Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
JANUARY 17, 2018
Subject
SUBJECT: SUPPORTIVE TRANSIT PARKING PROGRAM MASTER
PLAN
Action
ACTION: ADOPT SUPPORTIVE TRANSIT PARKING PROGRAM MASTER PLAN AND AMEND PARKING RATES AND PERMIT FEE RESOLUTION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. ADOPTING the Supportive Transit Parking Program Master Plan; and
B. AMENDING Metro’s Parking Ordinance (Attachment A) and Parking Rates and Permit Fee Resolution (Attachment B) in support of the implementation of the Supportive Transit Parking Program Master Plan.
Issue
ISSUE
At the November 2017 Planning and Programming Committee meeting, staff presented the draft Supportive Transit Parking Program Master Plan (“Master Plan”) to the Board. At that meeting, staff was asked to provide additional outreach in support of the Master Plan adoption. Accordingly, staff has conducted numerous outreach activities as detailed in the following discussion section. The input received to date has been integrated into the final Master Plan, a copy of which can be found at <http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/parking/2017-Parking-MasterPlan.doc>.
To implement the Master Plan, staff recommends amending Metro’s Parking Ordinance (Attachment A) and Parking Rates and Permit Fee Resolution (Attachment B). Once adopted, staff will implement the revised Master Plan and recommended Parking Management Program with the updated Parking Ordinance and Parking Rates and Fee Resolution.
BACKGROUND
In September 2015, the Board approved the contract with Walker Consultants (“Walker”) for the development of Metro’s first parking master plan. Following the contract award, Walker began the process of data collection, program assessment, and outreach to the public. In August 2016, after an extensive outreach effort, staff went back to the Board to provide an update of the work completed to date. Findings to that date recommended the implementation of a paid parking program in order to test the parking management program.
In January 2016, the Board approved the Parking Management Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”) as part of the CEO’s Risk Allocation Matrix (“RAM”). In February 2016, staff introduced the Pilot Program. The implementation of the Pilot Program offered Metro the opportunity to evaluate and gather real performance data for the development of a long-term parking management strategy as well as an understanding of the relationship between parking demand and transit ridership to ultimately improve customer satisfaction with Metro’s parking program. In March 2016, the Board approved the implementation of the Pilot Program at select parking locations. Implementation of the Pilot Program began in May 2016 at three (3) new Expo Line stations. Since then the Pilot Program has been implemented at a total of eleven (11) locations. An additional four (4) Caltrans locations will come on board in early 2018 once the amended Operations and Maintenance Agreement between Metro and Caltrans becomes effective.
The Master Plan identifies innovative strategies for management of Metro’s parking facilities, including parking management and planning policies, operations, enforcement, and maintenance and technology integration. Metro has made a significant investment in both capital and lands for parking facilities that must be managed to not only maximize utilization but also to enhance the Metro customer service experience. Metro’s current parking inventory consists of approximately 24,000 parking spaces and is expected to reach over 31,500 parking spaces by 2029 once transit projects currently in the planning and construction phases enter into operations. The Master Plan includes a 10-year Parking Implementation Plan, Long Range Parking Planning Program and partnership with cities’ program. The Master Plan provides Metro with an innovative and forward-thinking approach to managing its parking assets.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Following the presentation of the draft Master Plan to the Board in November, staff continued to collect input and provide updates to the community on the progress of the Master Plan and Pilot Program.
Since the November 2017 Board Meeting, the Master Plan has remained available to the public. Staff has compiled all public comment and has incorporated those comments in the Master Plan. The final Master Plan document does not contain significant substantive changes from the draft introduced in November 2017.
Public and Stakeholders Outreach
At the November 2017 Board Meeting, staff was asked to provide additional outreach in support of the Master Plan.
