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6.1.F. - Page 1 <br /> RE PO RT <br /> To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> From the Cit Mana er <br /> March 25, 2013 <br /> SUBJECT <br /> Temporary Suspension of Parking Rates in the Middlefield Parking Lot on Operational <br /> Days of the Kiwanis Farmers Market <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> Approve, by motion, the temporary suspension of parking rates in the Middlefield <br /> parking lot on operational days of the Kiwanis Farmers Market — Saturday mornings <br /> from 7 am until 1 pm, during the months of April through June, 2013. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The Kiwanis Farmers Market has been in operation in Redwood City for over three <br /> decades, located in the City-owned Winslow parking lot at the corner of Winslow Street <br /> and Hamilton Street. Typically, customers of the market utilize the City's Middlefield <br /> ("Block 2") parking lot. The City supports and assists in sponsoring the market by <br /> providing banners promoting the market and hanging them on City light standards and, <br /> for approximately the last five years, allowing free parking in the Middlefield lot during <br /> the Kiwanis market's operational hours. This support was an element of the former <br /> Redevelopment Agency's Downtown economic development activity. <br /> In early 2012, the City re-wrote the farmers market agreement with Kiwanis, including <br /> formalizing this parking arrangement. At that time, the City Council approved a <br /> temporary suspension of parking rates at the Middlefield parking lot for this purpose. <br /> This year, the Kiwanis Farmers Market begins on April 6, and will continue at its present <br /> location only through the end of June. As of July 1, the Kiwanis will be vacating the <br /> Winslow parking lot, since the lot will be used by the Redwood Tower construction <br /> contractor as a staging area. Staff is working with the Kiwanis to explore options for an <br /> alternative site, to be used for the remainder of the Kiwanis Farmers Market season, <br /> from July through November. No suspension of parking rates is envisioned for any <br /> alternate site that the Kiwanis may use in the future. <br /> ANALYSIS <br /> Providing free parking for those limited, Saturday morning hours serves the public <br /> interest by making it more convenient for more people to come to Downtown Redwood <br />