City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: _09/27/10_ Item Number: J-2
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration of the Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study Recommendations,
Including On-Street Parking Enforcement, Metered Parking Rates, and Parking
Administration, and Provide Direction to the City Manager/Executive Director
Related Thereto.
Contact Person/Dept.: Christopher Evans
and Todd Tipton, Community
Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-5744/5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification (USPS) All Downtown Businesses within the Commercial Downtown
Zone (09/00/10); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (09/09/10 and 09/23/10);
(E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – Redevelopment Agency (09/09/10 and 09/23/10);
Chamber of Commerce (09/21/10); Culver City School District (09/13/10); Downtown
Residential Organization (09/21/10); OliverMcMillan (09/21/10); Downtown Business
Association (09/21/10).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (09/21/10)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (09/22/10)
Murray Kane 09/21/10
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (09/22/10)
City Manager/Executive Director Approval:
John M. Nachbar (09/23/10)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council and the Culver City Redevelopment Agency
Board (Agency Board) consider the remaining Comprehensive Downtown Parking
Study (Study) recommendations and direct the City Manager/Executive Director as
deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
Due to the scope of the Study and the need for in-depth review, consideration of the
Study by the City Council and Agency Board has been scheduled over two
evenings. On September 13, 2010 Walker Parking Consultants (Walker Parking)
provided the first presentation of key Study findings and recommendations. In
general, following the presentation the City Council and Agency Board provided
tentative direction on the following:
• Elimination of the pooled parking program and replacement with a system of
parking credits; City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
• Incentivizing parkers to choose the Ince Parking Structure over the Watseka
and Cardiff Parking Structures;
• Implementation of functional design changes and installation of pay-on-foot
technology|1010|;
• Regulation and charge for non-city business parking on the P-1 Level of the
City Hall Parking Structure with implementation of a validation system (City
Hall business would be conducted free of charge); and,
• Implementation of a permit parking district in the residential neighborhood
adjacent to downtown.
Complete elimination of a free parking period at the parking structures did not
receive general support; however, a reduction in the free parking period at Cardiff
and Watseka Parking Structures seemed to be supported if rates at Ince remain
unchanged. Staff will study this matter further and return to the City Council and
Agency Board in the future with recommendations to address the issue.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends the City Council and Agency Board consider the following topics
this evening:
1. On-Street Parking Recommendations to Influence Parking Behavior
Recommendations:
A. Enforce all parking meters until 11:00 PM.
On-street metered parking restrictions are currently in effect from 8:00 AM
– 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
B. Enforce metered parking on Sunday.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
C. Eliminate time restrictions on metered parking spaces.
Vehicles are currently required to be moved after two-hours of parking at a
metered parking space.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
D. Gradually increase meter rates from $1.00 to $1.50 per hour.
Walker Parking initially recommends a meter rate increase to $1.25 per
hour with an increase to $1.50 per hour after a monitoring period. In
accord with the recommendation for the elimination of time restrictions at
metered parking spaces, Walker Parking recommends a charge of $2.50
per hour beginning the third hour of metered parking.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include the gradual increase in meter rates in an implementation
plan.
E. Meter all on-street parking spaces.
The primary time restricted, but unmetered parking spaces downtown are
located along Lafayette Place.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
2. On-Street Parking Enforcement to Maximize Parking Resources
Staff consulted the Culver City Police Department’s Parking Enforcement
Division (Parking Enforcement) regarding Walker Parking’s parking
enforcement findings and recommendations. Parking Enforcement reviewed
the Study and citation data utilized by Walker Parking and agreed that Walker
Parking’s data and subsequent calculations were accurate and reflected the
rate of citation issuance at the time of the Study. Parking Enforcement noted
that citation issuance has increased since completion of the Study due to
revised management practices and stated that they supported the Study
findings and recommendations regarding parking enforcement.
Recommendations:
A. Utilize parking enforcement citation tracking measures.
Tracking measures would include the Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO)
logging the time the first and last parking citation of a shift is issued along
with a written explanation for any gaps in citation writing. By tracking
citation issuance, the PEO Supervisor can gauge how often citations can
and are being written and modify management policies accordingly to
achieve desired results.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
B. Utilize electronic ticket writer in parking enforcement.
Culver City’s PEO’s currently use both manual ticket writing equipment
and electronic ticket writers. The advantages of using handheld units over
a hand written system include increase speed in ticket writing, more
legible citations, use of License Plate Recognition (LPR) readers and
options such as a frequent violator program with permit database, so no
citations will be written on permitted vehicles (which are useful when
patrolling residential neighborhoods in permit parking districts).
