic decision-making.
• Designate a parking coordinator to oversee the work of a Parking Advisory Committee.
• Consolidate reporting and performance monitoring.
Though the City currently has staff involved in the downtown parking program, the existing parking
management format does not have a central point of responsibility and reporting. This makes it difficult
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Strategic Parking Management Plan
for users to conveniently understand and maximize downtown parking options. This is of particular
importance given the complex and dynamic nature of the parking strategies recommended in this plan.
For this reason, the consultant team recommends Option A or B. Additional discussion and costing may
be needed to determine which option best fits Ashland's organizational structure.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 5):
As with Strategy 4, the costs associated with the restructuring of current management responsibilities
into a single operating division under the leadership of a Parking Coordinator are unknown. It is
recommended that any new costs be supported by revenues derived from the parking system.
STRATEGY 6:
Establish a Downtown Parking Advisory Committee (DPAC) consisting of downtown stakeholders to
assist in program implementation and review.
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (consistent with hiring in Strategy 5)
The City should develop and approve a process through which a representative cross-section of
downtown interests routinely assists the Parking Coordinator in the review and implementation of the
Parking Management Plan. It is recommended that the City Council formally appoint members to the
Parking Advisory Committee.
The stakeholder advisory process and a Parking Advisory Committee will assist the Parking Coordinator
in implementing the parking management plan, review parking issues,; and advise City Council and other
decision-making bodies on strategy implementation based on adopted policy for parking management
and use dynamics identified for specific parking areas.
Once the Parking Coordinator is established, the process of review, evaluation, and decision-making
with the DPAC can be formally initiated. A consistent schedule of meetings should be established using
this plan as a template for discussion. .
Until a Parking Coordinator is hired, the City should consider a partnership with the Chamber of
Commerce and the existing Downtown Parking Management and Circulation Ad Hoc Advisory
Committee to form an interim Parking Work Group. This will ensure completion of the groundwork
necessary to costing, scheduling, research and coordination of subsequent Phase 1 Strategies.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 6):
There should be no additional costs associated with this recommendation if it can be initiated as a
volunteer effort, hosted by the City and/or downtown business interests. Once fully implemented, the
DPAC process would be part of the task portfolio of the Downtown Parking Coordinator.
B. RECOMMENDED PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES: PHASE 1
This section details a range of operational enhancements that should be implemented within 18 months
of Plan adoption.
STRATEGY 7:
Develop a reasonable schedule of data collection to better assess performance of the downtown
parking supply.
Implementation Timeline: Immediate (August/September 2015 - Completed)
Near-Term (Spring and/or Summer 2016)
Long-Term (Based on strategic schedule)
A system for routine data collection will need to be established. To date, comprehensive statistical
analyses of on-street parking (2014) and off-street parking (August 2015) have been completed. This has
provided very good data for parking activity during the summer peak season, as well as potential shared
use opportunities in off-street surface parking facilities located in or adjacent to the project study area.
Conversations with the Advisory Committee indicated that a better understanding of off-peak data
would also be useful, particularly as Phase 2 issues related to pricing are considered.
Objective and up-to-date data will help the City and local stakeholders make better informed decisions
as the downtown grows and redevelops. The system does not need to be elaborate, but it should be
consistent and routine and structured to answer relevant questions about occupancy, seasonality,
turnover, duration of stay, patterns of use, and enforcement. Parking information can be collected in
samples, and other measures of success can be gathered through third-party data collection and/or
volunteer processes. A methodology for conducting parking inventory and data analyses is provided in
Oregon Transportation & Growth Management's Parking Made Easy: A Guide to Managing Parking in
Your Community, most specifically Chapter 7. The guide can be found at
www.oregon.gov/LCD/TGM/docs/parkingprimerfinal71213.pdf. Data derived from these efforts can be
used by the City and a future Downtown Parking Advisory Committee to inform decisions, track use, and
assess success measures.
It is recommended that the City:
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a. Work with an interim Parking Work Group (see Strategy 6 above) to develop a data collection
schedule to address issues raised regarding peak and non-peak parking dynamics. Given the
recent completion of both on and off-street occupancy studies, additional data collection could
be done through sampling rather than all-day occupancy counting. The near-term data
collection schedule should be completed no later than March 31, 2016.
b. Schedule and initiate a non-peak-season occupancy study for both on and off-street systems.
c. Conduct inventory and occupancy analyses no less than once every 24 months.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 7):
It is estimated that a data inventory and occupancy/utilization study would range from $20,000-$30,000
if conducted by a third-party consultant. Costs can be minimized in subsequent surveys given that the
inventory/database would be built and through sampling and possible use of volunteers to collect data.
STRATEGY 8:
Identify off-street shared use opportunities and feasibilities based on data findings in Strategy 7.
Establish goals for transitioning employees, begin outreach to opportunity sites, negotiate
agreements, and assign employees to facilities.
Implementation Timeline: Immediate: Short-listing sites (by February 2016)
Near-Term: Outreach (February- July 2016)
Mid-Term: Negotiations and Assignment (August 2016 - December 2016)
A data collection effort by Rick Williams Consulting examined two days of occupancy activity in August
2015 (Friday 10/21 and Saturday 10/22). The study quantified actual hourly use of these facilities over a
twelve-hour period each day. Fifty-one off-street sites comprising 1,998 parking stalls were surveyed.
Findings from the study revealed that many sites are significantly underutilized, with an average total of
approximately 1,000 stalls empty during peak periods of the day. The opportunity to direct downtown
employees into these parking facilities would have a significant impact on on-street occupancies,
particularly in areas where employees are using the on-street system and thereby denying
customer/visitor use of the on-street supply. Figure A (next page) illustrates the findings of the off-
street study.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Figure A
Peak Hour Parking Availability (Off-street Parking)
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ry ,>.E 4~h
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Downtown Ashland
5tudV area boundary
Parking Utilization 2t1~ 5
AsNand Oregon 84%.70% Saturday, August 22
69%.56% 3:00 - 4:00 PM Peak Hour
RICK WILLIAMS CONSULTING
P.3 1 4 0 17" X3 700 1,05c 1 400
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR •
Strategic Parking Management Plan
The interim Parking Work Group should consider the following for completion by February 2016, with
later tasks transitioned to a Parking Coordinator and Downtown Parking Advisory Committee.
a) Use the data from the August 2015 parking study to identify a subset of the 51 facilities
surveyed that could serve as reasonable shared use "opportunity sites." Criteria for determining
sites could be proximity to downtown, a meaningful supply of empty stalls, pedestrian/bike
connectivity, walk distance/time, safety and security issues, etc.
b) Based on the above, develop a short list of opportunity sites and identify owners.
c) Establish a target goal for the number of downtown employees to transition into opportunity
sites.
d) Begin outreach to owners of private lots.
e) Negotiate shared use agreements.
f) Obtain agreements from downtown businesses to participate in employee assignment program.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 8):
It is estimated that costs associated with this strategy would be minimal and mostly expended in efforts
of existing staff and volunteers to review and identify opportunity sites and conduct outreach to
potential private sector participants. Planning in this regard may determine that funds are needed to
create incentives and/or improve the condition of lots or pedestrian/bike connections.
