Agenda Item #16.2
For Council Meeting of: December 16, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT WAGNER, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, FINANCE
SUBJECT: AMENDED FEE SCHEDULES FOR THE PARKING DIVISION RATE ADJUSTMENTS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Finance Department recommends that the Council, by resolution, approve the amended fee schedules for the Parking District. These schedules, Exhibits A and B, apply to all on-street and off-street parking and the amendments address clerical errors related to the effective date of the rate adjustments as well as the omission of the Premium Zone Lot fee. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This action is intended to finalize the amendments to the Parking District fee schedules recommended by the Finance Department. It follows the Public Hearing held on November 4, 2025, and the Study Session on September 9, 2025. The original Exhibits A and B attached to Resolution No. RES-2025-180 contained clerical errors, which this action now resolves.
GOAL
This item relates to Council Goal #1 - Achieve and Maintain Budgeting Excellence and Fiscal Stability and will adjust parking rates to reflect current occupancy and utilization, as well as financially stabilize the Parking Enterprise Fund to continue providing needed security and improvements to parking facilities.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
In 2023, the City of Santa Rosa was awarded a grant by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to evaluate existing parking conditions and develop a comprehensive short and long-term parking management strategy. The MTC selected the consulting firm Sam Schwartz/TYLin to lead the project, with support from their subcontractor, Convey.
As part of the study, TYLin analyzed data provided by the Parking Division, conducted a citywide community survey, and facilitated stakeholder focus group sessions to gather qualitative feedback. The results of this engagement were compiled into the City of Santa Rosa Downtown Parking Management Study Engagement Summary Report, published in August 2025.
Beginning in early 2025, TYLin submitted a series of recommendations to the City’s Finance Division based on their findings. In response, the Parking Division initiated outreach efforts with key stakeholders, including Downtown and Railroad Square merchants and organizations, to collaboratively develop comprehensive rate adjustments aimed at addressing public concerns while ensuring the long-term fiscal stability of the Parking Enterprise Fund.
These recommendations were presented to City Council in a Study Session on September 9, 2025, and in a Public Hearing on November 4, 2025, where Council approved Resolution No. RES-2025-180 to update the new and revised fee schedules for the Parking Division.
This resolution seeks approval of amended fee schedules for Exhibits A and B. The amendments address two issues: (1) the effective date should be January 1, 2026, and (2) the Premium Zone Lot fee, previously omitted, have now been included.
ANALYSIS
The original Exhibit A contained a clerical error that listed the effective date as June 1, 2026.
Exhibits A and B in Resolution No. RES-2025-180 are amended to reflect the effective date of January 1, 2026.
The effective date of January 1, 2026, was used in the analysis of the fiscal impacts and was verbally and visually presented to City Council in the Public Hearing on November 4, 2025.
Exhibit A is being amended to include the Premium Zone Lot rate of $2.00/hour which was omitted from the original exhibit.
Original resolution and exhibits can be found as Attachment 1 and changes are outlined in Attachments 2 and 3 of this staff report.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts for the amendment of the schedules. Projected outcomes of the proposed fee adjustments from the original analysis included the January 1, 2026, start date and the Premium Zone Lot rate, therefore there is no change to the estimated $1 million in additional annual revenue for the Parking Enterprise Fund and approximately $350,000 in additional annual revenue for the General Fund as presented on November 4, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the recommended action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the recommended action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – RES-2025-180 with Original Exhibits
Attachment 2 – Redline to Exhibit A
Attachment 3 – Redline to Exhibit B
Resolution
Exhibit A – Schedule of Parking User Fees – Revised 12.2025 Exhibit B – Schedule of Parking Fines and Penalties – Revised 12.2025
PRESENTER(S)
Chad Hedge, Parking Manager
Tania Cordova, Parking Administrative Analyst
AMENDED FEE SCHEDULES FOR THE PARKING DIVISION RATE ADJUSTMENTS PAGE 3 OF 3