To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Daniel Sailer, Public Works Director
Title
Discussion/Direction: Parking Permit Program
Body
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Executive Summary
In early November 2022 Town Council directed staff to review options for a Parking Permit Program and report back on our findings and options for developing a new program. Staff reviewed twenty-two jurisdictions along the Front Range for information regarding parking permit programs (Attachment A). Since the Town has no formal permit parking program approved at this time, any new program or change to municipal code would need to be acted on by Town Council. The purpose of this item is for staff to share information regarding other jurisdiction’s programs for the Town’s consideration and request direction from Town Council on this matter.
Staff’s review found that thirteen communities have no program at all, including all surrounding Douglas County jurisdictions. Four larger sized communities like Denver, Golden, and Boulder had city staff determine permit areas. Five communities: Centennial, Aurora, Englewood, Arvada, and Ft. Collins have resident initiated permit parking programs. Since this is a quality of life issue, staff feels that a resident initiated program would be the most appropriate to consider. These five community’s programs are the focus of the options staff have presented for consideration. All five of these jurisdictions administer their programs in-house to include administration and enforcement. If a program is developed it’s estimated that the annual cost to run this program would be in the range of $25,000 - $50,000, and may require additional staff depending on the model selected. If Town Council is interested in a specific model, staff can refine this further.
Notification and Outreach Efforts
There will be a presentation on February 6, 2023 to the Public Works Commission to obtain the Commission’s recommendation to Town Council on this matter. An update on their recommendation will be provided at the Town Council meeting.
In 2015, Town staff did a similar review of other jurisdictions permitted parking programs. A permit parking program was not pursued at that time. A Resolution was recommended and approved by Public Works Commission and Town Council in 2018 to Approve the Town of Castle Rock On-Street Parking Policy (Attachment B). There were parking problems around schools which led to the formation of the policy. It outlines a process Public Works and Development Services staff, Police, and neighborhood residents can follow to limit parking, i.e. have no on-street parking at specific times for any vehicles on their local neighborhood roadways. Similar parking issues have been found around other schools in surrounding local neighborhoods and has not led to limiting any parking. If Town Council directs staff to implement a parking permit program, this existing policy would be eliminated.
Discussion
How to determine a permit parking area
Similar to the On-Street Parking Policy, and Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program it is recommended to determine thresholds for parking or community problems that need to be addressed by such a program. This could include support of a certain percentage of residents along with a minimum area size. See the column “how an area is developed” in Attachment A. This information speaks about permitted parking in areas with high trip generations, around schools, downtown areas, public transit facilities, event venues, parks, or determined by a quantified parking problem. The Town has a few areas that fall in this category, including around secondary and elementary schools, near the Miller Activity Complex (MAC), near high density residential units with limited parking, and in the downtown area to name a few. The extent of a parking problem has not been quantified in these areas, however a “quality of life” type program that is initiated by a neighborhood petition could be used to begin a program. This petition would need significant support by local residents in the affected area.
Our review of other jurisdictions resident driven parking permit programs found minimum resident support of a program was as low as a simple majority, and more commonly 67% to 75% of residents supporting an implementation. The size of permitted areas ranged between one block of 3 to 10 homes, to just 10 homes, or only a few streets around a school area. We need to be aware of parking problems on one street or area, being shifted to a neighboring street or area, when parking is limited due to a permit program. To address this, a comprehensive review by staff to identify when parking problems may shift to create different problems in a nearby area would need to be addressed with each project.
How to issue and manage a permit
In the resident driven parking permit programs we reviewed, the issuing of permits is provided by Town staff. In most cases this is handled by one or two staff members from a team of folks for varying amounts of time based on the size of the jurisdiction and the complexity of the communities permit parking program. If Town Council is interested in pursuing a particular model, staff will refine these details further.
Generally, four permits were issued per household, this is by one to two permits per permitee, with two to three guest passes provided, and up to three to five per household depending on density of available parking in the area. Some guest passes are limited to a 24 hour period. Some apartments are limited to only one permit.
The most common cost is $0 for the first one or two permits, up to $10 and $25. For the free initial permit programs, more than two to three permits costs $5 to $10 for additional permits. Ft. Collins had a stepped permit cost, the first is $0, second $15, third $40, fourth $100, and fifth $200.
Most permits are valid for the calendar year, also two years, and up to while a resident lives in the area. Permit areas are reviewed periodically by staff to determine effectiveness and necessity. This is done every year, to every three years, or based on as-needed or a complaint based system.
Most fees for illegal parking are $25, with second offense $25 up to $50. One jurisdiction tows vehicles away to an impound area they own. The Town does not currently have an impound area. One jurisdiction gives a first offense warning, second and subsequent offenses are $30.
Based on the information we collected, an option for an initial permitted parking program could be based on something like Centennial, Englewood, and Aurora’s programs:
• 75 to 80% of residents need to support the resident driven program in their neighborhood or the staff determined area of impact,
• Limit smallest areas to one block with around 10 houses, however consideration for permitted parking shifting a problem to a neighboring street must be determined by staff,
• Areas of consideration focused around highest trip generation areas, like around schools, parks, public transit, and event venues,
• One permit for each registered vehicles, or two permits per household issued; two to three additional visitor passes per registration with a maximum of four permits per permitee,
• Cost is about $25 per permit, free visitor passes are provided with permit,
• Permit is valid for either one to three years, or held until the resident moves out of the area; guest passes are renewed at the end of the calendar year.
• Staff should review the permit area for continuation and effectiveness, including gathering feedback from residents on an annual to three year basis,
• Fines should include, first offense is a warning, second $30, subsequent offense $50.
Budget Impact
Staff would need to determine the budget impact based on the type of program Town Council directs staff to pursue. The one jurisdiction cost received was about $35,000 per year to administer their program. Another jurisdiction stated for two months a year, one staff member was dedicated solely to issuing parking permits. When considering additional costs for sign installation and maintenance, enforcement, and miscellaneous administration items a ballpark range to establish and operate a new parking permit program is estimated to be between $25,000 to $50,000 per year. There is also a possibility of needing additional staff to administer and enforce the program depending on which option is selected. The cost of the additional staff and other additional costs would be determined once the direction is given by Council on which type of program to pursue.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that if Town Council desires to pursue a program, that staff refine the details and projected costs and follow up with a formal program policy, similar to our Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program that is formally adopted by Town Council.
Proposed Motion
If a new parking permit program is recommended:
"I move that Town Council direct staff to develop a formal Parking Permit program for future Town Council adoption.”
If a parking permit program is not recommended:
“I move that Town Council not direct staff to develop a Parking Permit program”
“I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on (date) to allow additional time to (list information needed)”
Attachments
Attachment A: Summary of Other Jurisdiction Parking Permit Programs
Attachment B: Current Town Policy