STRATEGY 9:
Create a critical path timeline to a new parking brand that can be utilized at all
City-owned lots and shared supplies and in parking
marketing/communications. PARK
,n
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (by December 2016) GO
Guiding Principle D. 3 (p. 8) calls for development and implementation of "a
wayfinding system for the downtown that links parking assets and provides
directional guidance, preferably under a common brand or logo." The intent
of this principle is to create a brand that unifies the public supply of parking
and is easily communicated, both at parking sites and, ideally, through a
wayfinding system located throughout the downtown and on maps,
websites and other communications and promotions.
t
The linchpin of any such program is a brand. It is recommended that the City and interim Parking Work
Group engage a design firm to develop an attractive and recognizable "parking brand" for use by the
City of Ashland at all of its public off-street facilities, and any shared use facility that offers visitor access.
The design professional would:
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a) Work with stakeholders and the City to create a new parking brand for Ashland.
b) Develop options and assist in developing a final recommended brand/logo.
c) Develop cost estimates for the creation and placement of new brand/logo signage packages at
all City-owned off-street sites and shared use facilities.
d) Assist in signage creation.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 9):
It is estimated that engaging a design consultant to carry out the tasks identified above would range
from $15,000 - $20,000.
STRATEGY 10:
Simplify on-street time stays. Consider incorporation of new brand/logo into on-street signage per
input derived in Strategy 9.
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (January 2017 -June 2017)
Multiple time stay designations in a downtown are often Example: On-street "Brund"
confusing to customers, particularly very short-term stalls (e.g., Springfield, OR
5, 15, 30 and 60 minute stalls) that do not provide an adequate ON STREET SIGNAGE
amount of time for a typical customer visit. Implementing this
strategy will bring understandable and consistent time stays need
to downtown (e.g., core versus theater and Lithia Park). boa
Additionally, a new brand/logo can be incorporated into the on- 8aMAM-5M R
r~ 8~•S~r
street system as a means of integrating the on and off-street
systems. This would require coordinating changes in the on- OFF STREETSIGN4GE
street system to the branding work in Strategy 9, which would
have a recommendation developed by December 2016. This PARIS
EI .
would be similar to the effort completed in Springfield, Oregon }"~'#~E`~' IkM)L where a stylized P was created for the public parking system and
GFREE,
incorporated into on and off-street signage. This is illustrated in
the example to the right.
The 2014 Community Planning Workshop study outlined a series of recommendations for reformatting
on-street time stays throughout the downtown. This work should serve as a template for action, with
refinements developed through DPAC discussion, new data, and public input.3 An initial timeline for
action would be:
'See: Ashland Downtown Parking Management and Multi-Modal Circulation Plan -October2014, (Community
Planning Workshop and the University of Oregon).
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a) Coordinate with Strategy 9 to determine brand/logo integration into new on-street signage (July
2016 - December 2016).
b) Identify/quantify changes to be made (July 2016 - December 2016)
c) Initiate formatting changes (January 2017 -June 2017)
- Eliminate 1-hour time stays, increase to 2 hours.
- All block faces with retail/office/restaurant should be 2 hours.
- Increase 4 hour stay options - assess feasibility of Residential Permits in select 4-hour zones
- i.e., areas currently zoned R.
- Assess supply capacity (based on data update) for feasibility of employee on-street permit
program(s) in 4-hour parking areas (contingent on residential program).
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY10):
Based on information from other cities, estimated per unit costs for signage upgrades would be:
• A standard sign age package would have two poles with blade signs per block face -one at each
end of the block with arrows pointing inward.
Unit Costs- Signoge
• Only material costs are provided in these estimates.
• Pole unit cost = $470
• Blade sign unit cost = $30
• Unit cost for poles ($470) include hole boring and the pole
STRATEGY 11:
Deploy new off-street signage package
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (January 2017 - June 20171
The new brand/logo developed in Strategy 9 would be incorporated into new signage packages to be
placed at all City-owned public facilities. This would create a uniform and easily identifiable look for
public parking, setting the foundation for future expansion of the brand into a downtown wayfinding
system. Placement of the new off-street signage package should occur no later than June 2017.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 11):
The costs of the new signage system would be developed in Strategy 9.
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Strategic Parking Management Plan
STRATEGY 12:
Expand bike parking network to create connections between
parking and the downtown to encourage employee bike commute
~hyr T
~v
trips and draw customers to downtown businesses. - - - "
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (October 2016 - June 2017)
ti ;
When we talk about parking management, we're not just talking
about cars. Communities throughout Oregon support bicycling as a
key sustainable transportation strategy, and the Oregon
Transportation Planning Rule requires it for new developments.
Ashland has the benefit of a strong bike culture, a high number of
local bike shops, and active efforts to expand the City and
Example: Interior Wall Racks
downtown's bike lane system. What the downtown may be
lacking is sufficient "trip-end" bike parking amenities on-
, off-street, and in private buildings. Providing adequate
street
bicycle parking will expand the capacity of the overall parking
supply downtown. {j tt -
It is recommended that the City expand its approach to bike
parking in the downtown to deliver a four-strategy approach.„
It is assumed that this approach would support current Example: Bike Corral Ashland, OR
efforts to expand the City's bike lane network.
This effort should begin subsequent to the hiring of the
Downtown Parking Coordinator (October 2016).
