SR-417-006 (9)
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city Council Meeting May 9, 1989
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Santa Monica, California
STAFF REPORT
TO: Mayor and City council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Adopt Resolutions and Prepare
Ordinance Pertaining to Increases in Fees and Rates for
Parking Meters, Parking Lots, and Parking structures
and Establishment of New Parking Meter Zones.
INTRODUCTION
This report presents a comprehensive analysis of current charges
for city-managed public parking and recommends a broad set of
changes to create a unified and consistent policy with respect to
City parking fees and meter rates. The changes recommended in
the report would affect the General Fund, Parking Authority Fund,
and the Auditorium Fund as each has responsibility for the
management of on-street or off-street parking spaces. The report
describes the specific revenue and expenditure impacts to each of
these funds as a result of the staff proposals.
BACKGROUND
The cost of parking in City-owned parking lots and structures and
at on-street parking meters has not been increased in several
years. The current fee structure for City-managed parking is now
well below the rates charged by private parking facilities and by
most other comparable cities. The current City rates have
therefore not been adjusted to reflect increased costs for the
management, maintenance, security, and enforcement services which
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are provided by the city. The continued under-pricing of these
parking spaces by the city also has the potential to promote
distortions in the parking utilization patterns of City residents
and visitors. Such distortions work against regionally-mandated
Transportation Management goals.
Transportation Management Program (TMP) has as its primary
objective the reduction of individual vehicle trips. Some of the
strategies for achieving this goal include promotion of
ride-share programs and creation of incentives for increased
utilization of public transportation. It is generally accepted
that the subsidization of parking costs for private vehicles will
act as a negative incentive towards the achievement of TMP goals.
Effective parking management by the city requires that the price
of public parking be set at a level which does not entail a
subsidy to businesses and their employees or to other individuals
who choose to use their vehicles for business or non-business
activities. The changes proposed in this report will bring the
city parking policies to a closer level of consistency with broad
TMP objectives.
The next section of the report addresses the specific issues and
recommendations related to each particular public parking
resource which is managed by the city.
DISCUSSION
On-Street Parking Meter Rates
Parking meter rates were last increased by the City in May, 1986,
at Which time most parking meters were increased to either $.35
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or $.50 per hour. One of the basic concepts underlying the
installation of parking meters is to encourage more frequent
turnover in the use of parking spaces. This can be accomplished
in two ways: raising parking meter rates or shortening the
length of time one can park for the same fee. Staff has
evaluated the present time limits of parking meters in the city
and has determined that although some adjustments are advisable
in selected areas, most parking meter time limits appear to be
appropriate.
In most parts of Santa Monica, peak demand occurs between 10:00am
and 6:00pm Monday through Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.
During warm evenings throughout the year, peak demand hours are
extended to as late as 10:00pm to 12:00am in the downtown and
beach areas. As increasing numbers of restaurants and
entertainment establishments are opened in these locations
(Wilshire Blvd., Downtown, Main Street, and beach areas), demand
for on-street parking has been heightened for the evening and
weekend periods. In response to intensified parking demand, it
is proposed that enforcement hours for on-street parking meters
in these areas be extended to 12:00 midnight and all day Sunday
(downtown parking structure enforcement hours will remain from
8:00am to 6:00pm). This change will create standard enforcement
hours throughout these high parking demand zones.
A survey of representative private off-street parking facilities
in Santa Monica shows that private commercial parking rates
average about $1.50 an hour. This average cost is much higher
than the new meter rates proposed in this report. A survey was
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also conducted of parking meter rates in other California cities.
This survey found that Santa Monica's on-street parking meter
rates are generally lower than rates in similar California
cities. The table below provides the results of this survey:
Parking Meter Rates in Selected Cities
City High Demand Areas
Laguna Beach $1.00 per hour at beach
and in Central Business
District
Manhattan Beach $.75 per hour in beach
areas
Huntington Beach $.75 per hour throughout
city
Beverly Hills
$.50 per hour in central
business district and
major arterials
San Francisco
$1,00 per hour in tourist
zones, $1.50 per 30
minutes for commercial
vehicles in loading zones
Los Angeles,
Westwood
$1 per hour
Redondo Beach
$.50 per hour throughout
City
$.50 per hour throughout
City
Hermosa Beach
West Hollywood
$.60 per hour throughout
city
$.50 per hour on Ocean
Ave., Main st., and
other "beachll areas
Santa Monica
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Moderate Demand Areas
$.50 per hour away
from Central
Business District
$.25 per hour at City
Hall and on
Rosecrans Blvd.
