City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2023-00917 8/8/2023 Consent Item 12.
Merchant Parking Permit Program
File ID: 2023-00917
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution establishing an on-street Merchant Parking Permit program to provide employee parking permits for qualified merchants in Sacramento.
Contact: Erika Galang, Program Specialist (916) 808-8572, [email protected]; Matt Eierman, Director of Public Works (916) 808-5849, [email protected], Department of Public Works
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: California Vehicle Code section 22507(a) authorizes the City Council to adopt a resolution designating certain streets upon which preferential parking privileges are given to merchants adjacent to those streets.
The City Council approved a pilot program in 2019 to evaluate the potential of a citywide preferential Merchant Parking Permit (MPP) program to accommodate employees of qualified merchants in Sacramento during operational hours, where off-street options for employee parking are currently limited or where future development is anticipated to affect business parking.
The pilot program allowed participants to park on the street during designated hours, days, and at specific locations where MPP signage is posted. The pilot program was successful in providing employees parking within walking distance of their workplace, reduced the need to search for parking to report to work on time, provided a consistent parking location that employees could depend on, promoted shared parking usage amongst employees of various businesses, and maintained sufficient parking supply on the street for other drivers.
File ID: 2023-00917 8/8/2023 Consent Item 12.
The Merchant Parking Permit program provided the balance needed to accommodate parking for residents, businesses, visitors, and employees of merchants in mixed-used areas experiencing the lack of viable off-street parking options.
With the success of the pilot program, staff requests adoption of a resolution, pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 22507(a), to create a permanent MPP to support local merchants who meet the prescribe criteria under the proposed resolution.
Policy Considerations: This recommendation is 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.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed action is 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: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: The Central City is evolving into areas supporting mixed-use communities, comprised of both commercial businesses and residential housing. As new development occurs with limited off-street parking, on-street parking demands have increased for that area, resulting in the need to set time restrictions to better manage short-term parking supply. To safeguard viability of businesses while supporting growth of the surrounding community, staff proposes to permanently establish the MPP program to offset new parking restrictions on the street, based on the success of the pilot program.
New parking restrictions in some areas were enacted to promote turnover on the street, but such restrictions limit the available parking supply for employees of existing businesses, resulting in the need for them to move their vehicles throughout the day to comply with any new restrictions. The lack of available parking for employees reduces efficiencies with merchant operations. Recruitment of new employees is also made difficult if employee parking is limited.
File ID: 2023-00917 8/8/2023 Consent Item 12.
The MPP program will provide a way to balance the parking supply between the needs of businesses, residents, and visitors. The program has the following goals:
· Convenient and increased parking supply for merchant employees. · Increased safety for merchant employees by providing parking in closer proximity to work.
· Reduction of parking citations issued for parking over the time limit. · Establish areas for employee parking so employees can quickly find a space to park and arrive to work on time.
· Increased efficiency in merchant operations.
· Maintenance of short-term parking for non-merchant vehicles visiting the area.
Financial Considerations: MPP participants pay a monthly parking fee to maintain their permit.
Permit costs will vary, depending on the location of the site, if meters are present, and the parking demand. The installation of signage and removal of old signage will be performed by department staff. The cost to install new signage is approximately $500. Sufficient funds are available in the Department of Public Works, Parking Services Division operating budget (General Fund, Fund 1001) to establish a Merchant Parking Permit program. All MPP revenue will be credited to the General Fund (Fund 1001).
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
August 8, 2023
Merchant Parking Permits
BACKGROUND
A. California Vehicle Code section 22507(a) authorizes the City Council to adopt a resolution designating certain streets upon which preferential parking privileges are given to merchants adjacent to those streets.
B. The Merchant Parking Permit (MPP) program involves issuance of parking permits that allow employees of qualified merchants to park at specific parking spaces on the street during designated days and hours. MPP locations are posted with signage to indicate where vehicles with valid MPP may park. The cost of each MPP is assessed monthly for each vehicle.
C. The MPP program supports local merchants by providing employee parking options that are within walking distance of their workplace, in a designated location to reduce the time spent searching for parking, reduces congestion caused by driving in search of parking in an impacted area, assists employees with reporting to work on time, and increases availability of parking spaces on the street for other drivers.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Merchant Parking Permit (MPP) program is established to provide permit parking for employees of qualified Sacramento merchants located in areas where off -street parking options are limited or where future development is anticipated to affect employee parking.
Section 2. The following MPP pilot program areas are recognized as approved for issuance of MPP permits:
Elvas Ave, south side, from the 65th Street to Folsom Blvd 66th Street, east side, from Elvas Ave to the southern property line of 1210 66th Street
North A Street, both sides, from Ahern Street to North 16th Street North C Street, north side, from North 12th Street to Ahern Street McCormack Avenue, north side, from the east property line of 400 North 16th Street to North 16th Street
Broadway, north side, 9th Street to 10th Street
X Street, north side, 3rd Street to 5th Street
X Street, south side, from 9th Street to 10th Street
W Street, south side, from 3rd Street to 6th Street
6th Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
8th Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
9th Street, east side, from X Street to Broadway
10th Street, west side, from X Street to Broadway
18th Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
19th Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
20th Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
21st Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
22nd Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
23rd Street, both sides, from W Street to X Street
Section 3. The MPP program shall be available citywide to support Sacramento merchants and their employees by creating designated employee parking zones to support business operations and promote shared -use parking in specific spaces on the street.
Section 4. Participants in the MPP program shall utilize electronic permits to reduce environmental waste, promote efficient enforcement practices, prevent program abuse, and reduce costs associate with the printing of permits.
Permit fees shall be assessed monthly f or each participant vehicle with pricing depending on location, if meters are present, and parking demand in the area.