Elements of the four-strategy approach would include:
44
a) On-sidewalk bike parking (October 2016 - December
2016). Identify locations for added bike parking within
the pedestrian amenity zones.
b) Bike corrals ((October 2016 -December 2016). Identify Example: Art Rack Baker City, OR
locations for additional bike corrals either in plaza areas
or on-street and adjacent to high-traffic businesses.
c) On private property (October 2016 -December 2016). Identify areas on private property for
bike parking improvements, especially for employees - e.g., interior bike cages, wall rack
locations, and other secure areas.
d) Identify funding/incentives and install (January 2017 -June 2017) - Assemble funding sources
necessary to implement a) - d).
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Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 12)
The cost of an inventory of potential bike parking locations could be incorporated into the data
collection portion of Strategy 7 above. Site identification could also be done through volunteer efforts
and by working with downtown stakeholders and bike advocates. Costs are likely minimal.
Estimated unit costs for actual bike infrastructure:
• Staple or U racks: $150-$200
• Wall Mounted racks: $130-$150
• Bike Corral $1,2004
• Art Rack variable based on design
STRATEGY 13:
Evaluate and pursue on-street pricing in high occupancy areas (85%+).
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (January 2017 - June 2017)
Recent data collection efforts have demonstrated that the on-street system 2hr
routinely exceeds the 85% occupancy standard for sustained periods during
Max
" g
the summer months. The Advisory Committee has indicated that less is
statistically known about non-peak seasons. Strategy 7 addresses the need Preftum Rate
for additional occupancy and use data. Given that data collection would
provide updated information for multiple seasons, it is recommended that
the Parking Coordinator initiate a process with the Downtown Parking 8hr
Advisory Committee to evaluate transitioning the downtown on-street
parking system to paid parking. Parking
Max Value Raft
Hourly on-street occupancy data can also be used to model potential
revenue hours for different rate scenarios. Revenue hours can then be integrated into an
expense/revenue pro forma to objectively estimate the feasibility of moving to an on-street pay-to-park
program. Data derived from an improved inventory database and real-time use information will allow
development of an accurate feasibility model.
Paid parking can support higher turnover within the system, yield higher compliance by employees
directed to off-street locations so as not to compete for on-street parking with customers and visitors,
create a more reasonable value relationship between parking and alternative modes, and provide
4 Based on City of Portland, Oregon cost estimate for 6 staple racks (12 bike parking spaces), striping, bollards and
installation.
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revenue streams necessary to support operations, marketing/communications, program delivery, and
infrastructure (e.g., new capacity).
Issues to examine, with supporting data, include:
a) Establish Parking Enterprise Fund (Strategy 3)
b) Update database (on-street counts/samples) (Strategy 7)
c) Develop expense/revenue model using occupancy data to estimate financial viability of new
revenue collection technology.
d) Determine revenue collection technology that will best serve Ashland
- Single meter vs pay station
- Pay & Display vs Pay by Space
e) Consider/adopt seasonal pricing, using data sets to assist
f) Finalize pricing format
g) Finalize time stay format and hours of operation
- Consider No Limit parking in current 4 HR areas
h) Solicit vendors for revenue collection technology
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 13)
It is assumed here that the evaluation process would be incorporated into the routine schedule
developed by the new Parking Coordinator and Downtown Parking Advisory Committee. Data collection
efforts are a part of Strategy 7. General equipment costs for revenue technology are:
• Multi-Space Meters (pay stations) $5,000 - $7,000 per unit (serving 8 -14 spaces)
• Single-Space Meters $500 - $700 per unit (serving one space)
• Back office support Varies by system and software selected
STRATEGY 14:
Solicit firms to establish wayfinding and dynamic signage systems in the public right of way,
integrated with the off-street system using City parking brand developed in Strategy 9.
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (January 2017
-June 2017)'
w~
Many cities brand their public parking facilities and
3rd Alder
i
use dynamic signage in the public right-of-way.
yamhi►! r
These systems inform customers and direct them to
F
available parking. Portland, OR, and San Jose, CA o~~~~_
oth & Yamhili
are good examples (see photo at right)
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Dynamic signage is linked to occupancy information collected at individual or multiple parking sites,
usually through loop detector/parking counter systems. This information is displayed at building entry
plazas and/or at major roadway entry portals. The signs provide an address or facility name and real-
time stall availability.
The most successful programs tie into a parking brand incorporated into both the on-site and right-of-
way signage. This provides customers a visual cue that translates from their first encounter on the
roadway to being able to conveniently identify a parking location with available parking. Dynamic
signage also complements parking apps and can be linked in real time to smartphones and/or websites.
The idea behind branding the Ashland system with a name, logo, and marketing is to make it
immediately recognizable to the customer.
An engagement with a wayfinding firm would bring an industry professional to:
a. Develop a signage package that incorporates a uniform design, logo, and color scheme into all
informational signage related to parking (see Strategy 9).
b. Brand each off-street public facility, open to public access, with the established logo package.
c. Evaluate off-street facilities for installation of real-time counter systems that link to wayfinding
signage.
d. Identify key entry points into the downtown for placement of informational signage.
e. Conduct cost feasibility analysis.
f. Establish installation schedule.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 14)
It is assumed that costing for wayfinding would be incorporated into the solicitation.
STRATEGY 15:
Deploy wayfinding system as developed in Strategy 14.
Implementation Timeline: Near-Term (June 2017 - November 2017)
Implements plan developed in Strategy 14.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 15)
Developed and approved through Strategy 14 process.
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C. RECOMMENDED PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES: PHASE 2
This section outlines longer-term strategies. It is anticipated that Phase 2 efforts will take place
between January 2018 and June 2019. These strategies build upon and are facilitated by work
completed in Phase 1 (July 2016 - December 2017). Phase 2 focuses on data, capacity management,
communications, capacity growth, and identification of funding sources.
Any and all Phase 2 strategies can be accelerated or moderated as necessary depending on community
support and consensus, opportunity, and/or funding. The City and Downtown Parking Advisory
Committee may elect to reorder strategies as opportunity dictates. As with Phase 1, all strategies
outlined here will require consistent and dedicated management and coordination with active
participation by the private sector.
STRATEGY 16:
Implement on-street pricing.
