Agenda item 13-B
updated Downtown Bellflower Parking analysis
&
Agenda item 13-C
City owned and controlled parking lots parking rules and regulations
Thank you Mr. Smoot. Good evening Honorable Mayor and members of the City Council. As previously mentioned, tonight, staff is team presenting these two separate, but related items, for discussion purposes.
1 Updated North Downtown Bellflower Parking
analysis
First, I’m going to go over the Updated North Downtown Bellflower Parking Analysis, as this sets the stage for Mr. McNerney’s presentation and discussion regarding parking rules and regulations.
2 Parking Study Area
As a refresher, the study area encompassed the area south of the rail right of way to Flower St and covers the area from the County Parking Structure west to the public parking lots on the west side of Bellflower Blvd. Also included is the Library Garden parking lot on the south side of Flower Street. 3 Methodology
Parking Inventory
Thursday 5/19/22
Occupancy Surveys
Thursday to Sunday, 5/19/22 to 5/22/22
Thursday to Sunday, 6/9/22 to 6/12/22
Turnover Survey
Thursday to Sunday, 5/19/22 to 5/22/22
The consultant, Thomas J Wheat Engineering, Inc. conducted a parking inventory/space count, two occupancy surveys from Thursday to Sunday just under a month apart and did a Parking Turnover Survey on Bellflower Blvd. during the first occupancy survey. 4 Downtown Parking Inventory
The parking inventory revealed at the time that there are 1,283 public parking spaces available in the North Downtown Study Area. The Civic Center/County Parking Structure contains 293 spaces, the City’s structure has 278 spaces, the public lots contain 525 spaces, and there are 187 on-street parking spaces. With the recent purchase of the former M-Power property at the northwest corner of Bellflower BLvd. and Flower St., the City added 29 spaces to the inventory. 5 Downtown Peak Occupancy Hours
Peak occupancy hours:
Weekdays: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturdays: 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Sundays: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
During the Occupancy Surveys, it was found that the peak occupancy hours are from 8 pm to 10 pm Thursday – Saturday, and from 1 pm to 3 pm on Sundays. 6 Bellflower blvd.
turnover survey
45 Spaces along the street in the Study Area
Ave. Length of Stay/Unique Vehicles
Thu – 1.98 hrs/209
Fri – 2.17 hrs/218
Sat – 2.23/199
Sun – 1.98/86
26% - 30% of vehicles parked longer than 2 hrs.
The consultant also looked at the turnover rate for the on-street parking spaces along Bellflower Blvd. within the study area.
There are 45 spaces along the Bellflower Blvd. and the average length of stay ranged from 1.98 hours to 2.23 hours. The number of unique vehicles varied from a low of 86 on Sunday to a high of 218 on Friday.
Although the average length of stay was right around the 2-hour mark, the survey revealed that over the course of the four days of the survey, 26% - 30% of vehicles parked along the boulevard longer than 2 hours.
7 Updates
AB 2097
CEQA Assessment
That brings us to the updates to the Analysis. When staff last brought this to the City Council, it was recommended that the consultant review Assembly Bill 2097 as it relates to the North Downtown Parking Study Area, and that staff do a CEQA assessment of the analysis. 8 AB 2097
Prohibits public agencies from imposing minimum automobile parking requirements for development projects within 1/2 mile of a major transit stop
Effective 1/1/2023
AB 2097 went into effect on January 1, 2023 and prohibits public agencies from imposing minimum parking requirements for development projects within ½ mile of a major transit stop. 9 AB 2097
½ mile radius around proposed light rail station
Flower St.
Alondra Blvd.
Bellflower Blvd.
Belmont St.
Oak St.
Clark Ave.
Woodruff Ave.
The proposed light rail station on Bellflower Blvd. is on the Southern California Association of Government’s (SCAG’s) regional transit plan, so it is considered a major transit stop, even though it is not built and operating at this time. As can be seen in the aerial photo, the ½ mile radius covers the entire North Downtown Study Area, and then some. 10 Ceqa assessment
Planning and Building Services Director determined that the Parking Analysis is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §§ 15262 and 15306, and that the parking analysis does not constitute a “project” requiring environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15378(b)(5).
