Parking Management Program –
Short and Long-Term Strategies
Council Goal-Setting Workshop -Agenda Item 03.A-3
By Jorge E. Garcia, City Manager
Michael Codron, Interim Community Development Director
Nadia Feeser, Administrative Services Director
Jeff Smith, Chief of Police
Meeting Date: February 16, 2024
Recent Background
•Parking Study Session (10/10/2023)
•Parking Management Plan Adoption (10/17/2023)
•The PMP evaluates existing parking conditions and recommends action to further key goals, including:
•Support the downtown commercial core as a viable economic center •Provide enough parking in and around the commercial core for residents, visitors, business owners, and employees •Create revenue streams for the purpose of maintaining current parking assets, acquiring more parking capacity, and/or funding alternative transportation options •Today’s Objective: Identify specific actions the City can take to further these goals during the 2024-25 Fiscal Year
Current Parking Locations
Parking Spaces
1,095 On-Street
423 Off-Street (Public)
414 Off-Street (Private)*
Total
1,932 Parking Spaces
*40% (166) of these
spaces are not used
during peak
Kiosk/Meter Parking Revenues per Lot and Block
Lot/Block FY 2022 $ Revenues FY 2023 $ Revenues
FY 2022 % of
Total FY 2023 % of Total
Pier lot $793,264 $665,700 40%37%
Wolosz/Main Lot*339,455 275,474 17%15%
Meters 100-200 Blk Pomeroy 264,801 372,107 13%20%
Meters 600-700 Blk Cypress 190,447 207,023 10%11%
Meters 100-200 Blk Hinds 174,504 139,258 9%8%
300 Pomeroy lot 130,887 85,240 7%5%
South Main lot 97,374 72,215 5%4%
Total $1,990,733 $1,817,018 100%100%
*Wolosz portion of Wolosz/Main lot not available for 2 months in FY 2023
Parking Expenditures
Expenditures FY 2022 FY 2023
Operating Expenditures
Salaries & Wages 204,261$ 184,051$
Benefits 69,210 57,029
Purchase Professional Services 3,042 3,463 Other Purchased Services 73,592 70,723
Operations & Maintenance 23,601 95,793
Other Expenses 361,860 213,180
Transfer Out to Internal Service 122,300 -
Subtotal Operating Expenditures 857,866$ 624,239$ One-time projects 5,243$ 315,268$
Current Parking Management Practices
•Program Administration
•Chief of Police responsible for management, including parking rates and day-to-day operations
•Management is data driven, based on the following
criteria:
•Analysis of weekly parking occupancy data
•Seasonal demand
•Special events
•Goal is to maintain 85% occupancy –encourage turnover
near retail and dining
Current Parking Management Practices
•Community Development
•Zoning Regulations Administration
•Implements parking standards
•In-lieu fee program
•Development Review
•Coastal Development Permits
•Long-Range Planning
•Downtown Strategic Plan
•Economic Development
Parking Management Plan
•The PMP is a guidance document that makes recommendations to help inform future City decisions •Near-Term Actions
•Increase areas of paid parking and utilize demand-based pricing •Increase hours of paid parking and enforcement
•Partner for use of private parking areas
•Longer-Term Actions
•Expansion of public parking
•Fix the In-Lieu Fee
•Implement alternative modes of transportation
•Consensus is Pismo Beach has a peak parking problem
Recommended Actions for FY25
1.Continue to Manage Parking
to Maximize Turnover and
Support Revenues
2.Seize Opportunities to
Increase Short-Term Parking
Supply
3.Embrace Public Parking as a
Tool to Accomplish Downtown
Vision
4.Begin Project to Update
Current In-Lieu Fee Structure
Increase Parking Supply
•On-Street Opportunities
•Price Street Project
•Off-Street Opportunities
•PMP Identifies 9 Sites
•Emerging Opportunities (Thai Talay)
•Remote Opportunities
•Shuttle service to support major
events
•Alternative Transportation
Projects
•Electric bikes, for example
Expansion of parking
facilities is more of an
economic development
decision than a financial
feasibility decision…
Existing demand alone
would not allow for the
acquisition of land and
construction of parking that
would pay for itself over
time. –PMP (2023)
Economic Development and Parking
•PMP Identifies Important Relationship Between Economic Development and Parking
•Land Currently Used for On-Site Parking Can Be Converted to Productive Use
•Increase revenue such as Property Tax, Sales Tax, TOT
•Public Parking is Good Design, Increases Walkability (Vision Plan)
•Public Parking is Efficient -Park Once, Visit Multiple Locations
Downtown Vision and Strategic Plan
More like
this:
Fewer like
this:
Economic Development and Parking
•More Public Parking Would Support Downtown Vision
By…
•Creating a central location for shared parking year-round •Increasing pedestrian activity between parking and key locations, such as the beach, shopping and restaurants
•Enabling creative use of streets to support events
•Reduce curb cuts and vehicles crossing sidewalks to access private parking lots
•60% of Private Parking Not Utilized During Peak
•City can reduce requirements for businesses
Parking In-Lieu Fees -Current
•In-Lieu Fees encourage rehabilitation and expansion of existing and new commercial uses Downtown, generate revenue for shared parking solutions •The Fee is not currently serving its intended purpose
•Current rate established (generally) in 2005 -$36,000
•Not adjusted for CPI
•Fluctuated over the years because of different initiatives •Was $9,600/space from 2014-2019
•FY 2015 –Central Coast Meat Market -3 spaces at $9,600/space = $28,800 •FY 2017 -Cracked Crab -4 spaces at $9,600/space = $38,400 •FY 2017 -Vespera -5 spaces at $9,600/space = $48,000
•Total $115,200
•Required to provide other community benefits to qualify •Actual cost = $112,000/space
Parking In-Lieu Fees -Current
•PBMC Section 17.108.040 –Waivers for new construction
•Parking requirements too high, need to recognize efficiency of shared public parking
•Maximum of 30% of required off-street parking, unless physical hardship –too restrictive to serve economic development •Between 2005 and 2014 –two projects participated
•Current cost of new parking space $112,000
•Code should be updated to reflect efficiency of shared parking •Address cost per space
Parking In-Lieu Fees -Proposed
•To improve participation in program, consider:
•Allowing 100% of parking spaces to be provided via in-lieu fee •Reduce the parking requirement by 50% for projects that agree to pay the in-lieu fee
•Reduce the in-lieu fee amount to 25% of the actual cost per space, or approximately $28,000
•Shared/Public Parking is More Efficient, Especially
Downtown
•Reducing On-Site Parking Increases Walkability Downtown •Enables Downtown Vision to be Realized
Discussion
•Key Questions for Council:
•Does the Council support using the
concepts illustrated in the Downtown
Vision and Strategic Plan to update
Downtown parking requirements and
the City’s in-lieu fee program?
•Does the Council support the concept of
reducing the parking requirement for
Downtown properties that benefit from
public parking facilities?
•Does the Council support a reduction of
the in-lieu fee amount to 25% of the
cost of a new parking space, or should
the cost be reduced further?
The Downtown Vision Plan
presents a strategy for reduced
private, on -site parking to
improve walkability and
economic development
Public parking is more efficient
than private parking because
one space will serve multiple
stops
Subsidy of parking costs is likely
needed to gain participation. The
subsidy amount should be thought
of as an investment in Downtown
to increase economic
development
Next Steps
•Update Zoning Code
•Parking requirements
•In-lieu fee
•Continue Active Management of Parking Program
•Short-term parking supply options
•Alternative transportation