Work completed in Strategies 13 -15 (Phase 1) will establish the timing for implementing on-street
parking pricing. Initial steps will include outreach to potentially affected
residential communities, and development of a marketing and
communications plan to be rolled out in advance of on-street parking pricing.
These action steps are outlined below.
a~2
Step A (Strategy 16)
s
Explore residential and employee permit programs (on-street)
2018 ;?e ff. e
Implementation Timeline: Synched to pricing launch date
Changes to parking management in the commercial zones of the ooz k4downtown could cause issues related to employees seeking parking in
residential areas. In anticipation of this, the City Parking Coordinator and
DPAC should begin an outreach and education process to residents and
businesses in adjacent neighborhoods. The purpose of this is to raise ..-t
awareness and understanding of programs being developed, and to begin
framing possible mitigation strategies and solutions if new parking systems
~ vlslroR
PARKINIG
in the downtown exacerbate parking problems in neighborhoods.
EXGf,i`~ZONIF
The most effective strategy to manage parking in neighborhoods adjacent for='
commercial/retail areas is an area permit program. Residents in areas zoned
Residential (R) would be issued permits that allow unlimited parking on- I
street within the permit zone during specifically designated hours
(determined through use data that would be assembled in updates per ,
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Strategy 7). All other users (e.g., visitors and employees) would be limited to a time stay (e.g., 3
hours) or, if occupancy surpluses are indicated through data updates, through an additional
employee permit.
Adjacent neighborhoods should be allowed the option of requesting an area permit program if
spillover is considered to be a problem and constraints are identified through data collection
updates. The City should be prepared to respond with an already approved Area Parking Permit
Zone (APPZ) program. The program would prioritize on-street parking in residentially zoned
neighborhoods for residents and visitors. Employee parking permits can be introduced into
approved APPZs when parking surpluses are demonstrated and priority parking is assured. To this
end, and in coordination with Strategy 16, the City should:
a. Develop and approve an Area Parking Permit Zone program.
b. Initiate outreach/education to neighborhoods on downtown parking management plan and area
parking permit concept.
c. Be prepared to implement residential permit program in areas zoned R (if requested by
neighborhood).
d. Assess supply capacity (based on data updates) for feasibility of employee on-street permit
program(s) in residential permit areas, contingent on establishment of an APPZ for residential
use.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 16 - Step A):
There should be no additional costs associated with the outreach and policy work associated with
this task, as this work would be within the ongoing responsibilities of the Parking Coordinator and
the DPAC. Costs associated with delivery of an Area Parking Permit Zone program will need to be
further developed. Some cities charge users for the permit, at a rate that covers cost of
management and administration. Other cities use parking revenue from the meter zone to
underwrite the cost of an APPZ, viewing it as a cost of mitigation. Others use revenue from
employee permits as a means to cover costs for residential permits. Any or a combination of these
funding options will need to be further explored.
Step B (Strategy 16)
Develop a marketing / communications and new system roll out plan
Implementation Timeline: Synched to pricing launch date
Implementation of paid parking, a new brand/logo and new rules of use will come with many
questions, which are best anticipated and proactively solicited. A clear plan for marketing and
communicating the new system and its purposes, goals, and benefits will facilitate community
awareness and understanding as well as acceptance if strategically addressed. The Parking
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR •
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Coordinator and DPAC should develop a plan that incorporates any of the following elements
deemed appropriate.
Goal
• Inform and involve the downtown business community-employers, merchants, employees,
and customers-in preparing for implementation of new time limits and paid on-street
parking.
Approach
• Enlist a subgroup of the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee to help design
communications with downtown stakeholders and customers.
• Engage and update the downtown business community through credible partner
organizations.
• Communicate with downtown customers and employees through merchants and
employers.
• Provide friendly, timely response to persons who have questions/problems.
Materials & Tools
• Website/updates
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• Letter to downtown IKs Room S0* rM0)_-A VI'VX10
businesses
• Fact sheet/map
• Presentation tools: a O
PowerPoint, display
boards-
• Merchant/employer ........ry )
packet: "Customer
Parking Kit" z
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• Point-of-purchase
customer information
Sample: Pay to Park Rollout Schedule
• FAQs (frequently asked Tacoma, Washington
questions)
• Posters
• Utility bill inserts
• Business cards: hotline number
• Meter graphics/instructions
• Pay Station demo video
• New signage: permanent, temporary (samples for merchants)
• List of off-street parking resources/rates
• Bicycle options
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• Transit options
• Grace period notice
• Interested parties e-mail list
• Website/links
• Social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
• Order form (for more materials)
• Paid advertising
Target Audiences
• City policymakers (Council, Commissions, Task Forces)
• City staff
• Downtown Parking Advisory Committee
• Police Department
• Enforcement staff
• Downtown merchants/employers
• Downtown customers/visitors
• Downtown employees
• Downtown residents
• Neighborhood associations
• Business district associations
• Chamber of Commerce
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival
• News media
• Hard to reach audiences
Communications Partners
• Chamber of Commerce
• Neighborhood Associations
• Rogue Valley Transportation District (RTVD)
• Ashland Community Development
• Southern Oregon University
• Major employers
Community Briefings
• Organize a speakers' bureau to reach interested stakeholders in their regular group
meetings.
Media Strategy
• Seek understanding and editorial support of local media outlets (print, radio, TV)
• Demonstration workshop/training session for media
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• Monitor local media coverage - respond as needed.
Customer Support
• Pay station/meter demonstrations (established in contract with selected vendor)
• Customer parking cards to distribute to merchants/customers (option in contract)
• Hotline: single point of contact (established in contract)
• Grace period for enforcement during rollout
• Protocols and service levels for handling problems, complaints (established in contract)
Spokesperson(s)
• City spokesperson
• DPAC spokesperson
• Partner organizations
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 16 -Step 8):
Costs associated with a communications and rollout plan are difficult to ascertain at this time, as
such costs would be a combination of time allocated by the Parking Coordinator and DPAC as well as
time provided by existing internal City public relations and information resources. Some cities have
opted to employ professional third-party public outreach/communications firms and/or added
certain rollout functions to the responsibilities of the selected parking revenue collection technology
firm(s).