Same
Same
$.50 per hour in
other areas
Same
Same
Same
Same
$,35 per hour in
Central Business
District, WilShire,
and Santa Monica
B1vds., $.25 per
hour in Downtown
structures, $,20 per
hour in surface lots,
and $.10 in
industrial/commercial
areas (Colorado,
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Olympic, and
Broadway)
city staff proposes to increase on-street meter and surface
parking lot meter rates in Santa Monica according to the
following schedule. The proposed rates simplify the current rate
structure by replacing the present five separate hourly rates
with three rates which more closely reflect actual City costs and
parking management objectives.
APPROXIMATE
METER LOCATION NO. OF METERS
CURRENT
HOURLY RATE
PROPOSED
HOURLY RATE
Olympic Blvd, 196
10th to 20th
$.10
$.35
Colorado Blvd., 267
Lincoln Blvd. to
city limits
$.10
$.35
Nebraska and 209
Stewart Streets
$.10
$.35
Pico Blvd., 45
16th to 21st
$.10
$.35
Broadway Blvd. 117
Lincoln Blvd. to
26th
$.10
$.35
Ocean Park Blvd., 257
25th to 34th,
including side
streets
$.25
$.50
st. Johns and 148
Santa Monica
Hospital areas
$.25
$.50
26th st. 68
near San Vicente
$.25
$.50
wilshire Blvd. and 820
Santa Monica Blvd.
$.35
$.50
Downtown Business 1082
District (on-street)
$.35
$.50
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Main street, 315 $.50 $.75
including City Hall
lot
Ocean Ave, , 624 $.50 $.75
and side streets
near beach
Lot #9 and #11 280 $.50 $.75
(Main st. area)
Other surface 660 $.20 $.35
parking lots
Library parking 65 $.25 $.35
lots
TOTAL 5153
Meter rates for parking structures in the Downtown Business
District are proposed to remain at the current $.25 per hour
rate.
staff has evaluated various options for implementation of the
proposed parking meter increases and believes the purchase of new
pre-set meter mechanisms to replace all existing mechanisms would
be the most cost-effective strategy. The replacement of all
existing mechanisms with new units should also result in reduced
maintenance and repair costs over time for the city.
Permit Fees for Parkinq structures, Parking Lots, and On-Street
Meters
This section discusses proposed increases in the monthly,
semi-annual, and annual parking permit fees charged for the
City's parking structures, parking lots, and on-street parking
meters. The parking permit fees currently charged by the city
were last increased in 1983 and 1984. Since that time, the fee
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levels charged by the City have fallen far below the average cost
of permit parking in comparable private parking facilities.
Almost all of the parking structure, parking lot and on-street
meter permits sold by the city are purchased either by owners or
employees of businesses located in the vicinity of the parking
lots/structures. Effective parking management by the City
requires that the price of the permits be set at a level which
does not entail a SUbsidy to these businesses and their
employees. Such a subsidy distorts normal parking patterns and
works against TMP objectives.
A survey of representative private parking structures in Santa
Monica shows that private commercial parking fees average from a
low of $49 per month to a high of $66 per month. The fees
proposed in this report are consistent with these prevailing
private parking fees and are substantially below the cost of
hourly meter parking. The following table summarizes the
proposed new rates for each affected category.
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PROPOSED PERMIT FEES
Current Rates
proposed Rates
Structures - In District: (effective 1/1/90)
Upper Floor/mo. S 30 $ 40
Ground Floor/mo. 45 65
12 Hour Meter/mo. 50 50
Upper/annual 324 432
Ground/annual 486 702
Ground/semi-annual N/A 371
Upper/semi-annual 171 228
Structures - Out-of-District: (effective 7/1/89)
Upper Floor/mo. $ 40 $ 50
Ground Floor/mo. 55 75
12 Hour Meter/mo. 50 60
Upper/annual 480 600
Ground/annual 660 900
Ground/semi-annual N/A 450
Upper/semi-annual 240 300
On-Street Meter Permits (effective 7/1/89)
All permits/mo. $ 10 $ 35
surface parking Lots (to be effective 7/1/89)
Lot No. 11/mo. $ 20 $ 50
All Other Lots 35 50
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As a part of the review process leading to the recommendations in
this report, city staff elicited the participation of
representatives of the Bayside District Corporation and Third
street Promenade merchants. The fees which are proposed for
permits sold to owners and employees of businesses within the
downtown assessment district represent a consensus between the
City and these district representatives. The staff proposal also
recommends a delay in implementation of the fee increases for
"in-district" permit purchasers until January 1, 1990. This will
allow sufficient time for the public improvements on the Third
street Promenade to be completed, and will avoid any additional
financial pressures on businesses already impacted by the
construction.