Additionally, the Planning and Building Services Director reviewed the study and determined that the Parking Analysis is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15262 and 15306, and that it does not constitute a “project” requiring environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelings Section 15378(b)(5). 11 Updated Parking Study Findings
There is sufficient parking capacity to handle both current and anticipated parking demand, even with AB 2097.
The updated study founds that there is sufficient parking capacity to handle both current and anticipated parking demand, even with AB 2097 in effect. 12 Public Parking Management
Parking Meters/Paid Parking
Increased Signage
Enforcement
Time Limit/Range Extensions
With that said, there are two high-demand parking lots in the Downtown during the peak hours, the lots on the east side of Bellflower Blvd. between the railroad right of way and Belmont Street, and the small lot at the corner of Adenmoor Ave and Belmont Street. the analysis suggests some public parking strategies to try to encourage better use of all the available parking such as the lot on the west side of the boulevard and the parking structure. These could include areas for parking meters or paid parking, increased informational and directional signage, consistent enforcement, and time limit/range extensions in the peak usage lots to encourage vehicle turnover. 13 Recommendation
Agenda item 13-B
Receive and file the Updated 2022 North Downtown Bellflower Parking Analysis
It’s at this point where staff recommends the City Council Receive and file the Updated 2022 North Downtown Bellflower Parking Analysis, and we segway into a brief related presentation from Brian McNerney, Interim Director of Public Safety regarding Parking Lot Regulations and Enforcement. 14 Agenda item 13-C
Parking Lot Regulations and Enforcement
15 Purpose
Review of current parking lot regulations in the downtown area
Review of parking enforcement efforts
Recommendations for changes and seeking input
16 Current parking lot regulations
(Downtown)
No parking Wednesday mornings from midnight-6 a.m. (lot sweeping)
No Parking beyond 72-hours (Vehicle Code requirement)
Lot #1 and #2, posted 2-hour parking from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. (except Sunday)
Lot #3, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sunday)
Lot #18 (half of lot), posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Lot #17, posted 2-hour parking from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sunday)
17 Current parking lot regulations
(Cont.)
Arkansas Street/Walnut Street lot, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays)
Bellflower Boulevard between Mayne Street and 91 freeway, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays)
Belmont Street between Bellflower Boulevard and Adenmoor Avenue, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays)
Flower Street between Bellflower Boulevard and Civic Center Drive, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays) on southside of Flower Street, northside of Flower Street has 30-minute green curbs.
Oak Street, west of Bellflower Boulevard only, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays) for approximately 100 ft.
Maple Street, Walnut Street, Arkansas Street, and Park Street, east and west of Bellflower Boulevard, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays) approximately 100 ft. in both directions.
Beach Street, east of Bellflower Boulevard only, posted 2-hour parking 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (except Sundays) for approximately 100 ft.
18 Enforcement History
Enforcement for timed parking is usually complaint driven (i.e. more complaints equals more enforcement and less complaints equals less enforcement).
When enforcement is conducted, the 2-hour parking violation rate is roughly 25% (specifically in the downtown city owned lots). Of those cited, most are usually employees of businesses in the area.
Lack of enforcement attributed to inconsistencies with direction to staff regarding enforcement.
Community complaints range from those wanting no enforcement to those who want enforcement of all regulations on a consistent basis, little middle ground.
19 Identified Problems
Inconsistent parking regulations
Current parking restrictions do not meet peak parking demand times
Inconsistent enforcement of parking regulations
20 Recommendations
Lot #1, #2, and #3, adjust 2-hour parking to 1 p.m.-10 p.m. (except Sunday).
Lot #17, open the newly acquired parking areas to allow additional employee parking in the area, with 5 of the spaces being marked for 2-hour 7am-6pm (except Sunday).
Parking Structure, no parking in the structure midnight-6am daily.
Hire an additional fulltime Community Service Officer to adequately patrol and proactively enforce the Downtown parking lots.
21 22
23