Step C (Strategy 16)
Initiate on-street paid parking
Implementation Timeline: January 2018 (launch)
Work completed in Strategy 13 (Phase 1) will establish the format, type of {
technology, and timing for implementation of this strategy. Strategy 13 is
scheduled to be completed in June 2017, leaving adequate time before the
beginning of Phase 2 in January 2018 to: '
a. Conduct outreach to the community (Step A)
b. Develop a marketing/communications plan (Step B)
c. Solicit vendor bids through an RFP process.
d. Evaluate proposals.
e. Award contract to preferred vendor.
f. Refine budgets and expense/revenue forecast model (Strategy 7).
On-
g. Select a target launch date. Example: On-
street Pay Station
h . Launch.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
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Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 16 -Step C):
Estimated costs for a new on-street pay-to-park system were provided in Strategy 13. They are
repeated here, below.
• Multi-Space Meters (pay stations) $5,000 - $7,000 per unit (serving 8 -14 spaces)
• Single Space Meters $500 - $700 per unit (serving one space)
• Back office support Varies by system and software selected
STRATEGY 17
Explore expanding access capacity - new parking supply and/or transit/shuttle options
Implementation Timeline: January -June 2018
As Ashland's downtown grows employment, residents, and visitors, existing supplies of parking and
alternative mode access will need to be expanded. Adding bicycle trip capacity was discussed above in
Phase 1 (Strategy 12). With implementation of paid parking, and possibly area permit programs, the
City should evaluate other forms of access capacity as well, including new parking supply and improved
transit and/or shuttle options. These types of capacity growth require sophisticated infrastructure and
are very costly. It will be important for Ashland to give adequate time and effort to determine the most
beneficial and cost-effective formats for increasing
the capacity of the downtown access system.
Planning for, and finding funding for, new capacity
is time-consuming, so focused and objective
evaluation will greatly facilitate decision-making kr
before access constraints create adverse impacts on 3
the downtown.
'
aerie. _
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4€vs.
1. Identify new garage opportunity sites
.One form of new access capacity would be adding
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f
to the current supply of parking through
construction of a new parking garage and/or'
creation of new surface parking supply in a location
outside the downtown and linked by transit or
shuttle. The consultant team conducted an
~rsinventory of potential off-street parking Q
opportunity sites in August 2015. These sites
4 Stud swdraear> .uar,
provide a starting point for evaluating potential aowh ,ntow^i , Atihland Fxkm~ > 2015
~
. AsNand O!!St-t lots
sites in the downtown. A map of those sites is AX Lot Nvr:ba
11CK WILLIAMS CONSULTING (Kx) • pwi,Wg Stan Total
<.t,.E sS 7 rnncp a n gee r~ .s.a
provided at right. To date there has been no
evaluation of potential "remote" sites.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
The Community Planning Workshop (2014) developed an initial database of existing parking occupancies
in the downtown. Many areas of the downtown already exceed 85% occupancy in summer peak
periods, and additional information on parking utilization will be developed in Phase 1 (Strategy 7).
Additional data should be used to evaluate parking constraints and determine whether there is a deficit
of parking downtown. This data will be useful in helping to "right size" any parking facility that might be
developed.
It is recommended that the Parking Coordinator and DPAC initiate the following:
a. Establish desired parking "need" (w/ Strategies 7 & 13).
b. Evaluate locations where parking is possible downtown.
c. Evaluate "remote" sites that could be connected via shuttle/transit (surface lot option).
d. Evaluate public/private partnerships to develop supply.
e. Coordinate site evaluation with Community Development.
f. Coordinate with Ashland Chamber of Commerce, particularly through contacts with potential
site partners in the private sector.
g. Engage local developers in evaluation process.
h. Narrow to feasible site(s).
2. Explore shuttl%irculator connections (remote connector)
As with an evaluation of new parking supply, it will be equally important to evaluate the cost and
feasibility of new transit and/or shuttle capacity.
Transit and shuttles could be especially valuable
as a means to improve employee commute
options, provide circulator links through ACV
downtown for visitors, and link remotely located
parking supply.
The Parking Coordinator and DPAC should involve
RVTD, Community Development, and the community in discussions regarding a transit option that
would best serve the downtown and effectively shift an increasing percentage of trips onto a
transit/shuttle system.
It is recommended that the Parking Coordinator and DPAC:
a. Evaluate route options.
b. Explore connections to remote parking in conjunction with parking supply evaluation
c. Determine desired levels of frequency/type of vehicle/seasonality.
d. Circulator shuttle or existing transit?
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e. Coordinate with RVTD.
f. Narrow to preferred option(s).
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 17):
The City and DPAC may want to retain third-party assistance in this process, particularly as regards the
design and formatting of transit/shuttle systems. These systems will impact traffic and circulation and
create land use issues related to transit/shuttle stops. Identifying and locating potential parking sites
could be accomplished internally, with assistance from the Chamber of Commerce, local developers, and
Community Development. As an estimate, the City could incur costs of $30,000 - $50,000 for route and
system planning for a new transit/shuttle option. Some of this money could be used to cost the
transit/shuttle option, which would reduce costing estimates for transit/shuttle described in Strategy 20
below.
STRATEGY 18
Develop cost forecasts for preferred parking supply and shuttle/transit system options.
Implementation Timeline: June -September 2018
Information derived from Strategy 17 will provide realistic data on parking and transit/shuttle
enhancements that have community input and initial feasibility. Parking will have been evaluated as to
location, size and format (garage or surface lot). Transit/shuttles will have been evaluated as to desired
format, frequency, and routing.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 18):
Initial costing of garages/lots in the form of expense/revenue and financing pro formas can range from
$5,000 - $7,500. This cost would be contingent on data and information already provided to a
consultant from Strategy 19.
Rick Williams Consulting does not have expertise in costing transit/shuttle systems. These numbers
need additional evaluation.
Estimated costs for new parking supply will range by type of supply. Estimates from projects recently
completed in the Pacific Northwest are provided below.
• Structured Underground $35,000 - $45,000 per stall
• Structured Above Ground $20,000 - $25,000 per stall
• Surface Lot $ 5,000 - $ 7,000 per stall
NOTE: Does not include operating cost or full cost of land
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
STRATEGY 19
Explore and develop funding options
Implementation Timeline: September 2018 - March 2019
A wide range of funding sources and revenue streams could be used to implement an enhanced parking
management plan and develop new parking or transit capacity in Ashland. Given the costs new
infrastructure, consideration of new funding mechanisms is prudent.
