Agenda Item #14.1
For Council Meeting of: June 21, 2022
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CHAD HEDGE, PARKING DISTRICT MANAGER
ALAN ALTON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PARKING FEE SCHEDULE REVISIONS
AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Finance Department that the Council, by resolution, approve changes to the Parking fee Schedule to provide in the five public parking garages effective July 1, 2022: 1) first hour free parking ; and 2) free weekend parking Saturdays and Sundays from the first Saturday after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day annually.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Parking District established temporary parking fee waivers to provide relief to businesses and downtown patrons during COVID-19 pandemic. These fee waivers went into effect in July 2020 and are set to expire on June 30, 2022. The loss of revenue to the Parking enterprise makes these waivers unsustainable; however, the Parking District is proposing to provide in the five public parking garages effective July 1, 2022, 1) free parking for the first hour, and 2) free parking Saturdays and Sundays from the first Saturday after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day annually.
The purpose for providing these free parking periods is to provide consistent parking charges in all garages, and to indefinitely extend the holiday free weekend parking program that has been successful for the past five years.
BACKGROUND
The Parking District currently offers free first hour parking in Garage 1 (7th St.) and Garage 12 (1st St.) and has done so since 2017 to encourage more vehicles to use our underutilized garages. In conversations with the Executive Director of the Downtown Action Organization (DAO), it was suggested that the District consider establishing a more consistent parking fee schedule to make it easier for businesses and the DAO to promote parking in the downtown garages. This includes offering the first hour free in all five parking garages.
The Parking District has offered free weekend parking in the garages during the holidays beginning in 2017. This program has been successful in providing support to downtown merchants during the holiday season by offering ample free parking in the downtown and allowing for continuous of street parking.
Staff plans to work with the DAO on marketing materials to promote these new garage fees and encourage the convenience of garage parking.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Prior council items regarding Parking fee waivers, include:
April 2020 – Council authorized a temporary waiver of parking fees June 2020 – Council resumed paid parking with initial fee reduction December 2020 – Council extended fee reductions to June 30, 2021 April 2021 – Council extended fee reduction
June 2021 – Council extended fee reductions to December 31, 2021 December 2021 – Council extended fee reduction to June 30, 2022
ANALYSIS
Staff estimates the potential loss of revenue for the first hour free parking in all garages at approximately $150,000 per year. This has been factored into current and forecasted parking fee revenue estimates. The loss of revenue is approximately $25,000 per year, associated with free garage parking during the holiday season has already been factored into our estimates.
The Parking Fund currently operates at a deficit, and as such, there is risk in reducing revenue to the fund. That said, the loss of revenue in this case is manageable, and may even result in additional parking revenue to the Fund if visitors to the downtown take advantage of the convenience of garage parking and stay for longer periods.
FISCAL IMPACT
Revenue loss for this resolution will have a slight impact on the operating budget of the Parking Fund. There is no impact to the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A (Addendum #5 to Schedule of Parking User Fees, Effective July 1, 2022)
CONTACT
Alan Alton, [email protected], 707-543-3093
PARKING FEE SCHEDULE REVISIONS
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