CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION AGENDA
TUESDAY MAY 27, 2025 6:00 PM
SAN DIMAS COUNCIL CHAMBER
CONFERENCE ROOM
245 EAST BONITA AVENUE
A public agenda packet is available for review on the City’s website www.sandimasca.gov or by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at [email protected].
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Emmett Badar, Mayor Pro Tem Eric Nakano, Councilmember Rachel Bratakos, Councilmember Ryan A. Vienna, Councilmember Eric Weber
CALL TO ORDER AND FLAG SALUTE
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
(Members of the audience are invited to address the City Council on any item on this agenda. Public comment will not be taken during each individual agenda item, except for public hearing items.
Comments on public hearing items will be heard when that item is scheduled for discussion. Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the legislative body is prohibited from engaging in discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. However, your concerns may be referred to staff or set for discussion at a later date. Each speaker will be limited to speaking once for up to (3) three minutes.) STUDY SESSION
1. Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Parking Restrictions in the Downtown Business Area/Municipal Parking Lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1,500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station and Parking Lot.
ADJOURNMENT
b
B
Notice Regarding Americans with Disabilities Act: In compliance with the ADA, if you need assistance to participate in a city meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Office at (909) 3946216. Early notification before the meeting you wish to attend will make it possible for the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting [28 CFR 35.10235.104 ADA Title II].
CopiesofdocumentsdistributedforthemeetingareavailableinalternativeformatsuponrequestAny
b
B
Notice Regarding Americans with Disabilities Act: In compliance with the ADA, if you need assistance to participate in a city meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Office at (909) 3946216. Early notification before the meeting you wish to attend will make it possible for the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting [28 CFR 35.10235.104 ADA Title II].
Copies of documents distributed for the meeting are available in alternative formats upon request. Any writings or documents provided to the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public review Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Administration Department and San Dimas Library. In addition, most documents are posted on the City's website at www.sandimasca.gov.
Posting Statement: I declare under penalty of perjury that on May 23, 2025, I posted a true and correct copy of this agenda on the bulletin board in the Civic Center Plaza of City Hall at 245 E. Bonita Ave., San Dimas Library 145 N. Walnut Ave., San Dimas Post Office 300 E. Bonita Ave., Von’s Via Verde Shopping Center 1160 Via Verde Ave. and on the City's website www.sandimasca.gov/agendasminutes/as required by law.
May 23, 2025
Debra Black
Debra Black, City Clerk
Study Session
Agenda Item Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
From: Brad McKinney, City Manager
Prepared by: Shari Garwick, Director of Public Works
Genevieve Amaro, Management Aide
Subject: Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Parking Restrictions in the Downtown Business Area/Municipal Parking Lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1,500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station ____________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY
Staff is bringing forward the Parking Management Plan for Council’s review to mitigate the impacts of the Gold Line/A Line station. Parking restrictions for the downtown business area was previously brought to Council at the February 11th, 2025, Study Session where Council requested additional information. This session will provide the Council with an overview of the meeting with residents living on public streets within 1,500 feet of the station and offer recommendations for implementing permit parking in these residential areas.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council review the proposed parking management plan and direct staff to bring back a resolution to set parking restrictions for municipal and residential areas in the downtown within 1,500 feet of the new Gold Line/A Line Station.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
No
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of implementing the parking management plan includes costs for signage installation, temporary vehicle hangtags, License Plate Reader (LPR) Equipment and related software, enforcement personnel, vehicles, staff time for administration and management of permit parking and public outreach. Costs for parking enforcement near Metro stations are eligible to be charged to Proposition A Transit Funds. The City’s approved FY 2024-2025 budget allocates $300,000 in Proposition A funds for this purpose.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 2
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
Parking Enforcement will likely need to expand existing daytime personnel hours from an existing 20 hours per week to 35 to 40 hours per week. This would be an ongoing cost. The costs for personnel are also eligible to be paid from Proposition A Transit funding for the hours spent enforcing near the new station. Additionally, revenue from parking fines could be used to offset personnel costs.
The City receives approximately $950,000 per year from Proposition A Transit Funds. These funds are restricted for use on mass transit related projects.
Currently the Downtown City Municipal Lots (Vehicle Parking Districts) receive an assessment of less than $300 per year in total revenue from the businesses. All maintenance and landscaping are paid from the general fund and are not eligible for Proposition A funding except as related to costs that mitigate the impact of the new station (such as parking enforcement).
BACKGROUND
The Gold Line/A Line is scheduled to begin passenger service in July/August of 2025. The station is located on the east side of San Dimas Avenue south of Bonita Avenue. LA Metro will offer 289 parking spaces across from the San Dimas Station at the former Park and Ride Lot. LA Metro confirmed it intends to charge $3 per day Monday through Friday excluding holidays for parking. Staff developed a draft parking management plan for Council to review in the categories below. Council direction and comments will be incorporated into a final policy that Staff anticipates bringing back for Council approval in the next month.
Business Parking
Staff conducted 4 business outreach meetings with the downtown businesses and walked the downtown business area twice with multiple online surveys to get business feedback. Staff worked with the businesses to develop a plan that was brought to Council at the February 11, 2025, Study Session. Council had several questions which staff researched. The initial proposed plan is being brought back with this research for discussion. The February 11th Study Session Staff report is included in Attachment 3 which also lists Business owner feedback.
Additionally on April 17, Staff conducted an outreach meeting for business owners of private parking lots. Sanders Towing attended and answered questions. Staff provided two handouts developed by the Gold Line Authority’s Parking Consultant on applicable laws for private parking lot owners. Staff will provide an additional outreach in late June or July.