The list of potential sources here is not exhaustive, nor is these sources mutually exclusive. Funding for
parking facilities, particularly garages, in emerging urban areas generally requires multiple sources.
The use of fees continues to evolve as various State laws or City ordinances are authorized.
Implementation of fees should be reviewed by the City Attorney to determine their feasibility in light of
applicable laws.
The funding options provided below assume a more detailed discussion of the role of the City in future
funding of parking and transit, and public discussion regarding use of public funds to build and operate
new systems.
Options Affecting Customers
User Fees
Many cities collect revenue through parking meters and/or sale of permits and direct it to parking or
transportation development enterprise funds. Transit or shuttle riders pay in the form of monthly or
daily fares. These funds can be used to construct/bond for additional parking or transit capacity.
Event Ticketing Surcharges
This would impose surcharges in conjunction with local and regional facilities (e.g., performing arts,
sports, and concert arenas) to support development of access systems. Fees are generally applied to
ticket costs.
Parking Fines
Revenues are collected for parking violations and a portion directed to parking development enterprise
funds.
Options Affecting Businesses
Parking and Business Improvement Area or District (BIA or BID)
An assessment on businesses rather than property owners, these can be based on assessed value, gross
sales, square footage, number of employees, or other factors established by the local legislative
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authority. Salem, OR assesses a fee on businesses in its downtown Parking District to support parking
services and future supply. Portland assesses a business income tax through the State of Oregon to
support transit.
Options Affecting Property Owners
Local Improvement District (LID)
An LID is a property tax assessment that requires buy-in by property owners within a specifically
identified boundary. LIDs usually result from a petition process requiring a majority of owners to agree
to an assessment for a specific purpose-in this case, a parking facility or transit infrastructure
improvement).
Options Affecting Developers
Fee-in-Lieu
Developers may be given the option to pay a fee in lieu of providing parking with a new private
development. Payment of a fee-in-lieu provides the developer access entitlements to public parking
facilities near the development site.
Fees-in-lieu can be assessed up to the full cost of parking construction. Generally, fees-in-lieu do not
provide sufficient revenue to fully fund parking facilities, and are combined with other revenue sources
If an in-lieu parking fee is considered by the City, there needs to be greater policy clarity on the intent
and purpose of the fee and the City's role in using the fees to either increase parking supply in the future
or increase access capacity through enhancement of alternative mode programs. Lack of specificity in
this regard limits discussion of the type of in-lieu fee developed, the rate itself and the programs and
strategies that would need to be in place to implement desired outcomes. A useful guide to the
diversity of fee-in-lieu programs and their advantages and disadvantages is Donald Shoup, Journal of
Planning and Education Research, 18:307-320, 1999.
Public/Private Development Partnerships
Development partnerships are generally associated with mixed-use projects in which parking is used to
reduce the cost of private office, retail, or residential development. Public/private development can
occur through a variety of arrangements, including:
1. Public acquisition of land and sale or lease of land/air rights not needed for parking to accommodate
private use;
2. Private development of integrated mixed-use development with sale or lease-back of the public
parking portion upon completion; and
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3. Responsibility for public sector involvement directly by the City, through a public development
authority (PDA), or other special purpose entity such as a public facility district created for the
project district or downtown area.
Options Affecting the General Public
General Obligation (GO) Bonds
Local jurisdictions may issue non-voted or voted bonds to develop parking or transit infrastructure,
subject to overall debt limit requirements. With GO bonding, the municipality pledges its full faith and
credit to repayment of the debt from general fund resources. In effect, general fund revenues would be
reserved to repay debt that could not be supported by parking or transit revenues alone. Again, there
may be imposed limits on the municipality for voter approved or non-voted debt.
Refinancing GO Bonds
This involves refinancing existing debt at lower rates, and pushing the savings from the general fund to
debt coverage for new infrastructure. In these times of lower interest rates, the City of Ashland may
have already maximized this option.
Revenue Bonds
Revenue bonds dedicate parking fees and other designated revenue sources to the repayment of bonds,
but without pledging the full faith and credit of the issuing authority. Revenue bonding is not
appropriate in situations where a local jurisdiction's overall debt limit is a factor and projected revenues
are insufficient to cover required debt service.
63-20 Financing
A potential alternative to traditional GO bonds, revenue bonds, and LID bond financing, 63-20 financing
allows a qualified non-profit corporation to issue tax-exempt bonds on behalf of a government.
Financed assets must be capital and must be turned over free and clear to the government by the time
bonded indebtedness is retired. When a municipality uses this technique to finance a public facility, it
can contract for the services of a non-profit corporation (as the issuer) and a builder. The issuer acts on
behalf of the municipality, but has no real business interest in the asset being acquired.
Community or Urban Renewal (Tax Increment Financing)
Though originally created for the limited purpose of financing the redevelopment of blighted
communities, tax increment financing (TIF) has developed into an integral part of the revenue structure
of many local governments. The rapid growth of TIF as an economic development technique of choice to
finance land acquisition, site development, and property rehabilitation/revitalization began in the early
1980s. Tax increment financing can provide an ongoing source of local property tax revenue to finance
economic development projects, and other physical infrastructure projects, without having to raise
property tax rates. Moreover, TIF can leverage future general fund revenues to support the repayment
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of property-tax backed debt, without having to go directly to voters for approval, and without violating
debt limitations.
State and Federal Grants
In the past, a variety of state and federal grant programs have been applied to funding parking and
transit infrastructure in business districts. In the current environment of more limited government
funding, there may no longer be readily identifiable programs suitable for parking facility development,
though transit may be more feasible.
General Fund Contribution
Local jurisdictions may make either one-time capital or ongoing operating contributions to a downtown
parking or transit/shuttle program.
Estimated Costs (STRATEGY 19):
This is very much a process task, requiring research and conversations with City policy- and decision-
makers and legal counsel, and discussion with a range of potentially affected stakeholders. For the
purposes of this Plan discussion, it is assumed that costs would be absorbed internally by the City and
the new Parking Services Division.