Installation of New Parkinq Meters
In conjunction with the analysis performed to determine the need
to raise existing parking meter rates, staff evaluated various
on-street parking locations throughout the city. Based on this
analysis, it has been determined that there are several
additional areas in the city which justify the installation of
parking meters. These areas are some of the last remaining
commercial areas in the City without parking meters.
Installation of meters in these zones will ensure that the city
has a consistent and equitable on-street parking meter program in
all commercial and retail areas. These new meter installations
will also reduce the current impacts on the City's Police
Department from enforcement of posted parking restrictions.
Enforcement of posted restrictions is much more labor intensive
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and much less effective than enforcement in parking meter zones.
The areas proposed for parking meter installation include:
1. Pico Boulevard between Lincoln Boulevard and the city limits.
This is a commercial and retail street which for most of its
length presently has time restricted parking;
2. Ocean Park Boulevard between Fourteenth street and Twentieth
street. This area is largely retail except for one block
adjacent to John Adams School. The area, in general,
generates short-term parking, but some areas are currently
used by employees for long-term parking;
3. East side of Lincoln Boulevard from Michigan Avenue to Pico
Boulevard and both sides of Lincoln Boulevard from pica
Boulevard to the south city limits. This area is commercial
and retail with a mixture of restricted and unrestricted
parking. Some establishments currently use the street for
commercial purposes while other areas have restricted parking
to facilitate customer parking:
4. Montana Avenue from Seventh Street to Seventeenth Street.
This heavily used retail/commercial area is currently posted
with two hour parking restrictions.
Installation of parking meters in these areas will create
additional vehicle turnover, make parking enforcement more
effective, and bring these zones under the same parking
management principles which currently apply to other commercial
streets in the City. The proposed new meters are not expected to
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increase employee or customer parking in nearby residential
neighborhoods. However, to ensure that residential addresses in
these zones are not significantly impacted by employee parking,
staff is recommending that certain areas be designated for
monthly on-street parking meter permits. These monthly on-street
parking meter permits would be sold at a cost of $35.00 per month
for all proposed new zones with $.35 per hour meters, and at a
cost of $50.00 per month for all proposed new zones with $.50 per
hour meters.
consistent with the previously discussed changes to existing
parking meter rates, staff recommends that the meter rates for
these new zones be established as follows:
Proposed proposed
Location No. of Meters Meter Rate
Montana Ave., 133 $.50 per hour
7th to 17th
Pico Blvd., 177 $.35 per hour
Michigan Ave.
to eastern
City limits
Lincoln Blvd., 111 $.35 per hour
Michigan Ave.
to southern
City limits
Ocean Park BlVd., 79 $.35 per hour
14th st. to
20th st.
Auditorium Parking Lot Fees
The Civic Auditorium parking lot serves as a resource for
Auditorium patrons, County employees and jurors, court business
customers, local students, city employees, overflow city Hall
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visitors, tourists, and as a staging area for trucks working on
local construction sites.
The current maximum per space charge of $3.00 was established in
1982. This rate no longer reflects current market conditions in
Santa Monica and is inconsistent with parking fees charged at
other entertainment venues in the Los Angeles area. The beach
parking rate in Santa Monica is currently $4.00 to $5.00 per
vehicle depending on day and season, and parking rates at other
entertainment facilities range from $4.00 to $10.00 per space.
Given these factors, it is proposed that Auditorium Parking Lot
fees be increased to $4.00 per space.
FISCAL/BUDGET IMPACT
Assuming implementation of the proposed changes beginning July 1,
1989, it is projected that FY 1989-90 General Fund revenue in
account 01-902-030-000-000 would increase by $833,476, revenue in
account 01-906-162-000-000 would increase by $8,260, and revenue
in account 01-906-132-000-000 would increase by $94,962. The
total General Fund revenue increase for FY 1989-90 would total
$936,698. In the parking Authority Fund, revenues in account
77-926-260 would increase by $228,200, In the Auditorium Fund,
revenues in account 32-906-172 would increase by $102,492. These
first year revenue estimates assume that full implementation of
the proposed new rates and fees would take an average of six
months. The annual recurring revenue impact, therefore, would be
approximately double of the above amounts.