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
C. Parking enforcement should work cooperatively with a proposed Parking
Department.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
D. Consider creation of a parking enforcement “Ambassador Program”.
PEO’s could be trained to not only enforce parking regulations, but act as
goodwill ambassadors for Culver City. They would do this by spending
some of their time providing guidance and assistance to visitors as they
patrol downtown.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
3. Administration of Parking Operations
Recommendation:
Create a parking operations entity or department for administration of
parking operations.
Responsibility for the oversight and management of downtown’s parking
operations are currently dispersed over several staff positions and
departments. Walker Parking recommends consolidation and/or close
coordination of parking management responsibilities into a few specific
positions. The proposed parking department or entity’s tasks would
include, but not be limited to the following:
• Tracking parking revenues
• Track trends in parking management and operations City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
• Balancing the utilization of assets
• Enhancing customer service
• Achieving Culver City’s parking mission and goals
Walker Parking recommends that the parking entity be located within the
Finance Department as revenue tracking will be of primary importance.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
Residential Parking
Walker Parking considered the effect of implementing their recommendations
relative to the residential areas adjacent to downtown, recognizing that rate
increases may increase parking incursion into residential areas. To address the
potential impact, Walker Parking made the following recommendations:
• Implement permit parking in the residential area adjacent to downtown;
• Enforce the residential permit parking program when/if established;
• Create tiered fines for repeat residential parking offenders; and,
• Increase enforcement of downtown metered parking, ensuring that short-term
parking spaces are available, which will aid in reducing residential parking
incursion.
Staff researched the possibility of providing for a free residential parking program in
the downtown-adjacent residential neighborhood. Staff found that the Conditions of
Approval for the Town Plaza project, as approved by the Planning Commission on
January 31, 2000, addressed the potential for increased parking impacts in the
project’s general area including the adjacent residential neighborhood. Condition No.
41 states that if approved by a Neighborhood Traffic Committee|1010|, the City and
Agency shall establish a free neighborhood parking program, with restrictions on
Irving Place and Van Buren Place and other local streets as needed during peak
cinema attendance hours.
On December 8, 2008 the City Council adopted a resolution establishing a
preferential parking district in the Linwood Howe neighborhood including Van Buren
Place, Irving Place and adjacent streets. As the City Council has approved a
Linwood Howe Preferential Parking District and as Condition No. 41 of the Town
Plaza Conditions of Approval provides for establishment of a free neighborhood
parking program, the City Attorney has determined that residents of the Linwood
Howe Preferential Parking District would be exempt from fees related to the
establishment of a preferential parking district during peak cinema hours. The fees
for establishing a preferential parking district during peak cinema hours are equal to
the fees for establishment of a standard preferential parking district; therefore, a
waiver of fees for a preferential parking district established during peak cinema
hours covers all additional fees. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Next Steps
The Study recommendations that received general agreement will be included in an
implementation plan. The implementation plan will be presented to the City Council
and Agency Board for consideration during a future meeting. The implementation
plan will identify the cost, feasibility and time needed to implement each of the Study
recommendations tentatively agreed upon by the City Council and the Agency
Board.
For those items that did not receive general agreement, staff will prepare an Agenda
Item Report that provides recommendations that address concerns expressed by the
City Council and Agency Board during the prior meetings where this item was
discussed. The report will be presented to the City Council and Agency Board for
consideration during a future meeting
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The Agency Board authorized contract amount for Walker Parking to complete the
Study is $166,100. Staff will identify potential cost and resource impacts associated
with recommendations in the Study as a component of the implementation plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. September 13, 2010 Staff Report, Item Number: J-2
2. Walker Parking Executive Summary matrix
3. Matrix comparing parking rates of other cities
MOTION:
That the City Council and the Agency Board:
Consider the Study recommendations and provide staff direction.
Notes:
|1010| During the September 13 meeting Council Member Malsin asked if the Pay-on-Foot equipment could be
funded by the Agency. Agency General Counsel has determined that Pay-on-Foot equipment is a capital
expense and the Agency can fund its installation at the Cardiff Parking Structure.
