Report to/Rapport au:
Comité des transport
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par:
Steve
Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,
City Operations/Opérations municipales
Contact Person/Personne ressource:
John
Manconi, General Manager /directeur générale, Public Works/Travaux Publics
(613) 580-2424, extension/poste 21110,
John.Manconi@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
STRATÉGIE MUNICIPALE DE GESTION DU STATIONNEMENT
ET ANALYSE DE LA GOUVERNANCE |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the
Transportation Committee recommend that Council:
1.
Approve the City of Ottawa
Municipal Parking Management Strategy, attached as Document 1, which includes
the following elements:
a.
Parking Management Principles
and Objectives
b.
Funding Model
c.
Parking Rate Setting Guideline
d.
Performance Measures
e.
Parking
Function Accountabilities
2.
Approve the continuance of the
internal Governance Model and adopt the Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group
Terms of Reference, attached as Document 2.
3.
Approve the Standard Terms of
Reference for Local Area Parking Studies, attached as Document 3.
4.
Subject to approval of
recommendation 1 and 2, direct staff to carry out the Implementation Plan,
attached as Document 4, which builds the foundation for the new Parking
Management Program, and includes the following elements:
a.
Initiate a Local Area Parking
Study for the By Ward Market in 2009
b.
Establish the Parking
Stakeholders Consultation Group
c.
Amend the Tariff of Fees Bylaw
to allow for a range of permitted parking rates
d.
Restate the 2009 Budget in
accordance with the adopted funding model
e.
Undertake further
Local Area Parking Studies in 2010
5.
Subject to the approval of
recommendation 1 and 2, approve that $75,000 for parking studies to be
undertaken in 2009 be added to the list of 2009 one-time operating needs to be
funded from Works in Progress capital closures.
6.
Subject to the approval of
recommendation 1, approve the establishment of a parking reserve fund with
funds derived from parking fees and the sale of parking capital
assets for parking related programs consistent with the Municipal
Parking Management Strategy and enact a by-law to establish the reserve.
7. Subject to the
approval of Recommendation 1, approve:
a. That
the General Manager of Public Works and the Deputy City Manager of City
Operations individually be delegated the authority to vary the on-street
parking rates and the hours of parking by location provided that the variation
of the rates is consistent with the Municipal Parking Management Strategy and
is within the range approved by City Council as part of the annual budget and
the local Ward Councillor, BIA, and Community Association concur;
b. That the existing delegation of authority to vary off-street
parking rates be expanded to permit staff to alter rates for alternative modes
of transportation, such as motorcycles, scooters, and auto-share vehicles
provided that the variation of the rates is consistent with the Municipal
Parking Management Strategy and is within the range approved by City Council as
part of the annual budget.
8. Approve an annual
grant of $5,000 to each BIA that has metered parking with budget funds being
reallocated from the Parking Program advertising and promotion account to a
Parking Program grant account.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des transports recommande que le
Conseil :
1.
Approuve la Stratégie municipale de gestion du stationnement, ci-jointe
(Document 1), qui comprend les éléments suivants :
a.
Principes et objectifs de la gestion du stationnement
b.
Modčle de financement
c.
Lignes directrices pour établir les tarifs
d.
Mesures du rendement
e.
Responsabilités des fonctions de stationnement
2.
Approuve le maintien du modčle de gouvernance interne et adopte le Cadre de
référence du Groupe consultatif des intervenants sur le stationnement, ci-joint
comme Document 2.
3.
Approuve le Cadre de référence général des Études sur le stationnement
local, ci-joint comme Document 3.
4.
Sous réserve de l’approbation des recommandations 1 et 2, charge
le personnel de réaliser le Plan de mise en śuvre, ci-joint (Document 4),
qui pose les assises d’un nouveau Programme de gestion du stationnement et qui
comprend les éléments suivants :
a.
Entreprendre une Étude sur le stationnement local au marché ByWard en 2009.
b.
Mettre sur pied le Groupe consultatif des intervenants sur le
stationnement.
c.
Modifier la Réglementation sur les tarifs pour permettre une variation des
tarifs de stationnement.
d.
Reformuler le budget de 2009 en fonction du modčle de financement adopté.
e.
Entreprendre d’autres études sur le stationnement local en 2010.
a.
Que le directeur général des Travaux publics et le directeur municipal
adjoint des Opérations municipales fassent l’objet d’une délégation d’autorité
individuelle qui les autorise ŕ modifier les tarifs de stationnement dans la
rue et les heures de stationnement par emplacement, ŕ la condition que les
modifications de tarifs restent dans les limites approuvées par le Conseil
municipal dans le cadre du budget annuel et que le conseiller du quartier visé,
la zone d’amélioration commerciale et l’association communautaire soient
d’accord avec les modifications.
b.