Residential Parking
Staff held an outreach meeting with the residents within 1,500 feet walking distance from the station on February 26, 2025. This staff report will provide a summary of resident feedback received at this meeting and the proposed parking management plan has taken this feedback into consideration.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS
Parking Restrictions in municipal lots and public streets in business district
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 3
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
Staff presented business feedback and at the February 11, 2025, Study Session. Council posed several questions regarding the proposed business parking management program. The draft parking restriction map is included in Attachment 1 for reference along with Staff’s research on Council’s questions in Attachment 2. One of the main questions was what the existing parking restrictions were for other cities. Below is a summary of these parking restrictions. The cities polled below had no intent to modify their restrictions.
LOCATION PARKING RESTRICTIONS Days/Hours Number of
Stalls/Monthly
cost
AZUSA 3 HR PARKING FOR
BUSINESSES &
RESIDENTIAL
Monday-Friday
6 am to 6 pm
534 spaces
$59 monthly
No monthly at
Citrus station
COVINA 2 HR PARKING FOR
BUSINESSES & 4 HOUR
PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL
AREA
Monday-Friday
8 am to 8 pm
160 spaces
Station Parking
$20 per month
residents
$45 per month
nonresidents*
Has City
parking
structure with
$10/$20 rates
CLAREMONT 2 HR PARKING Monday-Friday
9 am to 6 pm
396 Spaces
Free parking
DUARTE 2 HR PARKING & 5 HR
PARKING
Monday-Friday
7 am to 6 pm
125 spaces
$59 monthly
ARCADIA 2 HR PARKING,4 Hr & 30
MIN PARKING (IN LIMITED
AREAS)
Monday-Friday
8 am to 5 pm
302 Spaces
$59 monthly
For comparison, below is the Parking Management Plan as proposed by Staff at the February 11, 2025, meeting. The proposed locations are depicted in Attachment 1. Details of the program were discussed at the Study Session but due to time restrictions Council directed that the matter be brought back for further discussion.
Management options:
Time Restrictions 4-hour parking
6:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Monday- Friday
* subject to change if necessary
5 areas for loading/unloading
Permit Parking for Businesses to
exempt employees from restrictions
(Employee parking). Allowable
Proposed employee permit will cost $30 and be valid
for a period of three years.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 4
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
number based on employees listed
on business license
Business owners can purchase
Super Permit in addition to employee
permits
Propose the Super Permit will cost $250 and be valid
for 1 year.
Enforcement License Plate Recognition (LPR)
• Equipment costs
• Licensing fees
Increase Staff Time
• From 20 hours per week to 35/40 hours
The decision points below are areas discussed by Council during the February 11th meeting.:
Decision Points
• Parking Restriction Duration
o Staff proposed to start with the least restrictions to reduce impact on the businesses.
o Some businesses have asked for extending the restriction while others have asked to leave restrictions until 12 pm to lessen the impact on their customers and employees.
o Other cities end their weekday parking restriction hours anywhere from 5 pm to 8 p.m.
o Extending the enforcement time until later will increase the likelihood of a business owner needing to provide/purchase employee permits o Foothill Transit is adding a bus line to Cal Poly Pomona which may increase late commuter arrival requiring a later parking restriction end time o None of the other cities that were polled had weekend parking restrictions o The end time for parking restrictions may need to be adjusted if too early, costing additional staff time and signage.
• Designated area for business permit parking
o This was intended to make enforcement easier
o It was also intended to aid in keeping the closest parking stalls available for customers
o Employees can park anywhere in the lot; but would have to move every 4 hours if not in the permit parking area
o Permit parking area distance from businesses was a concern expressed by a resident
o The municipal parking lot south of Bonita Ave has an extremely high number of employees compared to the number of parking stalls
• Cost of Employee Permit Parking
o Staff proposed to charge a fee of $30 over a 3-year period o Proposed replacement cost is $10
o Charging for these permits offsets the cost of administering the parking permit program.
o Permits provided to each business would be based on number of employees on business license application.
o Offering a SuperPermit for a $250 annual fee (downtown business owners only) o Use of employee permit parking for riding Metro train would be prohibited.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 5
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
• Enforcement
o Employee hours will be addressed in FY 2025-2026 Budget using Proposition A Funds.
o Staff recommends the purchase of LPR equipment and vehicle from monies allocated in FY 2024-2025 Budget
o Equipment and signage are eligible expenditures for Proposition A Transit Funds o Purchase signage with ability to modify as the program evolves and additional issues that need addressing are identified.
Parking for customers is critical for maintaining a viable business district. It is important to have parking restrictions in place when the Gold Line/A Line passenger service begins. The program or hours of restriction may need to be adjusted to address changing commuter patterns.
Once the basic parameters of the business parking program are solidified, Staff will bring back a resolution for Council approval. Staff would implement the restrictions concurrently with the beginning of passenger service on the Gold Line/A Line. Staff anticipates it will take a month or two to order and install the signs (they will be covered until they are needed). Employee permits will also be issued to businesses before passenger service begins.
Public Street Parking Restrictions in Residential Areas On February 26, 2025, Staff held an outreach meeting with residents that were within 1500 feet of the station. There were 15 attendees.
Meeting Highlights
• Several residents were concerned about the impact of parking restrictions and would like time to confirm Gold Line impacts before implementing a permit parking program. o To address this concern Staff proposes to follow the existing permit parking policy for residential areas which requires 67% of the property owners to agree to the implementation of the permit parking district. Staff will mail out the initial petition to property owners within 1500 feet walking distance of the station. If initial petition fails, then it will be the responsibility of residents who desire a parking permit district to circulate any future petitions. o Each block needs to get 67% approval.
o Implementation of a permit parking district can take two to three months. Staff can place temporary No Metro Parking Signs to discourage Metro parkers as an interim mitigation measure.
