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6.3.B. - Page 8 <br /> TJKM <br /> Transportation <br /> Consultants <br /> 0 INTRODUCTION <br /> For decades, most major cities in the nation have struggled to balance the desire to support growth <br /> and to somehow contain the increased vehicular traffic and associated negative impacts on the <br /> livability of their quiet neighborhoods. While local governments continued to manage increased <br /> auto use and increased parking demands though zoning regulations, it is widely accepted that <br /> creating more parking is as impractical as building more freeways to meet the growing travel <br /> demand. Additionally, creating more parking to meet the peak demand is not only very expensive, <br /> but it creates abundance of oversupply during all hours other than the peak demand periods. It is <br /> imperative that dependency on the auto travel and resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are <br /> appropriately addressed and contained. More sustainable and economically feasible alternatives <br /> must be developed to assure quiet, safer and walkable communities for future generations. <br /> Planners, city leaders and developers must work together to address these issues and support <br /> development policies that encourage compact and transit-friendly urban designs that promote <br /> alternate modes of transportation, preserve open space and reduce GHGs. <br /> Redwood City continues to attract new employers, residents and businesses to its thriving <br /> downtown core. It is critical to provide adequate parking that makes the retail activity more <br /> attractive and helps builders fully lease office, residential and retail land uses. As the downtown <br /> development activities continue over the coming years,the increased demand on transportation <br /> aiku infrastructure and mobility may pose new challenges to the attractiveness of its downtown and <br /> livability of its neighborhoods.The City's Downtown Precise Plan acknowledged the negative <br /> impacts of excessive parking and outlined parking regulations that will ensure convenient and <br /> accessible parking for all without the negative impact on the Downtown's pedestrian-oriented <br /> character. <br /> Since completing a comprehensive analysis of parking conditions in 2005, Redwood City has <br /> implemented several policy changes that have resulted in better parking operations within the <br /> downtown core.The most recent changes include an August 2014 increase in the on-street meter <br /> fees that may improve dispersion of parking demand in the downtown core and the immediate <br /> vicinity. Figure 1 shows major public parking facilities within the downtown core. <br /> Since 2006, Redwood City has offered an In-Lieu Parking Fee Program to developers who may <br /> Q choose to pay a set fee per parking space in lieu of providing the necessary number of spaces to <br /> gyp] comply with the code requirements. Several developers have opted to pay this fee in the past <br /> decade, and recently many more have proposed to do so.The program guidelines adopted by the <br /> City Council in 2006 have not been updated. Now,the City wishes to revisit the intended purpose of <br /> the program, address any known issues and challenges, and make necessary policy and procedural <br /> revisions including a higher fee that reflects a realistic cost of building a parking space.This report <br /> summarizes the use of the program over the last decade, current issues and challenges and offers <br /> p, summarizes <br /> to improve effectiveness of the program.The report reflects valuable input from <br /> the City staff and various committees and stakeholders including the Economic Development+ <br /> Downtown Subcommittee. <br /> A <br /> Redwood City In-Lieu Parking Fee Study Page I 1 <br />