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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-08-19 DTPC MIN DOWNTOWN PARKING COMMISSION MEETING August 19, 2021 Chair McAllister called the meeting to order at 8:42 a.m. Present: Chair McAllister, Commissioners Glynn, LePage, Council Liaison Junker Absent: Commissioners Anderson & Hopfe Staff present: Community Development Director Gladhill, Police Chief Mueller ELECTION OF OFFICERS Election of Officers was postponed to January 2022. OPEN FORUM There were no public comments. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. NEW BUSINESS Approve Requested Agenda for Joint Workshop with City Council Community Development Director Gladhill stated that a Joint Meeting with the City Council is scheduled for October 7. With recent staffing changes and updates to the City’s Strategic Plan, staff is recommending a newly formatted Work Plan to help focus conversation and prioritization. Additionally, Mr. Gladhill’s role will shift somewhat from planning to economic development including business retention and expansion. Improving internal and external communications could be an additional goal, as requested in discussion prior to the meeting by Chair McAllister. Police Chief Mueller explained the establishment of a downtown precinct. He clarified that the role of the Police Department staff is to respond to Council direction, while creating policy is the role of the City Council and Commissions. The Police Department will still be involved with the Downtown Parking Commission, but the major staff support for this commission is Community Development. Councilmember Junker said the nine strategies that came out of the recent parking capacity study are interrelated, and predicated on enforcement to make sure the strategies work. The DTPC needs to utilize the time with the Council to get a jump start on implementing the strategies. Consensus of the Commission was to support the reformatted work plan as presented. Commissioner LePage pointed out that communication of the new strategies and parking policies will need to be very different for visitors than for the people who live and work downtown. Mr. Gladhill noted a marketing campaign and communications plan will be developed. Additionally, the Chamber has reestablished a downtown steering committee which will be another tool for collaborating and communicating with the downtown community. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Downtown Parking Commission Meeting August 19, 2021 Page 2 of 4 Possible approval of minutes of July 15, 2021 special meeting Motion by Chair McAllister, seconded by Commissioner Glynn, to approve the July 15, 2021 special meeting minutes. All in favor. STAFF UPDATES Chair McAllister asked Police Chief Mueller, under the new model for staffing the DTPC meetings, how the Commission will have access to enforcement-related input and information. Chief Mueller replied that Mr. Gladhill has done great job of aligning everyone on staff in terms of job responsibilities and he can convey questions from the Commission. Police personnel will not speak for the City as a whole, or be involved in decision-making on pricing, for example. A lot of the agenda items relate more to the bigger picture. The Police Department personnel will be a resource and be at the table but are not here to say which direction the City should go - that is the job of elected officials. Mr. Gladhill added that staff from the various departments will meet monthly to review items that will be coming before the Commissions. If Commissioners see something on an agenda that involves particular staff, he can make sure someone is at the meeting to answer the question, rather than having staff there just in case there is a question. This is part of defining roles better and making better use of staff time. Chair McAllister remarked there are some pragmatic things that traditionally get set into motion with Parking Enforcement Officer Pasket at the table, for instance issues unique to blocking off parking spots 24 hours in advance for an event - he has historically provided the solutions. Without having that conversation at the table, there will need to be some followup around the specificity related to some of the DTPC decisions. NEW BUSINESS continued Discuss Revised Signage in Parking Ramp Mr. Gladhill reported that parking ramp users have voiced confusion over when to pay for garage parking. Staff recommends installing additional signage that emphasizes that you must pay immediately upon parking. He showed two examples provided by AirGarage that better express the payment process. In addition, staff has begun a project to consolidate three separate payments systems across the Downtown Parking System into one system. That would be the appropriate time to add a second kiosk to the Parking Ramp. It has not been determined yet whether the City will stick with AirGarage. Councilmember Junker emphasized that the first thing drivers should see when they pull into the parking ramp is signage that says they must pay now. Consensus of the Commission was to change the entry signage at the parking ramp per the staff recommendation, adding “Pay when you park” and adding the number “Text to pay.” Rivertown Fall Art Festival Event Permit Mr. Gladhill stated that the Stillwater Area Chamber of Commerce submitted an event application for its annual Rivertown Fall Art Festival October 2-3. The parking lots involved are Lots 5, 9 and 10 as well as on-street parking on Mulberry Point Circle. Staff recommends approval of the use of Lots 5, 9 and 10 and on-street parking on Mulberry Point Circle for a total fee of $1,332. Councilmember Junker recommended staff make sure P.D. Pappy’s is aware of the festival. Downtown Parking Commission Meeting August 19, 2021 Page 3 of 3 Motion by Chairwoman McAllister, seconded by Commissioner Glynn, to approve the request for the use of Lots 5, 9, 10 and on-street parking on Mulberry Point for the Rivertown Fall Art Festival, with the recommended fee. All in favor. Harvest Fest Event Permit Mr. Gladhill stated that Summer Tuesdays, Inc. submitted an event application for the 2021 Harvest Fest on October 9-10. The event organizers want to use Parking Lots 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11, and Mulberry Circle. Staff recommends approval of the use of Lots 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and Mulberry Circle, for a fee of $2,019. Chair McAllister reminded the Commission that when blocking off lots that have overnight residential parking, the City needs to either not ticket the cars that have to park elsewhere as long as they have their residential permit in the window, or otherwise open some other lots to overnight parking. Mr. Gladhill noted that switching to a license plate reader type of enforcement would mean the permit is the license plate and staff could then make a quick change allowing them to park in another area. Chair McAllister said the issue is how to notify the permit holders where they should park. It is a small group of people but they need to be considered. Commissioner LePage remarked the Commission should address this when discussing the parking mitigation policy in light of new residential developments. There will continue to be more people displaced when permit lots are reserved for events. As new residential projects come forward, this underscores the need to require all residential parking to be on site. Chair McAllister added that some of the residential overnight parking permits are for people who are actually living in the downtown apartments while other permits are assigned to VRBOs whose guests don’t necessarily know where to park if the designated lot is full. She knows of 12 VRBOs on Main Street that have residential permits for their guests. Councilmember Junker said boaters on Mulberry Point are another group of permit holders to notify. Motion by Commissioner Glynn, seconded by Commissioner LePage, to approve Harvest Fest parking as recommended by staff with the standard fee. All in favor. DISCUSSION There were no discussion items. STAFF UPDATES continued Discuss Consolidating Payment Systems To the issues discussed already, Mr. Gladhill added that staff has been talking about adding a category of overnight permits, for those whose businesses run overnight. Police Department Participation in Downtown Parking Policy Development and Enforcement [Chair Request] (and/or Review Updated Staff Roles and Responsibilities to Support Downtown Parking Commission) Discussed above. Public Comments regarding parking ramp received since last meeting Mr. Gladhill shared two complaints received about the ramp signage. ADJOURNMENT Chair McAllister adjourned the meeting at 9:40 a.m. Downtown Parking Commission Meeting August 19, 2021 Page 4 of 4 ____________ Heidi McAllister, Chair ATTEST: ________________ Tim Gladhill, Community Development Director