• Some residents requested a way to reduce the impact to their properties. o Residents indicated that a 4-hour parking restriction would be less impactful o Residents also expressed concerns about impacts for weekend visitors and parties and asked about guest parking.
• If parking restrictions were implemented nearly all residents expressed a desire for permit parking.
o Number of permits was a concern for residents
o Coming to City Hall to apply for Guest permits was a concern for residents. They would like an online temporary parking permit option.
o Staff recommends going to 3-year issuance to reduce costs/impact to residents. • Parking restriction duration was also discussed
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 6
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
o Concern of impact to evening guests.
• Cost of permit parking was a concern
• Residents had concerns regarding RV parking for extended periods. • Traffic concerns
• Question regarding Cottage industry and employee parking.
Based on the resident’s input from this meeting staff proposes the follow program for residential areas.
Proposed Details
• 4-hour parking restrictions
• Recommend Monday through Friday 6 am to 12 pm (or 5 pm) to be the same as the City lots hours.
• Permit parking for owners/residents
• Follow Permit Parking Policy as approved by Council
• Determined on a block-by-block basis with 67% of the owners of each block to decide. • City to do initial petition of owners/residents.
• If initial polling fails to get consensus for Permit Parking, residents can circulate petition thereafter on their own and provide petition to City.
• Permit valid for 3 years (modified from current policy of 2 years). • Permit parking fee (at the direction of City Council).
While commuter parking in residential areas is a nuisance, the residents want the ability to decide to implement permit parking on their street. Some did not believe there would be commuter parking in areas further from the station. The Council implemented a Permit Parking Policy in 2021 that provides a mechanism to give residents a voice in controlling non-resident parking. The City has two Permit Parking Districts currently.
If approved, Staff will send out letters with petitions to the property owners within 1500 feet walking distance from the station with a deadline for response. Those blocks that have 67% approval for permit parking will be brought back to Council for approval of the parking district. This approach is time consuming for staff. However, it allows the neighborhood to control and address parking issues.
Private Parking Lots
Staff had a meeting on April 17, 2025, for owners of private parking lots within 1500 feet of the station to provide resources for owners to protect their parking lot from Metro parking. Sanders Towing, Code Compliance and a representative from the Gold Line Authority attended. As attendance was minimal Staff will reach out for an additional meeting in late June or early July.
ALTERNATIVES
Council can modify the proposed parking programs as desired and direct Staff to bring back the items for approval.
Council can decide not to have restricted parking at this time and direct staff to bring back the item for consideration at a later date.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking lots and Public Streets in Residential Areas within 1500 feet of the Gold Line/A Line Station Page 7
For the Meeting of May 27, 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3), CEQA does not apply to this item because there is no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no additional environmental review is needed at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
Shari Garwick
Director of Public Works
Attachments:
1. Initial proposed Parking Restrictions Downtown business Area
2. February 11, 2025, Council Questions
3. February 11, 2025, Staff Report
4. Permit Parking Policy
5. Community Feedback
ATTACHMENT 1
City Council Study Session: February 12, 2025
Downtown Parking Program
Below is a bulleted list of the key questions raised during the discussion:
• Permit Validity and Renewal
o Are the parking permits valid for a fixed time period? o If an employee replaces a lost permit for a $30 fee, does the permit’s validity reset (i.e. does the “clock” start over)?
• Permit Format and Administration
o Initially, will the permits be issued as hang‐tags (i.e. ones that hang from vehicle windows)?
o For businesses such as salons, will the individual business control its own employee parking permits?
• Allocation of Parking Between Employees and Customers o When employee parking is restricted to a designated area, where (and how) will customer parking be allocated?
o If employees are required to park in a specific section, will that ensure that customer spaces aren’t “taken over” for all‐day parking? • Designated Employee Parking Areas
o Will having designated employee parking slots make enforcement of other timed parking areas easier?
o What is the detailed proposal for establishing designated employee parking spaces (for example, should they be limited to one side of the lot)? o Is there any discussion of allowing employees to park across the street in a designated employee area?
o Given past experiences (such as the failed attempt to direct employees to park on the East Side of San Dimas Avenue), will employees comply with designated parking assignments if required?
• Additional Parking Capacity
o What is the status and timeline for transferring the additional property along the railroad tracks for extra parking?
o How long will it take for that settlement property to be environmentally cleared and made available for parking?
• Metro Parking Lot Operations
o How is payment handled in the metro parking lot—is it via a gate system or some other method?
o Do metro parking facilities assign specific parking stalls, or are spaces unassigned?
o Have other cities successfully partnered with Metro to provide employee parking in their structures? If so, what models or fee structures (for example, a monthly fee) have they used?
o What is the expected occupancy or spillover (e.g. 80% vs. 90% capacity) on a typical weekday in these metro lots?
o Which metro station has a parking lot size comparable to the one under discussion?
ATTACHMENT 2
o Is there currently no overnight parking allowed in these lots? • Parking Fee Rationale and Structure
o Why is Metro insisting on a $3 daily parking fee—does the fee really reflect the actual maintenance costs?
o Does the fee structure vary by lot, or is it uniformly $3 across the board? o (Follow‐up on fees) Do you deny that the fee is primarily intended to cover maintenance costs?