STRATEGY 20
Initiate new capacity expansion
Implementation Timeline: June 2019
This strategy would be catalyzed by completion of Strategies 17 -19 and would complete Phase 2 of the
downtown Strategic Parking Management Plan. By June 2019, the City and DPAC would have evaluated
and researched the most effective option(s) for expanding access capacity in the downtown. This would
be a capacity enhancement that provides the highest benefit to downtown in accommodating growth
and funding through a package of finance options that are cost-effective and publicly supported.
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MULTIMODAL DOWNTOWN PROJECTS
When developing the City's Transportation System Plan (TSP), Policies #3 - #9 presented policies aimed
at enhancing the downtown environment for multiple transportation modes while also facilitating
economic prosperity. These policies considered wider sidewalks, preferred pedestrian treatments, alley
enhancements, bicycle parking, incentives for truck loading/unloading, and downtown parking
management. The multimodal component categorized projects as pedestrian, bicycle, transit,
intersection and roadway, and railroad. Planned projects specific to the downtown area for each
category are listed below:
Pedestrian Plan
• (P17) Beaver Slide - Fill gap in existing sidewalk network from Water Street to Lithia Way.
• (P18) A Street - Fill gap in existing sidewalk network from Oak Street to 100' west of 6th Street.
• (P64) Water Street - Fill gap in existing sidewalk network from Van Ness Avenue to B Street.
• (P72) C Street - Fill gap in existing sidewalk network from Fourth Street to Fifth Street
Bicycle Plan
• (1313) B Street - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from Oak Street to N Mountain Avenue.
• (1314) A Street - Upgrade bikeway, slow travel speeds, and encourage commercial activity from
Oak Street to 6th Street.
• (1316) Lithia Way - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from Oak Street to Helman Street.
• (1317) Main Street - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from Helman Street to Siskiyou
Boulevard.
• (1320) Water Street - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from Hersey Street to N Main Street.
• (1321) Oak Street - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from Nevada Street to East Main Street.
• (1334) 15t Street - Fill gap in existing bicycle network from A Street to East Main Street.
• (TR3) New Trail - Expand existing bicycle network to include a multi-use path from the new trail
to Hersey Street.
• (TR4) New Trail - Expand existing bicycle network to include a multi-use path from A Street to
the Clear Creek Drive Extension.
Intersection and Roadway Plan
• (115) Lithia Way (OR 99 NB)/E Main Street Intersection Improvements - Improve safety by
improving visibility of signal heads and identifying/implementing treatments to slow vehicles on
northbound approach.
• (1111) Lithia Way (OR 99)/Oak Street Intersection Improvements - Install a traffic signal.
• (R24) Clear Creek Drive Extension - Construct a new roadway to connect the two existing
segments of Clear Creek Drive providing a continuous east-west roadway between Oak Street
and N Mountain Avenue.
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Railroad Crossings
• (X1) 4th Street At-Grade Railroad Crossing - Pursue a new at-grade ped/bike railroad crossing at
4th Street.
In addition to planned projects in the TSP, other projects have been identified that will compliment and
further enhance the downtown area by encouraging multimodal transportation.
Other Downtown Projects
• Beaver Slide - Reduce ,
vehicular traffic on
Beaver Slide and create
multi-use path for
improved pedestrian and
bicycle circulation.:
w~
'F t•~ t
• Pioneer/Fork/Hargadine °
Intersection
Improvements - Improve`
safety and circulation by
implementation of a
mini-roundabout to
enhance intersection
sight distance and
provide a vehicular turn--'
e
around.
a 4 , , a YJ If
/ _Y1
to,
2
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR 1
Strategic Parking Management Plan
'MOM N!
• A Street Improvements -
Encourage pedestrian and
bicycle activity with
enhanced sidewalks and a~
streetscapes in
conjunction with City.
sewer utility project.
Consider landscaped planters, pavers,
ell, I,
improved lighting and
signage as possible,
examples of `
improvements.
• B Street Improvements -
Improve pedestrian and
Y UM TD
~
bicycle safety by 20
implementing traffic
calming measures and I
consistency with signing
and striping at
intersections.' Bicycle Boulevard
i
• Lithia Way/3ra Street
i MI. '7!
Intersection
Improvements - Evaluate
intersection
~t
improvements to
$
enhance safety for all
travel modes. Consider
relocating driveway on
west side of 3rd Street;
south of Lithia Way,
removing on-street ,
parking on Lithia Way ! r ` • "n
that restricts intersection
Y
r
sight distance from 3rd a =n--
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR '
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Street, and making 3rd
Street one-way between
Lithia Way and N Main
Street.
f
j
22
3-Lane to 2-lane Street Conversion - Convert N Main Street from a 3-lane section to a 2-lane
section between Oak Street and Gresham/3rd Street. Additionally, incorporate
loading/unloading zones for truck deliveries, wider sidewalks for pedestrians, and a continuous
bicycle lane through the downtown area (consistent with TSP bicycle project B17) for cyclists.
Vehicular progression and pedestrian safety will be improved by installation of two new traffic
signals at N Main Street/Oak Street and Lithia Way/Oak Street. Removal of a traffic signal at
Helman Street/N Main/Lithia Way and transitioning Lithia Way into a single lane at Helman
Street will reduce pedestrian crossing distances at the intersection and improve traffic flow
transitioning from the downtown couplet to N Main Street as well as fill in gaps to the existing
bicycle network along Lithia Way between Oak Street and Helman Street (consistent with TSP
project B16).
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Strategic Parking Management Plan
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Strategic Parking Management Plan
VIII. SUMMARY
The parking management and multi-modal strategies recommended here are intended to provide a
template for action leading to a more efficient and organized parking system for the downtown. The
strategies would be led by a Downtown Parking Coordinator with informed insight and direction from a
representative Downtown Parking Advisory Committee.
The strategies envisioned here will be implemented over a minimum of three years, triggered by the
85% Rule and documented parking demand. Overall, the strategies are designed to "get the right parker
to the right parking spot" in a manner that supports the Guiding Principles established as a part of this
plan.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
APPENDIX
ACTION STRATEGIES IMPLEMENATION SUMMARY
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
ACTIONS & IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2
Strategy Strategies Immediate (6-18 (18-36+ Comment
(0 - 6 months) months) months)
POLICY ACTION STRATEGIES
1
Formalize the Guiding Themes Provides decision-making
& Principles as policies for framework and policy foundation
downtown access within the ✓ for decisions/actions. Target by
parking and transportation July 2016.
system plan.
