AgdaPkt 2019-10-14 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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8.A. - Page 20 of 56 The recommendation to limit parking on Main St. to two hours will be part of a complete update on the Downtown parking program with data on parking usage that is scheduled to be presented to the City Council this winter. Ensuring there is sufficient parking to support retail in the Downtown Core creates competing priorities for public benefits. The proposed park planned for the City Hall Main Street lot behind City Hall, while a positive amenity for the Downtown, would reduce parking needed to support existing and new restaurants and retail stores. Reducing street parking to accommodate sidewalk dining and park -lets, loading zones, and other streetscape improvements also creates tradeoffs in terms of desired public benefits. As these projects and programs proceed, a balanced solution to address the need for parking to support new retail businesses and restaurants will need to be found. Parking availability is also impacted by the increased use of ride sharing vehicles and the loading and unloading of business materials that use existing parking spaces to either load or unload passengers or unload business materials. As part of the next community visioning process for the downtown, further study of parking in the Downtown should be considered. This includes identifying the appropriate parking ratio for retail to thrive in Redwood City and how parking spaces are allocated to support the needs of businesses (i.e. short-term parking, loading zones, ride share passenger loading, etc.) Recommendations: 1) The City should consider updating the parking analysis and program (last done in 2013). The study should identify enough parking stalls for a ratio of 2.5 parking stalls for every 1000 s.f. of retail space and determine current parking usage. (Note: staff is currently undertaking another review of retail space in the DTPP to confirm that the City currently provides 2.5 stalls per 1,OOO.s.f of retail space.) 2) Ensure these parking stalls are located within a one to three block distance from blocks where retail/active uses are required on the ground floor. If the parking ratio falls below 2.5 spaces/1000 s.f. for any section of street that requires retail on the ground level, parking may not be sufficient to strengthen retail. 10 3) The City should explore amending public parking agreements in new developments to allow additional public parking during weekday daytime hours to accommodate lack of parking. 4) Explore using right-of-ways for designated loading and unloading and ride share drop-off and pick-up uses. 5) The City should survey existing retailers and restaurants along Broadway and Main Street to get their opinion if the correct amount of parking is currently being provided. 10 The 2.5/1000 ratio is acceptable in Downtown due to the amount of office space and number of residential units in proximity to the Downtown retail. Otherwise, parking ratios for retail are normally 4 spaces/1000 s.f. Additionally, in the City's 2013 parking analysis (page 13) Thursday mid-day peak lunch hour parking occupancy reached higher than normal occupancy (— 85%) in the parking areas that support the most vibrant section of Broadway, also on street parking occupancy was even higher. 14 240