• Enforcement Staffing
o With the plan to expand parking enforcement from 20 hours per week to 35–40 hours, will additional staff be hired or will enforcement hours be reallocated from other areas?
o Could the enforcement of the area be contracted out?
• Employee Permit Cost and Coverage
o Can you clarify the fee for employee parking permits—is it $30 per permit (or $35 for a three-year period)?
o Does the fee apply to every employee individually, or is it a lump sum covering all employees under a business license?
• Dedicated Parking Slot Needs
o If businesses were offered dedicated parking slots for employees, what is the minimum number of slots each business would need?
• Process and Next Steps
o The findings and analysis (including weekend and extended afternoon parking demand) will be brought back as part of a study session o Do other cities experience similar morning parking issues, and if so, what strategies have they used?
o What are the specific recommendations to address these parking issues that should be presented at the next study session?
Each of these questions reflects an area of concern—from permit logistics and enforcement details to the overall balance between employee and customer parking— that the group discussed and will likely need further analysis.
Staff is directed to answer the above questions and conduct analysis about the weekend usage, extending it to the weekends, and then extending the proposed restrictions for the afternoon as well. Understanding that we may only need to do one enforcement period in the morning, but at least the rest of the day, it's still enforceable if needed.
From: Lisa Levy Buch
To: Shari Garwick
Cc: Genevieve Amaro; Chris Burner
Subject: RE: Following Up on Questions from Special Study Session Date: Friday, February 21, 2025 3:22:30 PM
Attachments: image002.png
image003.png
image004.png
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Report phish using Phish Alert Button.
Shari and Genevieve,
Here are the answers I received from Metro:
What is the current occupancy at the parking facilities in previous phases (Pasadena to Azusa) – weekdays and weekends?
It depends on the location. We are averaging between 50% and 70%. The APU / Citrus station, being the terminus location, is still at capacity. We are working with the city to open Downtown Azusa Station with a daily parking option, with the same daily parking rate of $3.00. Our ridership continues to recover.
Are all parking lot fees the same - $3? If not, how will the fee be decided for the San Dimas station? What does the fee go toward?
Yes, all parking fees are $3.00 flat per day. A TAP Card is still required when customers pay to park. The parking fee for transit parking at the new stations will also be set to be $3.00. Note that when we conducted the parking demand modeling and projection, it was based on a $3.00 flat rate to decide the number of parking spaces needed. Although, after a few years, the cost of living has gone up, we will still stay with the modeling rate as recommended.
Lisa Note: Frank didn’t provide an answer to what the fee is used for, but he has told cities previously that the fee goes to maintain the parking facilities, including needed enforcement.
Does Metro plan to charge for parking on weekends?
This will be determined by parking demand. The current policy allows us not to charge for parking if the demand is below 20%. We will monitor the first couple of weekends to determine this. Please note that we experienced RVs and vehicle encampment issues at non-charge parking facilities throughout our system. Parking Facilities with a modest fee do not have the same level of problem.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
Lisa
Lisa Levy Buch
Chief Communications and Strategic Development Officer
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority 406 East Huntington Drive, Suite 202, Monrovia, CA 91016 p 626.305.7004 f 626.471 9049 m 909.267.0161
[email protected]
www.foothillgoldline.org
From: Lisa Levy Buch
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2025 7:13 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc: Genevieve Amaro <[email protected]>
Subject: Following Up on Questions from Special Study Session Shari,
I was away for several days following the special council meeting taking my son to look at colleges on the East Coast. I just got back and have forwarded the following questions to Metro about the parking:
What is the current occupancy at the parking facilities in previous phases (Pasadena to Azusa) – weekdays and weekends?
Are all parking lot fees the same - $3? If not, how will the fee be decided for the San Dimas station? What does the fee go toward?
Does Metro plan to charge for parking on weekends?
Also, I asked Chris Burner about the timeline for us to transfer the land west of Monte Vista to the city. He let me know that we are working on obtaining the final clearance from DTSC (not sure what that is; hopefully you know). Once the clearance is obtained, we will transfer the property.
Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any questions. I will let you know as soon as I hear back from Metro.
Thanks,
Lisa
Study Session
Agenda Item Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
From: Brad McKinney, City Manager
Prepared by: Shari Garwick, Director of Public Works
Genevieve Amaro, Management Aide
Subject: Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business Area and Municipal Parking Lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station
____________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY
With the Gold Line/A Line scheduled to begin passenger service in the summer of 2025, this report provides a draft for Council direction on the City’s Parking Management Program to address potential impacts from commuter parking. Based on research of what has worked in similar cities, the program proposes to use parking restrictions within 1,500 feet of the new station to ensure public parking spaces are available for local business patrons and residents. Based on information receive at several outreach meetings, the report includes a proposed plan for municipal parking restrictions in the downtown business area. Outreach meetings with the residential areas will begin later this month. Informational meetings with owners of private parking lots and private streets within the downtown are set to begin in March.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council:
• Review the proposed Parking Management Plan
• Direct staff to bring back a resolution setting parking restrictions for municipal parking areas in the downtown.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
No
ATTACHMENT 3
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business area and Municipal Parking lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station Page 2 For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT
The financial impact of implementing the Parking Management Plan includes costs for signage installation, temporary vehicle hangtags, License Plate Reader (LPR) Equipment and software, enforcement personnel, vehicles, staff time for management of permit parking and public outreach. Costs for parking enforcement near Metro stations are eligible to be charged to Proposition A Transit Funds. The City’s approved FY 2024-2025 budget allocates $300,000 in Proposition A funds for this purpose.