Que la délégation d’autorité existante qui permet de modifier les tarifs de
stationnement hors rue soit élargie afin de permettre au personnel de modifier
les tarifs relatifs aux modes alternatifs de transport, dont les motos,
scooters et véhicules automobiles partagés, ŕ la condition que l’ajustement des
tarifs soit conforme ŕ la Stratégie municipale de gestion du stationnement et
se situe ŕ l’intérieur de la fourchette approuvée par le Conseil municipal dans
le cadre du budget annuel.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The City of Ottawa 2008 Budget Deliberations included discussions regarding increasing meter rates, extending meter hours, and introducing meters to new areas. These discussions resulted in key questions being raised about the Municipal Parking Program: Is it a service or a revenue generator? How should meter rates be set? Would an Authority be a better way to govern?
At the direction of Council, stakeholders were engaged and research was carried out to help answer these questions. Stakeholders quickly confirmed that they felt that the Municipal Parking Management Program is a service, not a revenue generator, and all net revenues should be reinvested in the parking program.
Stakeholders further indicated that the program needed to be refocused on its objectives of economic development, urban design, transportation demand management, and support of residents. In this context, it was agreed that Transportation Demand Management should refer to initiatives, such as provision of bicycle parking, designated stalls for carshare vehicles, and car/van pool spaces, which specifically benefit areas that have paid parking. Stakeholders also suggested that financial information should be accessible, decision-making should be transparent and they should have a forum for engagement. This input resulted in the recommendations to establishment of a Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group and the development of an annual work plan and budget.
The development of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy was coordinated with a number of other projects including the update of the Transportation Master Plan (attached as Document 5), the review of Cash-in-Lieu of parking, the procurement of Pay and Display technology, and the audit of the parking function. The resulting document conforms to the higher-level policies, clarifies the purpose of the Cash-in-Lieu program, will make use of Pay and Display technology, and responds to Audit recommendations.
Once the objectives of over-arching policies were taken into account, and the strategy was coordinated with other projects and programs, the more detailed issues that arose through the consultation sessions and Council and Committee meetings were considered, and incorporated into the strategy.
Motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts asked for free or reduced price parking for motorized two-wheelers. Reduced priced parking (1/2 price wherever practical) is recommended as these vehicles have a much smaller footprint than passenger cars.
Developing a guideline for setting rates, extending hours, and introducing paid parking to new areas was the most contentious issue. Most stakeholders now endorse the use of Local Area Parking Studies to establish context, collect data specific to each area, conduct an analysis, and make recommendations using both cost recovery and utilization data to guide decisions. The recommendations may indicate that rates should be varied by area, by time of day, and/or by day of the week.
The results of any studies would then come forward to Council in the form of a comprehensive annual budget and work plan.
It is further recommended that staff be delegated the authority to adjust on-street meter rates, extend hours, or introduce parking to new areas provided that the Ward Councillor, the BIA and the Community Association agree and any fee changes are within a prescribed range that is set as part of the annual budget.
As it will take roughly one year to implement the new Municipal Parking Management Program, the first comprehensive work plan and budget will be presented in Q3 of 2010 to apply to the 2011 budget year. In the interim, the recommended range for on-street paid parking rates is $0 per hour (removal of meters) to $3 per hour (the existing rate).
BACKGROUND
This report responds to the direction given by Council to develop a Municipal Parking Management Strategy and to review the governance of the Parking Program during the February 2008 Budget Deliberations. Transportation Committee approved the Terms of Reference to undertake the development of the Parking Management Strategy in June 2008.
2008 Budget Deliberations
In preparation of the 2008 Budget, and in accordance with Council directions, staff provided options for decreasing costs and increasing revenues related to paid parking as listed below:
All four recommendations were approved in December 2007; however, after substantial input from stakeholders, the 3rd and 4th options were reversed early in 2008, as Council felt a more comprehensive policy was needed to give context to these decisions.
Therefore, City Council gave the following direction on February 13, 2008:
“That staff be directed to develop a new city-wide, comprehensive,
consolidated parking policy in conjunction with the principles articulated in
the Parking Management Strategy and the Transportation Master Plan; and that
the policy include parking needs in the zoning by-law, a review of the
financial costs to the City of storing cars on city streets versus storing cars
on private lots; and
That the study examines on-street parking rates:
·
That vary according to geography
·
That vary according to time (time
of day, day of the week) and
That the terms of reference for this study/review be brought to
Transportation Committee for its review and approval prior to being
undertaken.”
