Susana Alcala Wood, City Attorney Jorge Oseguera, City Auditor Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk Howard Chan, City Manager John Colville, City Treasurer City Council Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-00507 March 22, 2022 Consent Item 14
Title: Extension of Merchant and Educational Institution Parking Permit Pilot Programs
Location: District 4 and District 6
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) approving an extension of the Merchant Parking Permit Pilot Program through December 31, 2022; and 2) approving an extension of the Educational Institution Parking Permit Pilot Program through December 31, 2022.
Contact: Erika Galang, Program Specialist, (916) 808-8572, [email protected] ;
Matt Eierman, Parking Services Manager, (916) 808-5849, [email protected], Department of Public Works
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
File ID: 2022-00507 Consent Item 14
March 22, 2022
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City of Sacramento
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: In a continued effort to support the employees of local businesses and educational institutions in the city of Sacramento, the City Council approved pilots for the Educational Institution Parking Permit (EIPP) and Merchant Parking Permit (MPP) programs during 2018 and 2019 to assess the feasibility of supporting on-street parking permits for local employees. These permits allow employees to park on the street in spaces that are adjacent to their places of employment during specified days and hours. Permit holders are prohibited from using these permits to park in nearby residential parking permit areas. The purpose of the permits is to provide a balance of shared-use parking between residents, visitors, local businesses, and schools.
The Educational Institution Parking Permit (“EIPP”) pilot is currently operating at William Land Elementary School, St. Francis High School, Washington Elementary School, and St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School. The Merchant Parking Permit (“MPP”) pilot is currently operating at Vintage Monkey, Reeds Gourmet Meats Company, and specific streets under the W/X Freeway to support employees of various local employers.
Since March of 2020, the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic created obstacles that required adjustments to the initial pilot protocols. During the height of the pandemic, school campuses closed to transition to distance learning, merchants resorted to drive-through and contactless deliveries, and other local businesses established work-from-home operations. As a result, parking occupancies in the pilot areas either decreased or yielded inconsistent data.
Resolution 2020-0355 was approved to extend the pilot through 2021, in anticipation of students, educators and local employees returning to work sites and school campuses.
However, the emergence of new COVID variants have caused the pandemic to continue into 2022. Schools and businesses have now transitioned to hybrid operations that combine limited, in-person presence with socially distanced modes of service delivery. As such, additional time is needed to update pilot guidelines to ensure they are feasible and sustainable prior to establishing a permanent program.
Notwithstanding any further effects of the pandemic on parking occupancy levels at pilot locations, staff is recommending an extension of both the EIPP and MPP pilot programs through December 31, 2022, to provide staff additional time to re-evaluate parking needs and get more complete data for evaluation of potential permanent EIPP and MPP programs.
Policy Considerations: These recommendations are consistent with the City’s General Plan and the goal of the City Council to enhance livability and economic development objectives to retain and support small businesses.
File ID: 2022-00507 Consent Item 14
March 22, 2022
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City of Sacramento
Economic Impacts: None
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it can be seen with certainty that there would be no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3). Such action does not provide additional parking than what it currently available, but rather, allows certain qualified merchant employees to be exempt from existing parking time restrictions.
Sustainability: This action supports the City of Sacramento’s sustainability goals to improve and optimize the transportation infrastructure.
Commission/Committee Action: None
Rationale for Recommendation: Extending the EIPP and MPP pilot programs will give staff more time to evaluate educational and business parking needs.
Financial Considerations: There is no additional financial cost to extend the pilots. The cost for each pilot permit is $5 per month, which is paid by pilot participants. All revenue from permits will be credited to the General Fund (Fund 1001).
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not Applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
March 15, 2022
Extension of Merchant and Educational Institution Parking Permit Pilot Programs
BACKGROUND
A. California Vehicle Code section 22507(a) authorizes the City Council to adopt an ordinance or resolution designating certain streets upon which preferential parking privileges may be given to educational institutions and merchants located adjacent to those streets.
B. City Council approved pilots in 2018 and 2019 for a preferential Merchant Parking Permit (MPP) and Educational Institution Permit Program (EIPP) to accommodate employees of qualified merchants and educational institutions in Sacramento during operational hours, where off-street options for employee parking is currently limited or where future development is anticipated to affect employee parking.
C. During the COVID -19 pandemic, school campuses citywide were closed for distance learning from 2020 through 2021 and parking occupancies near merchant parking needs were significantly lower than an ticipated. These inconsistent conditions affected the opportunities to evaluate whether such permanent MPP and EIPP programs would be beneficial to Citywide parking operations. Staff is seeking City Council approval to extend the pilot until December 31, 2022, to re-evaluate program policies and guidelines.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Merchant Parking Permit pilot program is hereby extended thro ugh December 31, 2022.
Section 2. The Educational Institution Parking Permit pilot program is hereby extended through December 31, 2022.