Title
Review of Parking Permit Program (B)
This is a request for the City Commission to hear a presentation regarding improvements to the City's residential parking program.
Explanation
The City has had a Controlled Vehicular Parking Program since 1981. The program was initially created to prevent commuter parking in the residential neighborhoods surrounding the University of Florida. As redevelopment activities have occurred in these neighborhoods and the character in some areas has transitioned to multifamily and mixed use development, demand for parking by eligible residents has increased faster than on- or off-street supplies. Property owners in the neighborhood have noted that permits may be obtained fradulently through the current purchasing process which is further increasing demand.
A staff committee comprised of representatives from Public Works, Planning and Development Services, Code Enforcement, Budget and Finance, and GPD was formed to review the parking program and make recommendations for improvement. The committee met with stakeholders in September 2012. Below is a summary of the committee's findings and recommendations:
1) The current system does not successfully prevent fraud during the purchasing process. Distribution of parking permits directly to third party property owners or managers circumvents appropriate review of documentation confirming residency and eligibility to participate in the permit program. City staff should resume distribution of permits directly to applicants, ensuring that the necessary paperwork to confirm eligibility is provided before a permit is distributed. Online purchases would remain as an option but in-person pick-up would be required.
2) Permit pricing is too low. Stakeholders and staff feel the low price does not reflect the cost or value of the parking permit to the user. A 2008 study of City fees recommended a cost of $45 per semester (Fall/Spring/SummerA/B) at a minimum to recoup program admistration costs.
3) There are few opportunities to expand on-street supply within zones. Staff identified the potential to develop less than 10 additional on-street spaces based upon current conditions, all in University Heights.
4) The Innovation Square area will likely require regulated parking in the near future. Staff should conduct the necessary study to implement controlled parking in this area.
5) The current grace period is not optimal. Move-in/move-out dates for most residents begin as early as July 15th, while the current grace period does not begin until August 15th. In addition, staff and stakeholders feel that the grace period continuing until September 15th encourages commuter parking during that period, reducing parking availability for legitimate users. As such, the grace period should be changed to July 15th through August 31st each year.
6) Demand management is needed. Development density is expected to increase in most of the program area while the supply of on-street parking is likely to remain close to current levels. Demand management approaches would provide a more sustainable long-term strategy for addressing the need for parking.
Fiscal Note
There are no fiscal impacts at this time.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) hear a presentation from staff; 2) authorize the City Manager to make the necessary administrative changes to the program to prevent fraud and improve program effectiveness; 3) install additional parking where feasible as recommended in the committee's report; 4) conduct the necessary evaluation and, if feasible, proceed with implementation of a new parking zone in the Innovation District; and 5) refer the parking permit cost adjustment and the demand strategies to the Community Development Committee for further evaluation.