AgdaPkt 2006-02-27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SA Page 3 The second new feature introduced by the proposal is a shared parking incentive. Commercial and hotel projects which allow anyone to park in their parking lots would be given a lower minimum parking requirement. This is because different types of businesses have different peak parking periods, and by sharing parking the overall number of spaces needed in a downtown is reduced. This is intended to avoid situations such as the all-too-common bank parking lot which sits empty at night as restaurant patrons search for parking. For more information on shared parking, please refer to the attached Technical Report. In-Lieu Parkina Fee Proaram: In addition to requirements for the number of spaces which must be provided for new businesses and buildings, the zoning text amendment currently under consideration would also create an in-lieu parking fee program. This allows developers to pay a fee for each required parking space that is not provided on-site. The money would then be put in a separate fund, and when the fund is large enough the City would create public parking with it. This program would make odd-shaped or small lots more easily redeveloped by the private sector, thus preventing "stranded" underdeveloped small lots which disrupt the Downtown's urban form. It would also have other advantages, including: 1. Better Urban Design. The city can put public parking lots and structures where they do not deter vehicle and pedestrian circulation. Less on-site parking allows continuous store fronts without dead gaps for adjacent surface parking lots. Developers can undertake infill projects without assembling large sites to accommodate on-site parking, and architects have greater freedom to design better buildings in a more pedestrian-friendly environment. 2. More people on the sidewalks. When a development's parking is provided in a city garage via in-lieu parking, people will park away from their destination and must walk to get to their destination. This puts people on the sidewalks, which adds to the liveliness and safety of the sidewalks and provides opportunities for "customer sharing, II which will help merchants. 3. The City Controls the Parking. When the parking is built by the city through the in-lieu program, the City can manage it with market rate-prices for maximum effectiveness and can also keep the revenue, which can be used for Downtown improvements. Many cities have such a program, including Palo Alto, San Carlos, and Mountain View and its adoption for Downtown Redwood City is recommended by staff. It is recommended that this program be both optional (meaning developers can provide parking on-site if they wish) and discretionary (meaning that the ability to pay the fee is not automatic and that the City can examine each application and determine if an in-lieu fee is appropriate before approving the project). Setting the amount of the in-lieu fee involves balancing several policy objectives: 1. Cost Recovery. To avoid the need for a subsidy, the in-lieu fee needs to be adequate in the long run to cover the full cost of providing the needed parking spaces. The estimated construction cost of providing parking in an above-ground parking structure is approximately $20,000 per space, plus land costs. For 2006 STAFF REPORTS< AGREEMENTS_02-2006_Downtown Pemng Requirements Update 3 ~...-.. __'_"..... < ~> ,....' _"'___"_._.._~..., M' .,____..., ,_ ._.__. ....___,..__~__.~. "._",_.,___