Parking Enforcement will likely need to expand existing daytime personnel hours from an existing 20 hours per week to 35 to 40 hours per week. This would be an ongoing cost. The costs for personnel are also eligible to be paid from Proposition A Transit funding. Additionally, revenue from parking fines could be used to offset personnel costs.
The City receives approximately $950,000 per year from Proposition A Transit funds. These funds are restricted for use on mass transit related projects.
Currently the Downtown City Municipal Lots (Vehicle Parking Districts) receive assessments of less than $300 per year from businesses. All maintenance and landscaping are paid from the general fund and are not eligible for Proposition A funding.
BACKGROUND
The Gold Line/A Line is scheduled to begin passenger service in July/August of 2025. The station is located on the east side of San Dimas Avenue south of Bonita Avenue. LA Metro will offer 289 parking spaces across from the San Dimas station at the former Park and Ride Lot. LA Metro charges a daily rate for parking which is currently $3.00 per day. To avoid this fee, commuters in other areas have parked on streets or in free municipal lots which greatly impacts businesses and residential communities. Staff is finalizing a Parking Management Plan to protect municipal and private parking lots, and street parking to keep them available for San Dimas businesses and residents. Parking restrictions are the primary tool for protecting parking, but they also have negative effects.
Staff worked with other cities and the Gold Line Authority to understand expected commuter parking patterns and to review how other cities with rail stations addressed the parking issues.
The Cities in the table below were surveyed and have the listed parking restrictions.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business area and Municipal Parking lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station Page 3 For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
LOCATION PARKING RESTRICTIONS RESIDENTIAL PERMIT*
PARKING DISTRICTS
AZUSA 3 HR PARKING FOR BUSINESSES
& RESIDENTIAL
NONE
COVINA 2 HR PARKING FOR BUSINESSES
& 4 HOUR PARKING IN
RESIDENTIAL AREA
NONE
CLAREMONT 2 HR PARKING NONE
DUARTE 2 HR PARKING & 5 HR PARKING LOCATED DIRECTLY
NORTH OF STATION
ARCADIA 2 HR PARKING & 30 MIN PARKING
(IN LIMITED AREAS)
NONE
*Permit parking exempts vehicles with a parking permit from the parking restriction. It requires more staff time for the issuance and tracking of permits and takes longer for enforcement. The City has two permit parking districts in residential zones.
In developing the City’s Parking Management Program Staff prioritized the following Goals:
1. Preserve parking for San Dimas businesses and residents:
o Municipal lots
o Street parking
o Private parking lots (provide information)
2. Minimize the impact on San Dimas businesses and residents:
o Start with a 1,500 ft radius from the station
3. Control costs:
o Easily enforced and managed
o Start with a 1,500 ft radius from the station
o Expand and modify as needed
Staff divided the program into 3 phases with proposed timing shown below. The impact parking has on businesses viability is critical and staff focused on this area first. All categories are expected to have the initial implementation in place prior to the start of passenger rail service.
Parking Management Program Development Timeframes:
1. Municipal Lots and Public Streets bordering businesses o Staff started with the downtown businesses in March 2024 due to the critical impact parking has on business viability and complexity/diversity of business needs.
2. Public Streets bordering Residential Areas
o Staff has set up a meeting for residential areas on February 26th to meet with residents to determine if parking restrictions are desired. o Determine neighborhood preferences for time restricted parking or permit parking
3. Private Lots and Private Streets
o Outreach in early March
o Provide informational packet
o Coordinate with Gold Line for Signs
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business area and Municipal Parking lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station Page 4 For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
This staff report will focus on parking in the downtown business district municipal lots and public streets.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS
The goal of the Parking Management Program is to collaborate with business owners and residents to address their needs while maintaining an enforceable and cost-effective program.
For the Municipal parking lots and streets in the downtown business areas, staff conducted extensive outreach to get business owner feedback.
Municipal Lots and Public Streets bordering Businesses
Business Outreach:
- Conducted 4 outreach meetings: March, May, August & September 2024 - Attended 3 Bonita Corridor meetings: July, August & September 2024 - Delivered notices/flyers to downtown business on 3 different occasions - Conducted 2 public surveys
- Collaborated with Code Compliance (parking enforcement) Attachment 2 includes a listing of comments and concerns collected during the outreach meetings and through two online surveys.
Staff worked with the businesses to develop the proposed downtown municipal parking plan. The plan addresses several main priorities expressed by businesses:
• Overall businesses did not want to charge customers for parking • Most businesses agreed that parking restrictions were necessary to preserve customer and employee access
• Most businesses requested 4-hour minimum parking to allow customers to conduct multiple transactions such as dining and shopping
• Some businesses requested an allowance for shorter duration parking for loading and unloading
• Most businesses wanted Employee Parking (Permit Parking) with variations on location/number of employee parking stalls
Based on business feedback and working with Parking Enforcement, staff developed the proposed downtown Municipal Parking Restrictions Map shown in Attachment 1. A summary of the restrictions is listed in the table below.
Proposed Parking Management Strategies for Downtown Municipal Lots and streets with business frontage
Management options:
Time Restrictions 4-hour parking
6:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. Monday- Friday Only
* subject to change if necessary
5 areas for loading/unloading
Paid Permit Parking for Businesses to
exempt from restrictions (Employee
parking)
Proposed Option 1: The permit will cost $30 and be
valid for a period of three years.
Proposed Option 2: The Super Permit will cost $250
and be valid for 1 year.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business area and Municipal Parking lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station Page 5 For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
Enforcement License Plate Recognition (LPR)
• Equipment costs
• Licensing fees
• Increase Staff Time
• From 20 hours per week to 35/40 hours
Permit Parking and Fees
The majority of the businesses requested parking for employees. This creates a permit parking element which involves significant staff time for issuance and associated costs. It also creates less efficiency for enforcement.
