City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: March 19, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.D
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Anuj Gupta, Director of Transportation, Parking Operations (DOT) Subject: Award Contract Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc. for Comprehensive Citywide Parking Supply, Demand, and Rate Analysis Study Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Award RFP# 386 to Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc., a Californiabased company, for consulting services to prepare a citywide comprehensive parking supply, demand, and rate analysis for the Department of Transportation, Parking Division.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $280,000 (including a $50,225 contingency) over a five-year period.
Summary
A comprehensive parking study completed by a parking consultant is required for the City to make informed planning, financial, and operational decisions on City owned parking facilities. The City of Santa Monica has not completed a comprehensive parking study since 2009-2010, and the last consultant led rate study that was done was completed in 2012. In this new study, the consultant will evaluate parking supply, demand, operation, management, parking rates, and best practices. In addition, the consultant will provide assistance to the City with public outreach, public engagement, meeting requirements set forth by the California Coastal Commission, and all other miscellaneous tasks needed to complete this parking study. 2 of 5
Discussion
Periodically, it is necessary for cities to examine their parking supply, demand, operation, management, parking rates, and best practices with the assistance of a parking consultant. This information is used to make decisions on rate changes, whether a city needs to add or remove parking, and make other informed decisions about parking operations and management. Since the last comprehensive study in 2009-2010, parking behaviors and demands have shifted and a parking study is now needed to help address the City’s parking related issues.
This study will examine the City’s current parking rate structure, which has not changed since 2018. Any potential future rate increases require City Council approval and then a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) from the California Coastal Commission (CCC), because most of the City’s parking is within the coastal zone (west of 4th street north of the I-10 freeway, and west of Lincoln Blvd. south of the 10 freeway). After the study’s initial phases are complete and if a parking rate increase is proposed, it will be brought back to Council for approval, then to the CCC in order to obtain a CDP. The CCC approved the 2018 rate increase and imposed the following conditions on any future rate increases.
• Future rate increases will require a new or amended CDP. • The City must analyze the feasibility of converting all beach lot spaces to hourly instead of a daily flat rate. Currently 80% of beach spaces charge a daily flat rate. • The City must analyze the feasibility of creating a low income pass or accepting the State of California Golden Bear Pass at beach lots. • The City would need to create a fee schedule and parking monitoring and reporting plan.
• Temporary parking rate adjustments for special events could not be included in this CDP and would require a separate CDP.
The recommended consultant, Walker Parking Consultants / Engineers (Walker) would lead the effort to perform the analysis needed to adhere to CCC requirements should 3 of 5
the City pursue a rate increase. Walker would also assist City staff in preparing the CDP application and supporting analysis, and attend and assist in meetings with CCC.
Walker would lead the examination of the City’s parking supply, demand, operation, and management. They would help staff in public outreach and engagement related to the parking rate study, parking resolution, related Council meetings, and special event rates (including events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games). Walker would also study the effects of the proposed parking facility tax increase and be available to address any other parking related issues that may arise in course of their contract. For instance, the Santa Monica Pier Corporation Board has requested a special study of Pier deck parking operations which will be included in this study. Additional studies beyond the original scope of the contract and exceeding the cost of the contract would require a contract modification utilizing the contingency funding approved per this staff recommendation.
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Consultant Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Person/Firm Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc.
Evaluation Criteria Training/credentials/experience, competence/skill, capacity/ability to perform services promptly, sufficiently of financial/other resources, character/reputation, ability to provide future services as needed and price.
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFPs Received
Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc. Dixon Resources Unlimited RFP Data
Posted On Posted On Advertised In (City
Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
11/02/2023 City’s Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica
Daily Press
29 12/14/2023
Justification to Award
Based on the evaluation criteria and criteria in SMMC 2.24.190, staff recommends Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc. as the best bidder for the comprehensive parking study. The recommendation is based on the firm’s previous experience working with other agencies and for Santa Monica, positive references from numerous clients, and its relevant staff experience and technical skill.
Environmental Review
The parking study is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies) of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15262 exempts feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the City has not approved, adopted, or funded.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from Local Return Fund and the General Fund to award a contract with Walker Parking Consultants Engineers, Inc. for the comprehensive Parking Study.
Contract Request
FY 2023-24 Budget Amount CIP Account # Total Contract Amount $250,000 C2708850.689110 $250,000
$30,000 01600004.550010 $30,000
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Prepared By: Zach Pollard, Parking Manager
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Walker_Oaks_Signedv2
B. Levine Act Disclosure Form 022424