AgdaPkt 2012-03-19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6. 1. E. - Page 1 REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager March 19, 2012 SUBJECT Temporary Suspension of Parking Rates in the Middlefield Parking Lot on Operational Days of the Kiwanis Farmers Market RECOMMENDATION Approve, by motion, the temporary suspension of parking rates in the Middlefield parking lot on operational days of the Kiwanis Farmers Market — Saturday mornings from 7 am until 1 pm, during the months of April through November, 2012. BACKGROUND The Kiwanis Farmers Market has been in operation in Redwood City for over three decades, located in the City -owned Winslow parking lot at the corner of Winslow Street and Hamilton Street. Typically, customers of the market utilize the City's Middlefield ( "Block 2 ") parking lot. The City supports and assists in sponsoring the market by providing banners promoting the market and hanging them on City light standards and, for approximately the last five years, allowing free parking in the Middlefield lot during the Kiwanis market's operational hours. This support was an element of the former redevelopment agency's Downtown economic development activity. As the City is now rewriting the farmers market agreement with Kiwanis, it is an opportunity to formalize this parking arrangement. Providing free parking for those limited, Saturday morning hours serves the public interest by making it more convenient for more people to come to Downtown Redwood City during that time, to visit the market and then to patronize Downtown businesses. The Kiwanis Club is a 501 C (3) nonprofit and its market event serves a public purpose by attracting people into Downtown. Provision of free parking enhances that attraction. Staff therefore recommends the suspension of parking rates in the Middlefield parking lot from 7 am to 1 pm on those days that the Kiwanis Farmers Market is in operation (each Saturday during the months of April through November, 2012). The City Council may temporarily suspend parking rates according to the City Municipal Code Section 20.133 excerpted as follows: Sec. 20.133. PROVISIONS FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF METER RATES: The provisions of this Division may be suspended from time to time by motion of the City Council in any case where the Council finds that strict compliance would not serve the public interest, including but not limited to the use of public streets and sidewalks for