Not only did the 2008 budget deliberations put the mandate of the Parking Program in question, but it also brought forward a desire to improve the governance of the Program, as per the following motion of Council:
“WHEREAS parking is a
service designed to facilitate reasonable turnover of vehicles to the benefit
of the community;
AND WHEREAS a Parking Authority is an independent body focused upon
this one service;
AND WHEREAS Ontario Municipalities have the authority to implement
Parking Authorities;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT staff be directed to establish a committee of BIAs, community stakeholders, councillors and staff with the mandate to study the development of the establishment of a Parking Authority for Ottawa and to report back to Council by the end of 2008.
This motion was immediately referred to the Mid-term Governance Review, and later combined with the development of the Parking Management Strategy in order to allow a comprehensive review of the program objectives, policies, and governance.
Staff,
in a report to Transportation Committee on February 20, 2008, further defined
the scope of the Parking Management Strategy as follows:
“Among other things, it is expected that this document [the new parking policy] will address the provision of on-street and off-street parking for alternative modes of transportation, such as segways, electric/motor assisted bicycles”
Approval of Parking Management Strategy Terms of
Reference
In June 2008, staff brought forward the Terms of Reference for the Municipal Parking Management Strategy to Transportation Committee for approval. The Terms of Reference prescribed a four-pronged approach:
Start with the Fundamentals: Explore the fundamentals of the parking program –
its role and objectives and how the objectives should be balanced – before
proceeding to develop strategies and guidelines that will address current
issues.
Consult Stakeholders: Hold focus group sessions,
consult with Advisory Committees, and establish a Parking Consultation Group
that represents a broad range of perspectives.
Understand Existing Conditions and Best
Practices:
Research and analyse issues that impact parking programs such as inventory and
utilization rates, market share statistics, parking system revenues and
expenses, zoning by-law policies, financial costs of public vs. private spaces,
Cash-in-Lieu practices, tourism needs, and transportation demand management
initiatives related to Parking.
Communicate Findings and Invite Challenge: Regularly share project status
and findings for comment by the Parking Consultation Group and Council
On June 18th 2008 Transportation Committee approved the Terms of Reference, adding to the scope as follows:
“That the Terms of Reference (TOR) include scooters, motorcycles,
and VRTU cars as alternative modes of transportation to have their parking needs
addressed;
And that the TOR include the examination of a tourist pass as is used in other cities.”
Recognizing the size and complexity of this project, and its short time lines, Ralph Bond, Senior Vice President BA Consulting Group was retained to lead the public consultation and develop the Municipal Parking Management Strategy. Mr. Bond has prepared a wide range of parking Management Strategies for municipal government and private sector clients across the country and is Past President of the Canadian Parking Association and is currently a board member of the Canadian Parking Foundation, which sponsors research and education into the relationship between Land Use, Transportation and Parking.
2008 Parking Function Audit
On February 25 2008 The Parking Function Audit was tabled. The recommendations and management responses are attached as Document 6 for ease of reference. Management responded that they agree with all of the audit recommendations.
Connections between Audit recommendations and the Municipal Parking Management Strategy are highlighted throughout this report for ease of reference.
The Municipal Parking Management Strategy (MPMS) plays a critical role in addressing the Auditor’s concerns by ensuring a coordinated, cohesive approach to the Parking Function:
· It conforms to high-level plans and policies such as the Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Cycling Plan;
· It brings focus to the role of municipally managed parking in this context;
· It identifies coordination points including Community Design Plans, Neighbourhood Planning Initiatives, the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw, Local Area Parking Studies and the establishment of a Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group. These studies and point of contact provide a vehicle for exploring and developing solutions for planning, enforcement, and economic development issues related to parking;
· It is supported by implementation tools including the On-street and Off-street Paid Parking Programs, the On-street Parking Permit Program, Marketing and Promotion Program, Tour Bus Strategy, Cash-in-Lieu of Parking Program, Parking Enforcement Program, and a strong funding model.
In keeping with the Terms of Reference, the framework of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy sets the framework for the overall program and coordinates the various supporting programs, however detailed reviews of each support program was not included as part of this study. In some cases, such as Cash-in-Lieu of Parking, a parallel detailed review is underway; in other cases, such as the tour bus parking strategy, reviews will follow the adoption of the Strategy.
This list of
coordination points and accountabilities forms a part of the Municipal Parking
Management Strategy and is found in Document 1. [Relates to Audit Recommendations 1 and 2]
There are a many aspects to developing a Parking Management Strategy. The discussion has therefore been broken into the follow subsections for ease of reference.
(1) Stakeholder Engagement – Summer/Fall 2008;
(2) Transportation Master Plan Update;
(3) Municipal Parking Management Principles and Objectives;
(4) Parking Governance;
(5) Finances (includes analysis of on-street vs. private parking costs);
(6) Cash-in-Lieu of Parking (includes discussion of zoning policies);
(7) Parking for Bicycles, Electronic Bicycles, Segways, Scooters and Motorcycles;
(8) Tourist Parking;
(9) Local Area Parking Studies;
(10) Rate Setting Guideline;
(11) Stakeholder Engagement – Results;
(12) Implementation.