Parking Management staff conducted a number of public outreach meetings with different stakeholder groups, community, internal meetings and surveys from stakeholders and transit patrons prior to the November 2017 meeting. Outreach for the Master Plan consisted of outreach to transit riders, agencies, municipal transit operators, local jurisdictions throughout the Los Angeles County and Metro internal departments. In addition, staff provided an update at a number of community meetings and provided a Final Stakeholder workshop earlier this month.
Transit Patron Surveys
Two (2) transit patron surveys were conducted between late 2015 and mid-2016. Approximately 9,000 responses were collected for each of the surveys. The first survey included general questions on parking facilities and customer service. The second survey asked more specific questions whose purpose was to find out what would improve their parking experience.
Stakeholder Workshops
Three workshops were held in March 2016 at three separate days and locations to maximize attendance. Workshops were held in the cities of Monrovia and Paramount, and a larger meeting was held at the Metro Headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Prior to this meeting, stakeholder surveys and one round of patron surveys were completed. At these stakeholder workshops, Metro informed attendees of findings and data collected to date. The purpose of these meetings was to obtain additional input from cities throughout the county for the Master Plan.
Other Outreach
In addition, staff met with various Metro departments during summer of 2016. Staff also met with Community Relations staff and with their assistance has met with other staff and committees. Staff has provided updates of the Master Plan and Pilot Program at Regional Service Councils early on in the process, in February 2016 and again in February 2017. Staff has also provided updates on the Master Plan and parking program at Technical Advisory Committee (“TAC”) meetings on an on-going basis. Comments and suggestions received have been incorporated in the Master Plan report.
Partnership with Cities
Through this process, staff met with cities throughout the county, provided updates on Metro’s parking program and Pilot Program, and provided support based on their parking needs on a one-on-one basis as requested. As a result of these meetings, staff developed a partnership with the cities of Monrovia and Azusa. At Monrovia non-transit patrons are able to park at Metro’s parking facility during non-transit peak hours. In Azusa, Metro has an agreement with the city to use two levels of parking spaces in the garage they both currently share. Modifications to the Pilot Program have also been made in support of communities’ needs surrounding a station such as at Atlantic and Expo/Sepulveda Stations. At Atlantic, non-transit patrons are able to park for up to three (3) hours for a $3.00 a day fee during non-transit peak hours. At the Expo/Sepulveda Station, Metro has a contract with a nearby developer allowing the developer’s employees to park for a monthly fee. Staff has also provided parking advice to the cities of Long Beach, Norwalk, El Monte, Pasadena and Culver City.
Final Outreach Efforts
Parking Management hosted a final workshop at Metro’s Headquarters earlier this month in order to provide a final update on the Master Plan and collect any additional thoughts and input on the Master Plan and its implementation. Invites went out to stakeholders throughout the county. Staff also provided an update on outreach on the Master Plan earlier this month through a board box report.
In addition to the final workshop this month, staff updated and presented the Master Plan at the following meetings:
§ All five Regional Service Council meetings in January 2018 (South Bay, San Gabriel Valley, Gateway Cities, San Fernando Valley, and Westside Central).
§ Metro’s Technical Advisory Committee meeting in January 2018.
§ Two (2) Council of Governments meetings in January 2018 (South Bay and San Gabriel Valley).
§ Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority (“Gold Line 2B”) Board meeting December 2017.
§ Gold Line 2B Technical Advisory Committee meeting in December 2017; and
§ City of Claremont Town Hall Meeting in December 2017
The Master Plan has also been available to the public through social media and has continued to take comment through parking@metro.net <mailto:parking@metro.net> throughout the Master Plan process. Comments received have been included in the final Master Plan report.
Gold Line 2B Parking Study
Parking Management has worked with Gold Line 2B staff and Walker for the development of a parking study for the Gold Line 2B corridor project. As part of this study Walker utilized Metro’s Parking Demand Model described in the Master Plan and conducted a parking assessment at each of the potential future stations using a mid-point suburban typology to more precisely determine the appropriate number of spaces necessary along the alignment. The newly developed typology, which was developed as suggested by cities along Gold Line 2B Extension, provides a slightly higher number of parking space recommendation for the project at each of the proposed stations.