• Staff proposes to mitigate the inefficiency by creating a contiguous area for employee parking in each lot.
• A charge for (employee) parking permits is intended to offset the costs for issuance and is typical. The City’s proposed costs are low. Other cities charge monthly fees for parking. • The Parking restriction hours were limited to lessen the impact on businesses (those opening after 8:00 am) would not be impacted.
• Staff proposes to issue employee parking permits based on the number of employees on the business license due to the limited number of spaces in the vehicle parking districts west of San Dimas Ave.
• As of April 2024, for the municipal lots west of San Dimas Ave there were 68 businesses with 189 employees and 236 parking spaces in the two districts.
The City received a request to reserve parking for a specific business. Staff proposes to provide a fair alternative available to all businesses within the district in the form of a Super Permit. • The proposed Super Permit would be available to a business but is not related to the number of employees.
• The proposed fee is steeper than the employee parking permit.
Enforcement costs
Staff proposes to implement License Plate Reader Equipment. This will provide the most efficient enforcement and will allow flexibility for businesses potentially eliminating the need for contiguous employee parking. Enforcement will also require additional personnel hours. It is important to enforce the parking restrictions especially in the beginning to establish commuter parking patterns.
Adjustments to the Parking Management Program
• The Parking Management Program may need to be adjusted and will be evaluated periodically.
• Counter commuter behavior and adjust the hours
• Expanded to include areas outside of 1,500 feet from the station • Adjust for technology-may not need the contiguous employee parking Parking availability is vital for businesses and greatly impacts the character of residential neighborhoods. Time restricted parking is the best tool for ensuring that the municipal lot parking spaces and city streets remain available for business customers and residents. Staff recommends moving forward with the proposed plan for 4-hour municipal parking restrictions subject to modifications by Council.
Discussion of Parking Management Program and Proposed Plan for Downtown Business area and Municipal Parking lots with 1,500 feet of the Gold Line Station Page 6 For the Meeting of February 11, 2025
ALTERNATIVES
Council may elect not to implement Time Restricted parking controls at this time. This would likely reduce the number of public parking spaces available for businesses due to all day commuter parking when the Gold Line/A Line station opens.
Council can direct staff to develop an agreement for LA Metro to perform the parking enforcement on time restricted parking. This would likely reduce costs to the City. It may require expansion of restricted hours creating more impacts on businesses. The City would not be able to control enforcement activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This item is Categorically Exempt under the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 6, Chapter 3, Article 19, Section 15301 Existing Facilities Class 1 operations which consists of the operation, repair, maintenance or minor alteration of existing public or private facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.
Respectfully submitted,
Shari Garwick
Director of Public Works
Attachments:
1. Proposed: 4 Hour Municipal Parking Restrictions
2. Business Outreach Feedback
DRAFT
Summary of Outreach Meeting Comments and Concerns:
Capacity and Demand
• The program may not fully align with actual parking demand, may need to adjust time frame and extend hours if commuters are showing up later than anticipated. • Some had expressed doing a mix of time restrictions (2-hour restriction and 4-hour restriction).
Cost and Budgeting
• The financial investment required for the infrastructure, signage, and ongoing management could exceed initial estimates.
• Additional personnel may be required from Code Compliance to assist with enforcement. • LPR’s will need to be purchased for enforcement, hangtags or vehicle stickers were suggested as an additional option for temporary enforcement • If the time frame of the restrictions needs to be adjusted, new signage would also need to be ordered and replaced which will require additional staff time to update any changes.
Stakeholder Resistance
• Business owners and employees may resist changes to current parking practices, especially if it disrupts their existing routines or creates additional costs. • Not wanting to charge for parking within the downtown. • Some businesses when spoken to requested we leave things as is and not impose any additional restrictions.
• Keep things the way they are and allow employees to park wherever they want and not just a specific portion of the parking lot.
• Concerns have been expressed to add a restriction to the quantity of salons that are allowed in the downtown.
Enforcement and Compliance
• The effectiveness of the program depends on consistent enforcement, which may require additional staff or resources that are not available. • Focus heavily on enforcement for the first several months of the station opening. This will help City staff get a better idea if the time frame will need to be adjusted and if commuters are showing up at a later time.
• If not properly enforced, parking restrictions might not reduce traffic as expected, and areas could still become overcrowded.
• Business owners felt it should be on them to purchase, and manage permits amongst their employees to make sure they are complying.
ATTACHMENT 2
Impact on Customer Access
• If parking is limited or prioritized for specific users, it could negatively impact customer access to businesses, reducing foot traffic and sales.
• Businesses would like to see the restrictions for only a portion of the day rather than all day which has been the case for neighboring City’s that were surveyed. • Businesses would like to prioritize the stalls in close proximity to their establishments be for customers rather than employees.
Public Resistance
• Residents and business owners may protest the loss of convenient parking options, arguing that restrictions will hurt daily life and local commerce. • People accustomed to free, unrestricted parking may resist the changes, viewing them as an inconvenience or an imposition.
Operational Disruptions
• Introducing new rules could temporarily disrupt business operations, especially for those who have not had formally reserved parking stalls before. • Having to move employee vehicles multiple times throughout the day. Causing a disruption to business operations.
• One business mentioned being charged a penalty for leaving client unattended due to having to move vehicle to comply with proposed restrictions. • Having access to purchasing a monthly permit vs doing an annual or semi-annual permit • Received multiple concerns regarding the south lot and its current lack of parking.