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Implementation of the proposed changes would require a one-time
expenditure of about $526,000 in the General Fund for new parking
meters, parking meter mechanisms, and parking signs.
consideration of an additional Parking Meter Collector position
will be undertaken at mid-year 1989-90 once impact of new meter
installation and new rates have been asssessed. Implementation
of the Parking Authority Fund parking meter changes would require
the expenditure of approximately $76,000 for new parking meter
mechanisms. There is no projected expenditure impact in the
Auditorium Fund.
RECOMMENDATION
In order to create a consistent and unified policy towards City
parking fees and meter rates, it is respectfully recommended that
the city Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolutions to increase the fees charged
by the city for parking structure, parking lot, and on-street
meter permits;
2. Adopt the attached resolution increasing the maximum fee per
parking space in the civic Auditorium Parking Lot;
3. Adopt the attached resolution increasing parking meter rates
in the City's Parking Authority parking lots; and
4. Direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance amending
applicable subsections of Section 3393 of the Santa Monica
Municipal Code to establish parking meter zones on certain
portions of Pico Blvd., Lincoln Blvd., Ocean Park Blvd., and
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Montana Avenue; and to increase city-wide parking meter rates
as proposed in this report.
Prepared by: stanley E. Scholl, Director of General Services
Craig Perkins, Administrative services Manager
Ron Fuchiwaki, parking and Traffic Engineer
Barbara Franklin-Moran, Director, CUltural and
Recreation Services
Carole A. Curtin, civic Auditorium Manager
Marsha Eubanks, Senior Administrative Analyst
Susan Munves, Administrative Analyst
(parmeter)
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RESOLUTION NO. (PAS)
PARKING AUTHORITYSERIES
A RESOLUTION OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA ESTABLISHING PARKING METER RATES IN
LOTS 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 AND 26
WHEREAS, there is an extremely high demand for off-stret
parking in the City: and
WHEREAS, the prices of parking meters in off-street
parking lots no longer reflects the high demand for parking in
the city; and
WHEREAS, beachgoers create a parking shortage for
customers of Main street businesses.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF
SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1, The Parking Authority establishes a
Thirty-five Cents ($0,35) per hour parking meter rate for Lots 3,
4, 6, 8, 12, 17, and 18 effective July 1, 1989.
SECTION 2. The parking Authority establishes a
seventy-five Cents ($0.75) per hour parking meter rate for Lots
2, 9, la, 11, and 26 effective July 1, 1989.
SECTION 3. The Executive secretary shall certify to the
adoption of this resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the
same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ROBERT M. MYERS
City Attorney
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RESOWTION NO.
(CITY COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA ESTABLISHING PARKING
STRUCTURE PERMIT FEES
'w.t1J!a<.EAS, the parking structure permit fees have not been
increased since December, 1984; and
WHEREAS, the operation and maintenance costs have
increased: and
WHEREAS, the current parking rates are below the average
parking rates of similar facilities in the area,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The ground floor permit fees for the parking
structures shall be Sixty-five Dollars ($65.00) per month and the
upper level permit fee shall be Forty Dollars ($40.00) per month
effective January 1, 1990.
SECTION 2. Users of the parking structures shall pay an
additional Ten Dollars ($10.00) per month per permit effective
July 1, 1989.
SECTION 3. That the City Clerk shall certify to the
adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the
same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ROBERT M. MYERS
city Attorney
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RESOLUTION NO.
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA INCREASING ON-STREET PARKING
METER PERMIT FEES
WHEREAS, there is an extremely high demand for both on-
street and private parking in the city; and
WHEREAS, the price of on-street parking meter permit fees
no longer reflects the high demand for parking in the City,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The monthly on-street parking meter permit
fee shall be Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) in those zones where the
hourly parking meter rate is Thirty-five Cents ($0.35), effective
July 1, 1989.
SECTION 2. The monthly on-street parking meter permit
fee shall be Fifty Dollars ($50.00) in those zones where the hourly
parking meter rate is Fifty Cents ($0.50) or Seventy-five Cents
($0.75), effective July 1, 1989.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption
of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall
be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ROBERT M. MYERS
City Attorney
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RESOLUTION NO.
(Parking Authority Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE
- CITY OF SANTA MONICA ESTABLISHING MONTHLY
PARKING PERMIT FEES FOR PARKING LOTS 3, 4, 7,
8, 9, 11 AND 12
THE PARKING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The monthly permit parking fees for parking
lots 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 shall be Fifty Dollars ($50.00) per
month.
SECTION 2. The effective date of the parking permit fee
increase shall be July 1, 1989.
SECTION 3. The Executive Secretary shall certify to the
adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the
same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ROBERT M. MYERS
City Attorney