Title
Recommendation to Authorize the Public Works Director to Enter into Letters of Agreement between the City of Alameda and the Downtown Alameda Business Association for the Administration of a Monthly Parking Permit Program in City-Owned Lots A and C. (Public Works 224)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) has two public parking lots (Lots A and C) in the Park Street downtown business district. Lot A is located on the west side of Park Avenue, between Santa Clara Avenue and Central Avenue, and Lot C is located on the south side of Central Avenue, between Park Street and Oak Street. Since 2002, the Downtown Alameda Business Association (DABA) has administered downtown business employee monthly permit parking in the lots through a letter of Agreement (Agreement) with the City. The last extension of the Agreement expired on June 30, 2017, and at this time the City and DABA are interested in continuing this arrangement for up to six years.
BACKGROUND
The City has two public parking lots in the Park Street Business District. Lot A is located on the west side of Park Avenue, between Santa Clara Avenue and Central Avenue, and Lot C is located on the south side of Central Avenue between Park Street and Oak Street. Since May 2002, DABA has administered the issuance and tracking of monthly parking permits in the two lots through an Agreement with the City. The monthly parking permit program provides designated parking spaces for business employees in the Park Street downtown business district in Lots A and C. The Public Works Department provides parking permits on a monthly basis to DABA and business employees purchase the permits from DABA at a cost of $60 per permit, per month. All monies from the sale of permits collected by DABA are deposited with the City on a monthly basis. DABA provides monthly and quarterly reports to the Public Works Department and currently receives $150 per month for administering the program. On April 5, 2011, the City Council authorized the Public Works Director to enter into an Agreement with the option to renew on a year-by-year basis for up to an additional five years. The last extension of the Agreement expired on June 30, 2017.
DISCUSSION
The monthly parking permit program has proved a successful partnership and DABA and the City are interested in continuing this arrangement. Additionally, it is recommended that the quarterly administrative fee, which has been flat since 2011, be increased from $150 per month to $300 per month. In accordance with Section 2-59.3 of the Alameda Municipal Code, which requires the City Council to approve any contract that extends beyond five years, staff requests approval to establish a new Agreement. As proposed, the City and DABA will be able to mutually extend the Agreement for up to five additional years based on satisfactory performance of all aspects of this Agreement. A copy of the Agreements are attached as Exhibits 1 and 2.
ALTERNATIVES
The two alternatives if the City Council does not approve this action are: (a) direct City staff to perform this work in-house, and (b) end the monthly permit parking program.
Staff does not currently account for administration of the monthly permit parking program in existing work plans, and bringing the work in-house may result in other work functions not occurring without increasing staff resources.
In the absence of the monthly permit parking program, there is the potential that employees using the parking permit program would instead park on-street, thus, removing those spots from circulation for visitors to the business district and increasing congestion/circling for parking.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost of administering the program is included in the Parking Meter Fund (Fund 224) budget. The fee to administer the program is proposed at $300 per month paid quarterly to DABA. The parking revenue collections are deposited and accounted for in the Parking Meter Fund. There is no impact to the City's General Fund.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICYT DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action does not affect the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities.
CLIMATE IMPACTS
The monthly permit parking program helps move long term employee parking off-street, thus freeing up on-street spaces for business district patrons while reducing circling for parking which increases congestion in the district, vehicle emissions, and well as wear and tear on the roadway. Maintaining the monthly permit parking program helps eliminate these impacts and is consistent with the 2014 Council approved parking occupancy goal of freeing up one to two spaces per block.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Public Works Director to enter into letters of agreement between the City of Alameda and the Downtown Alameda Business Association for the administration of a monthly parking permit program in City-owned lots A and C.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager will complete this section.
Respectfully submitted,
Liam Garland, Public Works Director
By:
Liz Acord, Public Works Coordinator
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Lot A Agreement Letter
2. Lot C Agreement Letter