Reduced Foot Traffic
• Parking restrictions could deter customers from visiting downtown businesses if convenient parking is unavailable.
• Small businesses may struggle with reduced access for delivery trucks and customers who rely on convenient parking.
• Employees who work in downtown areas may have limited parking options, which could make their commutes more difficult and increase business costs.
Equity Concerns
• If parking stalls are designated for specific uses or users, there may be concerns about fairness or unequal access, especially in shared spaces. • One specific business has made several requested to designate 8 parking stalls solely to his business.
• If parking stalls are designated solely to employees and end up not being utilized, it will take away from customer stall availability.
City of San Dimas
Permit Parking Program Policy
1.0 Introduction
Permit parking in the City of San Dimas is available to regulate and manage on-street parking problems. The goal is to create fair and equitable usage of on-street parking areas. This policy is enacted pursuant to the authority granted by section 22507 of the California Vehicle Code in response to parking on streets by nonresidents who do not visit or conduct business with City residents or businesses. Such parking by nonresidents results in neighborhood decline by reason of traffic congestion, noise, litter, traffic hazards, public safety and inability for residents to park their motor vehicles near their residences.
The Permit Parking Program is initiated through submission of a petition that is provided by the City for the consideration of a proposed permit parking district. The following administrative policy provides procedural and supplemental information for the implementation of the program.
2.0 Designation of Permit Parking District
The City Council may designate by resolution certain streets as Permit Parking Districts for the benefit of residents or businesses adjoining thereto in which vehicles displaying a permit or other authorized device will be exempt from parking prohibitions or restrictions otherwise posted marked or noticed. Each Permit Parking District may be designated following the Traffic Safety Committee review with final approval by the City Council and will be based on the following:
1. Implementation of permit parking is extremely invasive to a neighborhood and should be considered as a last resort after other mitigation has been exhausted and reviewed by the Traffic Safety Committee. Upon its determination that all other mitigation have been or would be deemed ineffective, the Traffic Safety Committee will designate the limits of the proposed Permit Parking District(s). This is to prevent pushing the parking problem from one neighborhood to the next.
2. All requests shall be made by petition on the form provided by the City.
3. To be considered for permit parking, the petition shall also include the name of the street, as well as the proposed district limits.
4. The form shall include information identifying the source of the parking problem that is interfering with the availability of parking and that such source is not directly caused by the properties qualifying for permit parking. The form shall also include a designated neighborhood representative for meetings required during petition consideration.
5. Signatures of a minimum of sixty-seven percent (67%) of all property owners within the proposed Permit Parking District(s) indicating their support is required for the request to proceed to the Traffic Safety Committee for final review. Each property shall be represented by one vote (multiple signatures for the same property shall count as one vote).
This percentage coincides with what the City requires for the installation of speed humps within a neighborhood. Properties that do not submit a signature or whose signatures are ATTACHMENT 4
not property owners of records shall not be counted as an approval. Property owners shall be deemed the owners listed on County Assessor records.
6. Completed petitions shall be delivered to:
City of San Dimas
Attention: Public Works Department
245 E. Bonita Avenue
San Dimas, CA 91773
7. After a petition is received, the City will:
a. Verify that each petition contains the required information and number of signatures (67%) indicating the property owners support for permit parking. b. Obtain necessary traffic data and any other relevant information as needed to assess the need for permit parking.
c. Provide written notice to the identified source of the parking problem to inform the property owners petitioning the City of the issue, conditions and the possible implementation of permit parking permits in the area.
d. Evaluate the effect of a permit policy on the source of the parking issues.
8. The condition of the street will be reviewed and evaluated on the City determined minimum criteria and staff will then report their findings and the petition to the Traffic Safety Committee (“Committee”).
9. The Traffic Safety Committee will review the request for implementation of permit parking on the subject street(s) and receive public comments. It will review the request and either deny the request or forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve a resolution to implement the permit parking district. Details of the restriction times and days of enforcement along with other pertinent details shall be included in the recommendation.
10. A resident representative, who shall be specified in the petition to represent the neighborhoods application, will be sent a written notice from the Committee. In the event of approval, they will also receive notification of the date of the City Council meeting where the request will be reviewed and notices will also be sent to the businesses, the school district, and other property owners adjacent to the subject area.
11. Following the recommendation by the Traffic Safety Committee, the City Council may consider the request for implementation of the permit parking district on the subject street(s) and receive public comments. Should the City Council approve the request, a resolution shall be adopted to implement the permit parking district. The decision of the City Council will be final and conclusive in all cases.
12. The Director of Public Works will have the authority to submit a proposal for a Permit Parking District(s). The City Council has the ability to implement Permit Parking Districts by right, without property owner signatures or any other requirement of this Section 2.0.
13. Upon approval of the Permit Parking District(s), written notification will be provided to the affected residents and property owners based on property addresses, per the latest available tax assessment roll and known homeowner’s associations. The notice shall be sent a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days before enforcement begins advising them of
the restrictions and any required actions such as obtaining permits. If the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the 30th day shall be the next workday.
14. Consideration of any removal of permit parking on select streets will require a similar petition format as a property owner-initiated petition with sixty-seven (67%) of the property owners in favor of the removal; or by City initiative with notices mailed to all affected residents and property owners per street address and the latest available tax assessment roll or records in lieu of a petition.
15. Removal of a Permit Parking District(s) is subject to the implementation process, petition, as well as review and approval by the City Council. However, the City Council may also terminate such Permit Parking District(s) at its sole discretion.