2 The parking inventory for Ashland
Adopt the 85% Rule as the revealed that existing peak period
optimum occupancy standard
occupancies within the core are
for measuring performance of often parked in excess of 85% for
the parking supply and ✓
significant periods of the day.
triggering specific management Having the 85% Rule formalized in
strategies and rate ranges. policy will assure that a process for
evaluating and responding to
future parking activity is in place.
3 As the supply of parking becomes
Establish a Downtown Parking constrained over time, it will be
and Transportation Fund as a ✓ important to direct funds into a
mechanism to direct funds specific account intended to
derived from parking into a support on-going transportation
dedicated fund. and access in the downtown.
4 Centralized administration and
Centralize Parking management best supports the
Management. Consolidate the concept of an integrated parking
management and system as all elements of the
administration of parking parking system (off-street, on-
management within a single street, enforcement and oversight
of any third party provider) are
division for Parking Services. consolidated within a single
division and leadership structure.
5
Consolidating parking operations
Develop a job description and within a single department or
submit a service package to bureau under a Downtown Parking
create and hire a position of Coordinator creates administrative
Downtown Parking Coordinator ✓ ✓ and operational efficiencies and
for the City of Ashland. seamlessly integrates on-street, off-
street, enforcement and long-range
strategic planning. Target by
September 2016.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR ;
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2
Strategy Strategies Immediate (6-18 (18-36+ Comment
(0 - 6 months) months) months)
6
The stakeholder advisory process
Establish a Downtown Parking
and a Parking Advisory Committee
Advisory Committee (DPAC)
will: (a) assist the Parking
consisting of downtown
Coordinator/Coordinator in the
stakeholders to assist in
program implementation and implementation of the parking
management plan; (b) review
review. ✓ ✓
parking issues overtime; and (c)
advise City Council and other
relevant decision-making bodies on
strategy implementation based on
adopted policy for parking
management and use dynamics
identified for specific parking areas.
7 A system for routine data collection
Develop a reasonable schedule will need to be established.
of data collection to better Conversations with the Advisory
assess performance of the ✓ ✓ ✓ Committee indicated that a better
downtown parking supply. understanding of "off-peak" data
would also be useful, particularly as
Phase 2 issues related to pricing are
considered.
8
The 2015 study of off-street lots
Identify off-street shared use quantified actual hourly use of
opportunities and feasibilities these facilities over a twelve hour
based on data findings in period each day. Fifty-one (51) off-
Strategy 7. Establish goals for ✓ ✓ street sites comprising 1,998
transitioning employees, begin parking stalls were surveyed.
Findings from the study revealed
outreach to opportunity sites, that many sites are significantly
negotiate agreements, and underutilized, with an average total
assign employees to facilities. of approximately 1,000 stalls empty
during the peak hour of the day.
9 The intent is to create a brand that
Create a critical path timeline to unifies the "public" supply of
a new parking brand that can
be utilized at all City-owned lots parking and is easily
communicated; at specific parking
and shared supplies and in
parking ✓ ✓ sites and, ideally, through a system
marketing/communications. of wayfinding and guidance
systems located throughout the
downtown and in maps, websites
and other communications and
promotions.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2
Strategy Strategies Immediate (6-18 (18-36+ Comment
(0 - 6 months) months) months)
10
The 2014 Community Planning
Simplify on-street time stays. Workshop study outlined a series
Consider incorporation of new of recommendations for
brand/logo into on-street ✓ ✓ reformatting on-street time stays
signage per input derived in throughout the downtown. This
Strategy 9. work should serve as a template for
action moving forward.
11 Implements Strategy 9.
Deploy new off-street signage
package ✓
12
What the downtown may be
Expand bike parking network to
lacking is sufficient "trip-end" bike
create connections between
parking and the downtown to parking amenities, both on-street,
off-street and in private buildings.
encourage employee bike ✓
commute trips and draw Providing adequate bicycle parking
customers to downtown will expand the capacity of the
overall parking supply downtown.
businesses.
13 Data collection would provide
Evaluate and pursue on-street updated information on use for
pricing in high occupancy areas multiple seasons; it is
(85%+). ✓ recommended that the Parking
Coordinator initiate a process with
the Downtown Parking Advisory
Committee to evaluate a transition
of the downtown on-street parking
system to paid parking.
14 These systems are designed and
Solicit firms to establish implemented as a means to inform
wayfinding and dynamic and direct customers to available
signage systems in the public parking within a brand that
right of way, integrated with ✓ communicates quality, cost
the off-street system using City effectiveness and convenience.
parking brand developed in
Strategy 9.
1s Implements Strategy 14. No later
Deploy wayfinding system as than November 2017.
developed in Strategy 14.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan
Phase 1 Phase 1 Phase 2
Strategy Strategies Immediate (6-18 (18-36+ Comment
(0 - 6 months) months) months)
PARKING MANAGEMENT ACTION STRATEGIES (PHASE 2)
16 Completes the necessary outreach,
Implement on- street pricing data collection and planning for
A. Explore residential launching paid parking within the
and employee permit downtown on-street parking
programs (on-street) ✓ supply.
B. Develop a marketing/
communications and
new system roll out
plan
C. Initiate pricing
17 As Ashland's downtown grows
Explore expanding access employment, residents and visitors;
capacity -new parking supply ✓ existing supplies of parking and
and/or transit/circulator alternative mode access will need
options to be expanded.
18 Information derived from Strategy
Develop cost forecasts for 19 will provide realistic data on
preferred parking supply and parking and transit/shuttle
shuttle/transit system options. enhancements that have
community input and initial
✓ feasibility. Parking will have been
evaluated as to location, size and
format (garage or surface lot).
Transit/shuttles will have been
evaluated as to desired format,
frequency and routing.
19 There are a wide range of potential
Explore and develop funding funding sources and revenue
options streams that could be used to
support implementation of an
enhanced parking management
plan in the Ashland downtown as
well as to plan for and support
development of new parking or
transit capacity.
20 This strategy would be catalyzed by
Initiate new capacity expansion completion of Strategies 19 - 21
and would complete Phase 2 of the
downtown Strategic Parking
Management Plan.
Rick Williams Consulting - City of Ashland, OR
Strategic Parking Management Plan