Although the Gold Line 2B Parking Study has not been finalized, the Parking Demand Model’s recommended number of parking spaces in surface lots for opening day is less than the recommended number of spaces from the project’s Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”). Metro’s Parking Demand Model proposed number of parking spaces provides for future land use flexibility as anticipated parking demand may change over time. This flexibility could potentially allow mixed use development near the station; broaden active transportation, bicycle and pedestrian access.
Metro seeks to strategically develop parking with a forward thinking approach, avoid overbuilding parking, and allow flexibility on future uses. The development of parking facilities along the Gold Line 2B transit corridor was part of the project description in the EIR and parking was not a mitigation requirement. Therefore, allowing flexibility on the development of parking along this transit corridor as beneficial for long-term planning. The Gold Line Extension 2A and 2B corridor is the only transit corridor in the Metro system with parking facilities at all stations.
Metro’s recommended number of parking spaces is not expected to change on the Gold Line 2B study. Once the study is finalized, Metro will only provide the Gold Line 2B Authority with a recommended number of parking spaces for the project. However, it will be up to the Gold Line 2B Authority Board to make the final decision on the numbers of spaces it will build for this project. Should the Gold Line 2B Authority decide to build less parking than projected by the EIR, the Authority will also be responsible for taking the appropriate steps through the environmental review process to make these changes.
As part of this Gold Line 2B parking study, staff presented the updated Master Plan and findings of the Gold Line 2B parking study at the community meetings listed above. The Gold Line 2B Parking Study is discussed within this Board report. However, the study is not part of the Master Plan. Therefore, adopting the Master Plan will only determine the management of parking facilities in the future.
Metro Parking Ordinance and Fee Resolution
Metro’s Parking Ordinance and Parking Rates and Permit Fee Resolution were adopted by the Metro Board in July 2015. Since then a number of changes have been incorporated into the Parking Ordinance and Parking Rates and Permit Fee Resolution to support the goals of the Parking Management Pilot Program which include:
§ Added language and definition in the parking ordinance to reflect a change from “Promise To Pay” to “Notice To Pay” in support of the Master Plan;
§ Added language regarding enforcement of commercially operated bike share equipment on Metro property that are operating without Metro authorization; and
§ Revising monthly and daily rates in the fee resolution to be in-line with the Master Plan.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Impact to Budget
Adoption of the Master Plan will not impact the 2018 budget and does not require a budget amendment. Future costs associated with the Master Plan implementation will be included in Parking Management’s yearly operating budget under cost center 3046 which the cost center manager and Chief Planning Officer will be managing.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may decide not to approve the Master Plan. This is not recommended as some of activities included in the Master Plan have already been implemented, tested and proven to work. As Metro’s parking inventory continues to grow and parking facilities continue to reach capacity, so will the need to continue the implementation of a robust and future-thinking parking program. Absent a master plan, near- and longer-term parking decisions may be made with limited knowledge of the impact of these decisions, negatively affecting the long-term health of the parking program and the goal of enhanced mobility. Furthermore, many of the issues addressed in the Master Plan are issues that are regularly raised by transit riders and the Board of Directors. The Master Plan helps Metro address issues from the past, manage its current parking resources and continue a forward thinking approach.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Once the Master Plan is adopted, staff will move forward with its implementation and will provide an update to the Board on its progress. The adopted parking management/fee program will transition into a permanent program and be implemented where parking occupancy is 70% or higher.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Metro Parking Ordinance
Attachment B - Metro Parking Rates and Permit Fee Resolution
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Adela Felix, Principal Transportation Planner, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 922-4333
Shannon Hamelin, Sr. Manager, Transportation Planning, Countywide Planning and Development (213) 418-3076
Frank Ching, DEO, Operational Programs, (213) 922-3033
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Therese W. McMillan, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-7077