2
Condition No. 36. Neighborhood Traffic Committee – A neighborhood traffic committee shall be formed by
the City, if sufficient public interest is displayed, to provide a link between the residents and the City regarding
traffic related issues, concerns and complaints with the proposed project as it is implemented and matures.
MEETING DATE: 09/27/10
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of the Comprehensive Downtown Parking
Study Recommendations, Including On-Street Parking
Enforcement, Meter Parking Rates and Parking
Administration.
ATTACHMENTS
Item Description Pages
1. September 13, 2010 Staff Report, Item Number: J-2 1- 6
2. Walker Parking Executive Summary matrix 7 -14
3. Matrix comparing parking rates of other cities 15
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: _09/13/10_ Item Number: ___
JOINT CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration of the Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study Recommendations,
Including Parking Structure Rates and the Pooled Parking Program.
Contact Person/Dept.: Christopher Evans,
Redevelopment; Todd Tipton,
Redevelopment
Phone Number: (310) 253-5744/5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification (USPS) All Downtown Businesses within the Commercial Downtown
Zone (07/28/10); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (09/09/10); (E-Mail)
Meetings and Agendas – Redevelopment Agency (09/09/10); Chamber of Commerce
(09/06/10); Culver City School District (09/06/10); Downtown Residential Organization
(09/06/10); OliverMcMillan (09/06/10); Downtown Business Association (09/06/10).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld 09/00/10
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (09/00/10)
Murray Kane 09/00/10
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (09/00/10)
City Manager/Executive Director Approval:
John M. Nachbar (09/00/10)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council and the Culver City Redevelopment Agency
Board (Agency Board) consider the Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study
(Study) recommendations and provide direction to staff on the Study.
BACKGROUND:
On July 12, 2010, following public input and a presentation of their findings by
Walker Parking, the City Council and Agency Board were introduced to the Study
(See Attachment 1). Due to the scope of the Study and need for in-depth review,
the City Council and Agency Board continued the discussion.
On September 13 (continued from August 9) and September 27, 2010, Walker
Parking will provide a presentation of key Study findings and recommendations to
the City Council and Agency Board. The City Council and Agency Board will then be
asked to provide specific direction on a limited number of recommendations.
During the July 12
th
meeting, the public expressed concern about increasing rates in
the public parking structures and meters that could result in spillover parking in
residential neighborhoods; elimination of free parking in the public parking structures
resulting in loss of downtown business; the expense of hiring additional Parking
1 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Enforcement Officers and lack of vigorous parking enforcement in the residential
neighborhood adjacent to downtown (See attached July 12
th
meeting minutes).
DISCUSSION:
Given the breadth of the Study recommendations staff recommends the following
items be considered this evening:
1. Pooled Parking Program
Recommendation:
Eliminate the current pooled parking program and replace with a
monitored system of parking credits.
The pooled parking program was established approximately 10 years ago
in anticipation of the need for parking that would result from future growth
in the downtown. The program provides that surplus public parking that
exists either in downtown or within 750 feet of downtown can be
considered for utilization by area businesses to meet their Zoning Code
required parking pending approval by the City Council/Agency Board.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
2. Public Parking Structures Supply and Demand
During City Council’s consideration of the budget in June 2010, staff was
directed to study increasing parking rates as a means to generate revenue. At
the time, staff recommended that the Council consider parking management
objectives as well as revenue concerns, since proposed parking rate
increases will influence customer parking decisions at these structures. The
Study contains recommendations for rate increases at the Ince, Cardiff and
Watseka Parking Structures which are intended to reduce use of the
congested Watseka and Cardiff Parking Structures and promote increased
use of the Ince structure.
Recommendation:
A. Eliminate two hours free parking period at the Watseka and Cardiff
Parking Structures and replace with $1.00 per hour fee.
Due to the potential impact on downtown business a phased reduction in
free parking hours could be implemented with direction from the Agency
Board and City Council, to allow time for businesses and visitors to adjust.
2 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Recommended Action: That the Agency Board and City Council direct
staff to study potential phasing of this item for inclusion in an
implementation plan.
Recommendation:
B. Eliminate two hours free period at the Ince Parking Structure and replace
with $0.50 per hour fee.
