SR-04-09-2013-8ACity Council Meeting: April 9, 2013
Agenda Item: 8-A
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Gigi Decavalles- Hughes, Director of Finance
Subject: Adoption of a Resolution Setting Public Parking Rates
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council adopt the attached resolution establishing new
parking rates in Downtown parking structures at the lowest price generally available to
Downtown residents for those who are disabled and living in 100% affordable housing
units in Downtown when no onsite parking is available.
Executive Summary
Public parking in Santa Monica is a limited resource that is in high demand, and
presents many challenges to both users and City administrators. To address these
challenges and provide tools to better manage parking resources, Council adopted
changes to the Municipal Code and Parking Rates in July 2012 that have increased
usage of underutilized locations and increased availability in heavily burdened core
locations. Additionally, the policies adopted in July 2012 began charging vehicles with
disabled placards in the Downtown core where accessible spaces were frequently fully
occupied, reducing access to disabled spaces in the Downtown. This policy has
eliminated any low cost option for disabled residents who live in buildings with no onsite
parking. To address this need, staff is proposing to charge the lowest rate generally
available to Downtown residents, currently $65 per month, to persons with disabled
placards that reside in buildings with no onsite parking within the Downtown core.
Background
At its meeting on July 10, 2012, the City Council adopted Resolution 10694(CCS) that
established a policy of charging vehicles with disabled placards in the Downtown
parking structures. This policy was recommended as a means to increase access to
parking for those with disabled placards. Prior to the change, the City's parking data
showed 97% of ADA accessible spaces in Downtown were occupied during peak
weekday times, 92% of those spaces were occupied by the same vehicle for more than
four hours, and 84% were occupied by the same vehicle for more than six hours. After
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the change, an average of 85% of accessible spaces are available during peak
weekday times of Monday through Friday afternoons.
Discussion
The policy related to charging vehicles with disabled placards has had a significant
positive impact on increasing availability of designated spaces for those with disabled
placards. Currently, residents of Downtown are generally provided with three parking
options:
1) Onsite parking provided or leased by the building owner;
2) Parking in City -owned Downtown parking structures at a rate of $160 per month
for all hours access; or
3) Parking in the Civic Center at a rate of $65 per month for all hours access.
The majority of Downtown residents either have onsite parking or a lower -cost City
controlled option in the Civic Center.
However, staff has identified a particular population where the policy of charging those
with disabled placards has created an additional financial burden compared to those
without disabled placards. The City approved a residential building at 1423 2 "d Street
without any onsite parking after the developer, Community Corporation of Santa
Monica, paid in lieu fees to the Downtown Parking District. Since the lower -cost Civic
Center option is not practical for residents with disabled placards, the only option
available to them is $160 per month in the Downtown structures.
Staff has been contacted by residents of 2nd Street who have disabled placards
requesting the City's assistance in providing free or discounted parking. Staff also met
with the Community Corporation of Santa Monica to discuss its parking situation.
Following these discussions, and in recognition of its unique parking situation, staff
developed a proposal to offer disabled residents of 100% affordable housing buildings
within a narrowly defined area of Downtown that have no onsite parking the option to
purchase anytime parking in the Downtown parking structures at the lowest parking rate
at any City -owned facility that is available to residents of the Downtown. This proposal
would result in monthly passes providing access to the Downtown parking structures
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being made available to those who meet the narrowly- defined criteria for the current
monthly rate of $65, to match the Civic Center rate available to other residents. This is a
significant discount to the $160 rate currently providing the same level of access.
This policy recommendation is contrary to the Land Use and Circulation Element
(LUCE) policy 21.2 that seeks to eliminate direct and hidden subsidies of motor vehicle
parking and driving, making the true costs of parking and driving visible to motorists.
However, by requiring the payment of a rate, it is supportive of LUCE policy 26.6 to use
parking pricing as a tool to manage congestion.
Considering the various factors discussed above and the narrowly defined criteria, staff
does not believe that adoption of the proposed discounted parking rate would have a
significant negative effect on the parking supply for vehicles with disabled placards
within the Downtown. Staff anticipates the recommended action would affect less than
a dozen downtown residents.
Alternatives
Council could consider directing staff to continue to charge residents with disabled
placards the non - subsidized rate of $160 per month for parking in the Downtown
Structures. This alternative would most closely implement the adopted policies of the
LUCE and discourage the long -term parking of vehicles in the Downtown Parking
Structures, thereby increasing access to ADA spaces for all Downtown users.
Financial Impact and Budget Actions
There is no financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended
action.
Prepared by: Donald Patterson, Assistant Director - Finance
l S
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachments:
A. Resolution
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Reference Resolution No.
10743 (CCS)