DATE:
July 19, 2022
TO:
Christine Daniel, City Manager
FROM:
Kim Burrowes, Adult Services Supervisor
SUBJECT:
Report To The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville On Recommendations Made By The Commission On Aging In Support Of The City Of Emeryville’s Paid Parking Program And Improving Emeryville’s Website As A Resource For Older Adults Recommendation
Staff recommends that City Council receive this report from the Commission on Aging in support of the City of Emeryville’s Paid Parking Program and improving Emeryville’s Website as a Resource for Older Adults.
Background
The Commission on Aging consists of up to nine members of the Emeryville community who meet monthly to provide input and recommendations to the City Council on issues related to older adults in the community.
Discussion
The Commission on Aging supports the City's Paid Parking Program. The Commission on Aging believes it is an effective program and strategy, when vigorously enforced, to encourage the use of transit, carpools, bicycles, and walking.
RESOLUTION NO. 19- 20, "Adopting A Framework for Paid Parking in the North Hollis and Triangle Areas," is an important policy towards achieving this goal. The enforcement of the green curb policy supports the City's paid parking program.
As the population of older adults in Emeryville increases, the Commission on Aging supports increasing pedestrian mobility and providing a variety of safe, reliable, accessible, and affordable transportation options that allows residents to be connected to all areas and services in the community. Many older adults do not own cars. As a result, the Commission wants people of all ages and in particular, older adults, to have the ability to move safely and comfortably around the City without a car.
As cities develop, populations increase, and parking regulations evolve, the benefits of a paid parking system over a free parking system become important to reestablish a balance which does not prioritize cars over other forms of transportation and mobility throughout the City.
As the City grows and matures, the Paid Parking Program can provide additional data to assist the City with making informed decisions about how to improve the movement of cars, people, and other modes of transportation.
The Commission on Aging is also recommending that improvements be made to the City’s website to ensure easier access to resources for Older Adults since public entity websites are important resources for residents to find assistance when searching for solutions or paths to a solution for a current need. For example, a search for recreational choices or options, or to search options for food, housing, healthcare, and emotional support. The importance of internet resources became clear during the recent COVID pandemic to many older adults. During this period, members of Commission on Aging identified an urgent need for the City to improve its website for older adults.
An ad hoc committee of the Commission of Aging did an extensive review and analysis of Emeryville's senior services on the City’s website, as well as other neighboring cities’ and county websites. Berkeley and Alameda County were selected as models.
In the attached appendix, the problems with Emeryville's website are identified. Recommendations, suggestions, and specific changes are proposed for making the City's website more user-friendly for seniors.
The Commission on Aging urges the City Council to prioritize improving Emeryville’s website with respect to senior services. Although the Commission is aware of budget constraints, it believes that City staff could accomplish many of the recommendation detailed in its report at no additional cost.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact for either the Commission’s support for the City’s paid parking program or recommended website improvements.
Staff Communication with the Public
The letter of support and website improvements have been discussed several times at previous Commission on Aging meetings. The Commission will have one more review of the website recommendations at their meeting on July 13th. Any additional changes or edits to the website recommendations report will be presented by staff at the Council Meeting on July 19, 2022.
Conclusion
Staff recommends that City Council receive this report from the Commission on Aging in support of the City of Emeryville’s Paid Parking Program and consider its recommendation for improving the City of Emeryville’s website as a resource for older adults.
PREPARED BY: Kim Burrowes, Adult Services Supervisor
Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
Christine Daniel, City Manager
Attachments:
Website Recommendations
Letter of Support for Paid Parking
Recommendations from the Commission on Aging for Support of Paid Parking and Website Improvements City Council Meeting | July 19, 2022
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM