Outlook
5/21 Special Meeting -- Agenda Item 3
From Daniele Petrone <[email protected]>
Date Tue 5/20/2025 1:31 PM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Cc Jeff Beiswenger <[email protected]>
Councilmembers,
I’m writing regarding Item 3 on tomorrow’s special meeting agenda and in support of a Town Center Parking Study update. For those I haven’t yet met – I’ve served on the Planning Commission since last June and am a former transportation planner.
It’s true that at peak times, parking downtown can be a frustrating experience, with some drivers circling downtown and neighborhood streets looking for parking, others waiting in the parkade for spots to open, and others still parking illegally and “just for a second” to pick up take out or visit a store. This causes congestion, an unsafe walking environment, and a perception of insufficient supply, even though that may not be the case.
As such, I suggest the Council consider commissioning not just a parking study, but a comprehensive parking management plan, or a toolkit of strategies to more effectively utilize parking supply and avoid the costly construction of new parking facilities. This approach would not just fully identify the problem, but also craft ways to solve it.
At a minimum, data collected should include:
1. Parking inventory and regulations for all public on- and off-street facilities.
2. Parking utilization counts during various times of day during a “typical” time of year (school in session, no special events).
3. Parking turnover counts to assess length of stay.
Based upon funds available, the Town could also consider adding:
1. Inventory, utilization, and turnover counts at private off-street facilities to help inform the potential for shared parking agreements.
2. Inventory, utilization, and turnover counts in downtown-adjacent neighborhoods to assess parking spillover impacts and the potential need for a residential parking permit program.
Current parking best practices suggest that utilization rates of 85% and 90% are effective industrystandards for on- and off-street spaces, respectively. At these utilization rates, roughly one space per block is available, making searching or “cruising” for parking unnecessary and allowing off-street lots to maintain adequate maneuverability. Areas that exceed these rates are those that would most benefit from new policies to better distribute demand.
Based on the utilization/turnover rates the data collection effort shows, a coordinated parking management plan could include:
1. Revamped time limits to discourage long term storage of cars along prime street fronts and encourage turnover.
2. Improved parking enforcement to discourage scofflaws.
3. Improved parking wayfinding to point drivers to all available facilities.
4. Public-private partnerships to allow public access to existing private off-street lots.
5. In areas where demand warrants it (and if time limits do not reduce utilization below target rates), the potential pricing of on-street spaces to better manage demand for prime spots.
Pricing of parking remains the most effective strategy in any Town’s “toolbox” to manage demand and ensure that parking supports the overall goals of an integrated transportation system. If pursued (again, only if necessary), it would also present an opportunity for the creation of a Parking Benefit District (PBD), which would utilize parking fees for district-wide improvements, like repaired/widened sidewalks, street furniture, new bicycle parking, and other public realm upgrades. This new funding stream could help implement many goals in the existing Town Center Element of the General Plan, and eventual Town Center Strategic Plan.
To sum up: while there may be a perceived parking “problem,” it may very well be only due to inefficient management, not insufficient supply. Our Town Center benefits from its relatively small, compact, and walkable nature, making it a de facto “park once” district, meaning there are many "lowhanging fruit" solutions to consider. While priced parking may initially prove unpopular, if warranted, it presents a great opportunity to improve the Town Center we all know and love – providing real benefits that could change the minds of those with knee jerk reactions against paid parking. A comprehensive parking management plan is, in my opinion, the best way forward to fully understand the problem and develop a complementary suite of solutions worth pursuing.
Thanks for your time and consideration,
Daniele Petrone
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Daniele Petrone
[email protected]
Outlook
Pedestrian accessibility at Pastori & Center
From lindsay rogers <[email protected]>
Date Tue 5/20/2025 9:30 AM
To Fairfax Town Council <[email protected]> Dear Council members,
I grew up in Fairfax and have recently moved back with my husband and our 4-month old to be closer to my parents. We live on Belle Avenue and regularly walk downtown with our stroller. I’ve found the intersection at Pastori, Center and Belmont (next to Good Earth) very intimidating to navigate with the stroller. There’s always a lot of traffic coming from 5 different streets and there’s no way to safely get off the street and onto the sidewalk.
I’d like to request a curb cut be added at the corner of Pastori, Belmont and Center (see image below).
This would support ADA access and pedestrian safety.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you! All best,
Lindsay
Lindsay Rogers Vangelakos
(She/Her)
[email protected]
(415)-259-7978