3.0 Administration of Permit Parking Program
Issuance of Permits
Once a Permit Parking District(s) has been approved, it is the responsibility of the affected residents or businesses to obtain their parking permit(s) from the City. Properties that do not desire exemptions from the parking restrictions (permit parking) may elect not to apply for permit parking. All fees shall be as set forth in this policy. All permits must be renewed biennially by the first of July or such other date as established by the City Manager or designee. Each property desiring a permit shall complete the provided application which includes, but is not limited to, the following information:
Full Name
Address
Daytime and Evening Phone Number
Email
Proof of residence or businesses ownership within the district boundary (current utility or telephone bill)
Copy/Proof of registration for all applicable vehicles requesting parking permits and to which shows the address subject to permit parking as the listed address Upon payment of the fee specified by the Permit Parking Policy, each eligible household or business will be issued no more than five permits. The number of permits issued shall be at the sole discretion of the Public Works Director. Permits must be renewed biennially providing the resident continues to reside at the verified address set forth on the application. A parking permit issued pursuant to this chapter must be prominently displayed either in the front window or as directed (upon issuance of the permit) during the hours of restriction. Commercial, inoperative or unregistered vehicles are prohibited from using parking permits. Permits do not exempt vehicles from other state or local laws. Additionally, permits will not be issued to or used on vehicles with outstanding parking tickets.
Replacement permits may be obtained for damaged or lost permits as outlined in the fee schedule set forth in the latest permit parking policy approved by Council. The City retains the right to refuse issuance for frequent replacement requests defined as more than two in the program year.
4.0 Fee Schedule
1. Biennial Application Fee: $30
a. Includes 2 permits and 3 guest permits
2. One Day guest permit: $0 (costs are included with Biennial application fee) a. Application for One Day guest permits must be approved through the Director of Public Works.
3. Replacement permit: $0
a. Application for free replacement permits in excess of two per year must be approved by the Director of Public Works.
Changes to the fees in this section can be changed by updating the City’s Fee schedule and approving such fees by Resolution of the City Council. After updating, the fees reflected in this section can be updated without requiring additional action to approve a change to this Policy.
5.0 Terms of Permits
Each Permit Parking District(s) will have permits issued biennially by the first of July or such other date as established by the City Manager or designee. Applicant must sign the application agreeing to the terms of the permit. The City may revoke permits if abuses are noted. Typical examples of abuse include, but are not limited to: Parking with an illegible permit; selling or leasing a permit for any value or consideration; parking with counterfeit permits. Violations may result in an immediate revocation of all permits issued to the residency doing the abuse.
The property owner is responsible for all permits assigned to tenants.
The property owner/occupant may obtain “guest” permits for a one time, or infrequent gathering.
To obtain multiple guest permits, the resident may fill out and submit a City form, or in such other way specified by the City, notifying the City of an upcoming special event (wedding, birthday party, large gathering etc.) The frequency and number of permits is subject to the approval of the Director of Public Works.
Possession of a parking permit pursuant to Chapter 10.25 Permit Parking Program does not allow exemption from any other established vehicular parking restrictions such as fire hydrants, red curb or overnight parking (which is governed by Chapter 10.24 of the San Dimas Municipal Code) or within the California state law.
6.0 Signs
Upon the establishment of a Permit Parking District(s), the Director of Public Works will cause appropriate signs to be established in the Permit Parking District(s) indicating thereon, the parking limitation application to the district and the exemption of vehicles with permit parking permits.
Signs may include, but are not limited to, time restricted parking allowances for vehicles without permits or time restricted parking on certain days of the week. The design and placement of the signs should consider the impacts on the aesthetics of the residential neighborhood. The
regulations pertaining to any Permit Parking District(s) do not apply until signs or marking giving notice thereof have been placed.
7.0 Exempt Vehicles
The restrictions from this policy shall not apply to any of the following vehicles: authorized emergency vehicles, City or Government vehicle, public utility vehicle or service vehicle when used for official business or performing a private service on a street within a Permit Parking District(s); or to any vehicle used for the collection or delivery of United States Mail; or to any vehicles lawfully displaying a special identification license plate or placard issued to a disabled person.
8.0 Prohibited Acts
1. Vehicles may not be parked or stopped adjacent to any curb or allowed alley parking in a permit parking district in violation of any posted or noticed prohibition or restriction unless such vehicle has a permit prominently displayed indicating an exemption from such restriction or prohibition.
2. It is prohibited to sell, rent, or lease for any value or consideration any Permit Parking District(s) permit except as provided in this policy. Upon the conviction of a violation of this subsection all permit parking permits issued to or for the benefit of the dwelling unit for which the sold, rented or leased permit was authorized will be void.
3. It is prohibited for any person to buy or otherwise acquire for value or use any permit parking permit except as provided in this section.
4. Any resident having a permit which is not properly displayed in the vehicle or a permit displayed in a vehicle not authorized to display such permit will be deemed in violation of this policy. The fact that a permit has been issued to the resident but the permit was not properly displayed is not a defense or considered in determining whether or not a violation has occurred.
5. It is prohibited to copy, produce, create, alter or use any facsimile or counterfeit parking permit.
6. It is prohibited to falsely represent oneself as eligible for a parking permit or furnish false information to the Director of Public Works or other authorized City representative in an application for a parking permit.
9.0 Authority of the Director of Public Works
The Director of Public Works is authorized to establish policies, procedures, and requirements as well as to produce signs, forms, and other materials necessary or appropriate to implement the provisions of this policy when such are consistent with the San Dimas Municipal Code and this Policy and will have the same effect as this Policy.
ATTACHMENT 5