The Ince Parking Structure is subject to revenue restrictions because it
was built with ‘tax-exempt’ bond proceeds. The Watseka and Cardiff
Parking Structures are not subject to these restrictions because they were
funded using tax increment. The Agency owns the Ince and Watseka
Parking Structures and the City owns Cardiff. In summary the rates at
Watseka and Cardiff structures may be raised without consideration of
bond finance restrictions, however the tax exempt bonds used to finance
the Ince structure restricts how much revenue may be generated at Ince.
Net revenues at Ince cannot exceed $250,000 annually over the
remaining 15 years of the bond’s term (until 2025). If the Study’s
recommendation is adopted to eliminate the first two hours of free parking
at Ince and to instead charge 50 cents, it would generate $455,000
annually. When coupled with additional anticipated sources of revenue for
use of Ince, staff anticipates the $250,000 net income limit would be
exceeded by a total amount of $379,480 annually. Staff is now studying
the feasibility of converting the ‘tax-exempt’ bond to a ‘taxable’ or method
of eliminating the revenue restriction.
Recommended Action: That the Agency Board and City Council direct
staff to study the feasibility of including this in an implementation plan
given the revenue restrictions.
2. Operation of the Public Parking Structures
Recommendation:
A. Utilize pay-on-foot technology (POF) at the public parking structures.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
Recommendation:
B. Implement functional design changes at the public parking structures.
3 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Walker Parking recommends opening an additional exit lane at the Cardiff
Parking Structure and reconfiguring the Culver Boulevard entry lane at the
Ince Parking Structure.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
3. Revenue Enhancement
Recommendation:
Implement the parking structure and meter rate recommendations and
recommended rate schedule contained in the Study for parking permits
and citations in residential permit areas. (See Residential Parking below).
(Staff has prepared a matrix comparing the cities identified in Appendix C
of the Study for your reference – Please See Attachment 3)
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
4. City Hall Parking Structure
Recommendation:
A. Install parking access control equipment at the entrance to City Hall,
parking structure level P-1.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
Recommendation:
B. Utilize a parking attendant pay-on-entry system if needed to regulate the
use of City Hall, parking structure level P-1.
Recommended Action: That the City Council and Agency Board direct
staff to include this item in an implementation plan.
Residential Parking
Walker Parking considered the effect of implementing their recommendations
relative to the residential areas adjacent to downtown, recognizing that rate
increases may increase parking incursion into residential areas. To address the
potential impact, Walker Parking made the following recommendations:
• Implement permit parking in the residential area adjacent to downtown;
4 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
• Vigorously enforce the residential permit parking program when/if established;
• Create tiered fines for repeat residential parking offenders; and,
• Increase enforcement of downtown metered parking, ensuring that short-term
parking spaces are available and will aid in reducing residential parking
incursion.
Next Steps
Staff provided notice that the City Council and Agency Board would consider this
item on August 9, 2010 and again this evening. As the item was continued without
discussion those items scheduled for discussion on August 9 will be considered
tonight. Contingent upon any direction the City Council and Agency Board provide to
staff, it is expected this item would return to the City Council and Agency Board on
September 27, 2010. Additional meetings may be necessary to finalize discussion of
Walker Parking’s recommendations. Upon completion of the Study review staff will
create a detailed implementation plan that will incorporate City Council and Agency
Board direction.
The purpose of the implementation plan will be to determine the cost, feasibility and
time needed to implement each of the Study recommendations. Upon completion of
the implementation plan staff will then return at a future date to the City Council and
Agency Board to present findings and obtain direction.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The Agency Board authorized contract amount for Walker Parking to complete the
Study is $166,100.
Staff will identify potential cost and resource impacts associated with
recommendations in the Study as a component of the implementation plan, which
will be considered at a future City Council Agency Board meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. July 12, 2010 Staff Report, Item Number: J-1
2. Walker Parking Executive Summary matrix
3. Matrix comparing parking rates of other cities
4. July 12, 2010 Meeting minutes
5 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
MOTION:
That the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency Board:
Consider the Study recommendations and provide staff direction regarding the
Study.
6Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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ES-1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over the past decade Downtown Culver City has experienced a significant increase in
popularity as a dining and entertainment destination. As a result, the City has
experienced a significant increase in the demand for parking by visitors and employees.
At the request of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency (RDA), Walker Parking
Consultants conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Downtown parking system in
order to gauge its ability to manage current and future demand for parking in the area.
Our analysis revealed that a significant number of the existing 2,768 parking spaces
located within the Downtown|1010| are underutilized during peak demand periods on both
weekdays and weekends. Parking conditions primarily in the Cardiff Parking Structure
and on the street tend to obscure the fact that hundreds of parking spaces remain
empty in Downtown, even when occupancy rates in the aforementioned locations
approach peak capacity.
To the extent that visitors and employees encounter a lack of parking, our findings
indicate this is due primarily to inconsistencies between pricing and policies among
different parking facilities; the most sought after parking spaces are often priced at the
same rate (or less) than spaces that are less convenient. The result is that visitors,
employees, transient and monthly parkers all tend to compete for the most convenient
and least expensive spaces, creating localized parking impacts and perceived parking
shortages, while other spaces in the area remain unoccupied.
Our analysis also suggests that an active and comprehensive approach to managing
the entire system, from on-street to off-street, enforcement to validation programs,
would increase both the efficiency of the system and revenue generation. Just as the
pricing and policies for each space and parking facility must be looked at in terms of the
parking system as a whole, the different management policies of the system must be
viewed comprehensively as well.
In order to achieve the goals of the study, which are ultimately to make parking more
convenient and accessible for the public in an efficient and cost effective manner, we
recommend the implementation of adjustments in pricing and changes in parking
management policies, including the City’s and RDA’s internal management of its
parking resources.|1010| We make our recommendations with the following goals in mind:
|1010| Downtown defined herein is the area coterminous with “CD Zoning District” in the City’s Zoning Ordinance and
General Plan and shown in Figure 1 in the report. It is synonymous with CD, Commercial Downtown District, and
Study Area. |1010| Throughout this report we will discuss the “parking system,” which contains assets owned by the RDA (such as the
Ince and Watseka Parking Structures) and the City (such as on-street parking spaces). To the extent possible we try
to distinguish between these two entities within our discussion. However, at times we discuss issues that relate to
the entire system and therefore both the RDA and the City. In these instances, for the purposes of this report, we use
the term “City” to refer to both the RDA and City.
7Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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• Enhanced customer service and convenience;
• Turnover and space availability;
• Revenue generation;
• Ease of Implementation;
• Maximization of resources and efficiencies.
We explored increased parking fees for the purposes of improving efficiency, increasing
space availability, and generating additional revenue. We found that adjusting the
existing parking fee structure would result in significant additional revenue for the City
and the RDA. However, we note that while the added revenue is substantial, in many
cases it is secondary to the funds that can be saved by using pricing cues to manage
the existing supply of spaces thereby saving land, construction and opportunity costs
associated with constructing new parking facilities.
Finally, we note the effects of mispricing parking go beyond efficiency, cost and access
issues and that these effects must be considered in light of broader planning goals.
Among them, mispricing parking can contribute significantly to traffic congestion, both
localized and in the larger area, as well as discourage the use of alternative forms of
transportation, most notably by employees who can park inexpensively in Downtown.
The following summarizes our recommendations from each section of the study as
presented in the scope of services:
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. PUBLIC PARKING STRUCTURES SUPPLY AND DEMAND - CARDIFF, WATSEKA
AND INCE
Immediate:
A. Replace the existing policy of offering two hours of free parking in the
Cardiff and Watseka Parking Structures with a $1.00 per hour fee.
Implementing an hourly rate should improve space availability for
customers and visitors, by redistributing long-term parkers to other
locations. This policy would also enhance management (including the
elimination of parkers moving their cars every two hours to gain longer
periods of free parking), and increase revenue. Although it would generate
less revenue, a policy that may be more agreeable to some stakeholders
would be to charge $1.00 for the first two or three hours of parking. At a
minimum, we strongly recommend that the free period be eliminated or at
least significantly reduced.
B. Replace the free period in the Ince Parking Structure with a $0.50 per hour
fee for the same reasons as those provided above. We note that, given its
current low occupancy rates, the Ince Structure should be priced lower
than the Cardiff and Watseka Structures. Charging a flat $0.50 or $1.00
8Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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fee for the first two or three hours of parking would reduce the revenue
generating potential of our recommendation. As with the Cardiff and
Watseka Structures, we strongly recommend that the free period be
significantly reduced.
C. Eliminate the “additional two-hour free” validation and substitute with the
$2.50 maximum charge per the terms of the RDA’s agreement with
OliverMcMillan.|1010|
D. Increase the fee for monthly contract parking by $10.00 per permit in the
Cardiff and Watseka Structures to encourage long-term parkers to park in
locations that are currently underutilized. This action would effectively
reduce long-term demand in the busier Cardiff and Watseka Structures,
provide additional spaces for visitor parking in these same structures, and
generate additional revenue.
E. Obtain the “reasonable approval” of the Developer and theater operator
for any parking rate increases per the RDA’s Disposition and Development
Agreement with OliverMcMillan (“DDA”).
Short term:
F. Monitor parking occupancy in each of the structures on a frequent and
regular basis (bimonthly at a minimum), to determine whether the parking
fee structure for transient and monthly parking is having the desired policy
results or requires adjustment.
G. Use our pricing recommendations to set a goal of no more than 90%
occupancy in the spaces available for public parking in each of the parking
structures for a typical peak day.
2. OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC PARKING STRUCTURES
Immediate:
A. Actively work with the Pacific 12 Theaters in order to:
- Ensure that only eligible patrons are allowed to validate their parking
tickets in order to protect the revenue integrity of the system; the
location of the movie theatre “clamshell” validating machines creates
significant challenges for properly managing the validations;
- Monitor the number of movie validations provided on an hourly and
daily basis to enhance management of the parking system.
|1010| Per the RDA’s agreement, it is no longer under obligation to offer an additional “two-hours free” with validation to
movie patrons.
9Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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B. Standardize the validation system for film production and event parking in
order to increase oversight and monitor and protect revenue. Validations
should be tracked.
C. Eliminate the sticker validation program to simplify parking operations. If
the RDA chooses to continue the program, we recommend replacing the
current system with alternatives ranging from validators and “follow-up”
tickets to scanned on-line validations, which can be employed to better
track and streamline the program and associated revenue issues.
D. Enforce the policy that requires the Brotman Hospital employees to utilize
Watseka’s nested area by ensuring that the equipment’s “anti-passback”
features are in use in order to increase the availability of parking for the
general public the Watseka Structure.
Short term:
E. Implement access control for the parking structures that uses pay-on-foot
technology (POF) in each of the parking structures to address the
following:
- Enhanced throughput (faster exiting of vehicles) resulting in shorter
queues for patrons;
- Improved operating conditions afforded through the ability to operate
24 hours daily with minimal staffing;
- Improved revenue security;
- Promotion of better air quality resulting from less vehicle queuing;
- Enhanced customer service.
F. Given the age of the equipment in the two oldest structures and the
existing challenges in queuing experienced particularly in the Cardiff
Structure, implement POF in the Cardiff and Watseka Structures in the
near term and in the Ince Structure in the long term.
G. In the Watseka Structure, install an LED dynamic message to specifically
instruct the public when nested spaces are available. Control message
from the parking office, or automatically schedule with the raising of the
gate arms, so that the sign need not be manually changed.
Long term:
H. Implement a series of functional design improvements, particularly at the
exits, in order to increase the speed of exiting procedures and reduce
queues.
3. RDA PARKING OBLIGATIONS PER OLIVERMCMILLAN DDA
Immediate:
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COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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A. Create an employee parking strategy per the terms of the DDA using the
recommendations regarding the management of employee parking
contained in this report.
B. Require that the Ince structure adjacent to 60 “30-minute” parking spaces
for Trader Joe’s and be open on weekends from 7:00 AM but establish
with OliverMcMillan that the current 45-minute designated time limit and
8:00 AM opening hour is sufficient for the operation at this time.
C. Note that the RDA is in compliance with the provision to provide at least
1,922 parking spaces within the designated perimeter of the development
area.
4. ON-STREET PARKING
Immediate:
A. Extend the hours of operation and enforcement of all parking meters until
11:00 PM to encourage turnover at curbside spaces and increase visitors’
access to convenient parking in the evenings. This policy is particularly
important to implement on Thursday through Sunday evenings given the
high occupancy observed at metered spaces on those days. The
generation of revenue is an important, but secondary, goal of this policy.
B. Enforce parking meters all day on Sunday to encourage turnover and
increase visitors’ access to convenient parking spaces. The high on-street
occupancy observed in the metered spaces throughout the day on Sunday
indicates that this action would enhance short-term availability throughout
the day and discourage spillover parking in the neighborhood.
Short term:
C. Eliminate time restrictions on metered spaces but encourage turnover
using a system of higher and/or tiered rates that discourage, but do not
specifically prohibit parking on the street for longer than two hours to
enhance flexibility, convenience and the overall experience for visitors.
This recommendation would also facilitate parking enforcement although
reduce potential revenue from citations.
D. As part of the previous recommendation, gradually increase parking meter
rates from the current $1.00 to $1.50 per hour, particularly during the
busier Thursday through Sunday periods in the most impacted on-street
parking locations. To enhance revenue and promote consistency within
11Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
37-8096.00
ES-6
the system, this change could be implemented on a seven-day per week
basis.
E. Increase the availability of parking cash keys4 by encouraging their sale to
the public at cashier booths in the garages. We note that the City’s pilot
program to install on-street pay stations that accept credit cards is a
positive step toward added customer convenience.
Long term:
F. Meter all on-street parking spaces within the study area that are currently
enforced through time-limited parking policies, to enhance revenues and
reduce spillover parking in residential neighborhoods.
5. ON-STREET PARKING ENFORCEMENT
Immediate:
A. Engage in specific citation tracking measures of the issuance of citations
to maximize the efficiency of enforcement officers and generate increased
revenue.
Short term:
B. Ensure that parking enforcement officers consistently use an electronic
ticket writer system that allows electronic tire chalking and maintains
electronic records of enforcement activity as described within the report.
Long term:
C. Require Parking Enforcement to work cooperatively with a proposed
Parking Department and Parking Manager to create a comprehensive
parking management strategy for the Downtown.
D. Consider creating an “Ambassador Program” to empower and train
parking employees to provide hospitality, tourism and public safety
services to downtown patrons and businesses in addition to their parking
enforcement duties.
6. REVENUE ENHANCEMENT
Short term:
A. Implement the parking rate increase recommendations contained in the
Public Parking Structure and On-street Parking sections of this report.
|1010| The City offers to the public a parking “Cash Key,” a prepaid plastic key which a City brochure describes as allowing “the user
to purchase parking time on Culver City meters without the use of coins.”
12Downtown culver City
COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
37-8096.00
ES-7
B. Implement the rate schedule for residential parking permits and citations in
residential permit areas contained in this section of the report and
aggressively pursue enforcement in these areas.
7. CITY HALL PARKING STRUCTURE
Immediate:
A. Require all City Hall employees to park on the P2 level of City Hall instead
of on P1.
B. Make P1 explicitly available to the public for parking both during the day
and on weekends, including employees of Kirk Douglas Theatres, and
explore the use of the P2 level of City Hall for theatre employees.
Short term:
C. Install signage within the district and at the entrance to the City Hall
Garage that publicizes the availability of public parking on the P1 level.
D. Install Parking Access and Revenue Control equipment (PARCs) at the
entrance of the parking structure that is the same as that used by the
other public structures; manage P1 comprehensively as part of the public
system.
E. Use an attended “pay-on-entry” system to regulate usage of the structure
by visitors should usage of the facility by the public cause unacceptably
high occupancy rates before PARCs equipment is installed.
8. PUBLIC PARKING LOTS
Short term:
A. Use the lot at 9300 Culver Blvd (Parcel B) for convenient and paid public
parking during busy evening and weekend periods until the parcel is
developed. The City should first test demand using an attended, flat fee,
pay-on-entry system.
B. Promote the availability of the Canfield Lot for public parking with better
signage. Explore the market for paid evening parking at the location
during peak periods using an attendant and a flat fee, attended pay-on-
entry rate structure.
C. Determine the level of demand for employee parking at the 9415 Venice
Boulevard lot for low-cost employee parking, given that the lot may serve
some employees for whom parking in other peripheral locations is not a
viable option.
9. POOLED PARKING PROGRAM
Short term:
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COMPREHENSIVE PARKING STUDY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
37-8096.00
ES-8
A. Eliminate the current Pooled Parking Program and replace with a
monitored system of parking credits to track allocations of required parking
spaces and recognize the cost and value of the parking resource being
provided to new development.
10. FUTURE DOWNTOWN PARKING SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Long term:
A. Recognize the current surplus of spaces in the public system, while
sufficient to manage current imbalances in demand, is insufficient to fully
meet the future parking demand that will be generated from the
development projects planned for the area. Except for that development
that has already been planned using public parking facilities, most future,
large-scale development will require its own on-site parking.
11. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PARKING OPERATION
Immediate:
A. Establish a parking operations entity that would manage parking related
issues, both off- and on-street. A Parking Department would, at least
initially, be staffed by one senior level position that has managerial
responsibilities.
B. Locate the Parking Department within the Finance Department, given the
importance of the careful monitoring of parking revenue, in part due to its
use as a “scorekeeper” for tracking trends in the system.
C. Parking enforcement and meter collections positions remain in the Police
Department although frequent and close cooperation with the Parking
Manager is necessary.
Short term:
D. Assign the duties and responsibilities to the parking operator per the
operator agreement as is recommended in Appendix D -Parking Operator
Contract Review, of the report.|1010|
E. Implement the best practices with regard to the maintenance of the
Parking Structures as is recommended in Appendix E - Facility
Maintenance Program of the report. Note that much of this maintenance
could be performed by the parking operator or other contractor.
|1010| This recommendation may be a “long-term” rather than “short-term” recommendation depending on the timing of
any new or revised contract between the RDA and the parking operator.
14Municipal Parking Rate Survey
Per Appendix C of Comprehensive Parking Study
Municipalities Parking Authority Meter Rates
Parking Meter
Enforcment Hours
Parking
Structures/Lots Daily
Rate
Variable Time Rate (such as
unique evening rate)
Parking Structure
$/per month
Culver City (current) N/A $1.00 per hr
8 AM - 6 PM Monday -
Saturday
$1.00 per hr/$8.00
max/2 hrs free
2 hr validation for theater
patrons
$60 for 5 day
access, $80 for 7
day access
City of Santa Monica
Contract Operator/Parking
Office
(w/proposal to
increase to $1.50
per hr)
8 AM - 6 PM Monday-
Saturday
$2.00 per hr/$7.00 max
w/2 hrs free $3.00 evening flat rate
$82.50 (proposed to
be raised to
$121.00)
City of Beverly Hills
Parking Operations
Division $1.00 per hr 8 AM - 6 PM
$2-$3.00 per hr/ $10 -
$22.00 max w/1-2 hrs
free typically $5.00 flat rate after 6PM $65.00 - $185.00
City of West Hollywood
City of Beverly Hills
(meters) & Contract
Operator $1 - $4.00 per hr
until 8 PM weekdays and
midnight on weekends $1.00 per hr until 5 PM $6.00 evening flat rate $145.00
City of Pasadena (Old Town) Parking Division $1.25 per hr 8 AM - 12 AM daily
$1.00 to $2.00 per
hr/$5.00 to $6.00 max
/1.5 to 2 hrs free $5.00 evening flat rate $65 - $90.00
City of Inglewood Transportation Division $0.50 per hr. 7 AM - 7 PM daily
$1.50 to $2.00 per
hour/$7.50 all day. Not Applicable $30 - $50.00
City of Hermosa Beach
Contracted Operator &
Community Services Div. $1.00 per hr
10 AM - 10 PM 7-days per
week
$1.00 per hr, $16 daily
maximum
$4.00 peak evening flat rate;
$6.00 flat rate on weekends $50.00
City of Redwood City
Finance Deprtment &
Contract Operator
FREE or $0.25 -
$0.50 per hr
10 AM- 6 PM; some free
all day Saturday; some
free all day Sunday; some
free all weekend; (NO
$0.25 per hr base rate
non-peak; $2.50 - $5.00
per hr. peak (depends
on garage)
4-hours free validation for cinema
patrons; 1-2 hours free with
validation by downtown
businesses $30 - $60
City of San Luis Obispo Parking Services Division
$0.75 to $1.25 per
hr.
9 AM to 6 PM Monday-
Saturday
$0.75 per hr/ $7.50
max w/1 hr free Not Applicable $40
Culver City (Walker Parking
recommends) Parking Department $1.50 per hr
8 AM - 11 PM 7 days
per wk
$1.00 per hr (Cardiff
PS, Watseka PS) $.50
per hr Ince PS
$2.50 max charge w/theater
validation
$70 for 5 day
access at Cardiff
PS, Watseka PS
15