(1) Stakeholder Engagement – Summer/Fall 2008
In accordance with the Terms of Reference, more than 1,000 stakeholders were provided a link to the Terms of Reference Report by email and invited to participate in Focus Group Sessions held on June 18th and 19th 2008. Notification was also provided through the Ottawa Citizen and Le Droit.
The result of the early and extensive notification was nearly 50 people attending a series of seven focus group sessions as follows:
1. Environment, Cycling, and Alternative Modes of Transportation;
2. General Public and Community Associations;
3. Accessibility;
4. BIAs, Businesses, and Chambers of Commerce;
5. Building Developers, Owners, and Managers;
6. Places of Worship;
7. Tourism.
The recommended components of a Parking Management Strategy that came out of these sessions can be summarized as follows:
· A clear purpose for paid parking – Revenue Generator versus Service Provider;
· Free (or lower priced) and widely available parking for motorcycles/scooters;
· Adequate supply of parking without overly restrictive time limits;
· A new approach to parking that pays more attention to environmental objectives;
· Rate and hours structure that is fair City-wide, respects the diverse nature of BIAs, and supports the role of Churches, especially Sundays and evenings;
· Easy to understand and consistently applied parking regulations and clear signage;
· Better communication with stakeholders;
· A plan for the Cash-in-Lieu of Parking Program;
· Accessible on-street spaces, equipment, & facilities for persons with disabilities.
A ‘Parking Consultation Group’ was then established. It was formed largely of focus group participants who committed to work with staff and the consultant through the summer of 2008.
In addition to the requirements of the Terms of Reference, all BIAs were invited to continue meeting with staff and the consultant immediately prior to every Parking Consultation Group meeting. The BIAs were also invited to tour their areas with Ralph Bond to discuss parking issues. Vanier, Somerset Street Chinatown, Wellington West, Westboro Village, Downtown Rideau and the ByWard Market BIAs took advantage of this opportunity.
During
Consultations there was a strong consensus that the primary role of the Parking
Program is to provide a service. Most
stakeholders further agreed that the service relates to supporting good Urban
Design, Economic Development, and Transportation Demand Management.
With
respect to urban design, the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee
passed the following motion in August of 2008:
Be
it resolved that the Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee (AHCAC)
recommends to City Council, through the Transportation Committee, that a high
level policy that speaks to encouraging art and streetscaping at off-site
facilities be included in the draft Parking Management Strategy, and
Be
it further resolved that this new parking management policy provide one per
cent of project costs toward public art for all city parking development
projects, including those of amounts less than $2M.
Parking
facilities that include attractive landscaping, lighting, signage and
well-designed pedestrian routes, instil a sense of pride, safety and security
and present a positive image. Therefore the word ‘appealing’ was added to the
objectives of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy to encourage art and
streetscaping, and a related performance measure, to be reported on annually,
has been recommended for adoption (See Document 1, attached hereto).
The
Parking Program includes art and improves streetscaping in a number of ways
including:
·
Implements the Percent for Art Program
that requires 1% of the value of capital projects over $2M to be dedicated to
public art.
·
Includes art in parking lots and
structures.
·
Ensures the appearance of off-street
facilities and on-street equipment is as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
The
Municipal Parking Program will continue with these initiatives, however,
extending the 1 % policy to include all projects less than $2M would be
difficult to administer and would not be consistent with how capital projects
are handled in other programs, therefore staff does not recommend adoption of
this portion of the AHCAC motion.
In
terms of finances, it was widely agreed that parking should cover it costs,
including lifecycle and development costs.
Should the program generate revenues beyond costs, they should be used
to reduce parking demand via related Transportation Demand Management
initiatives.
There was also a strong consensus that there is a need for transparency, clarity, and regular communications with stakeholders regarding the goals and objectives of the Municipal Parking Program, and its financial status and infrastructure investment plans. Stakeholders particularly felt that relations could be improved by way of creating a parking advisory committee or ‘task force’.
(2) Transportation Master Plan Update
The Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is an overarching policy document that establishes the role of parking in a broader context. The 2003 TMP was being updated during the development of the Parking Management Strategy. Parking Operations and Planning and Growth Management staff therefore combined efforts, and in July and August meetings were held with the Parking Consultation Group, the BIAs, and the Steering Committee to review and rewrite the 2003 TMP parking chapter, as well as develop the new Municipal Parking Management Strategy.
The results were provided to all Parking Consultation Group members and BIA representatives and staff arranged concurrent Open Houses at City Hall during the late afternoon and evening of September 11th for the TMP Update and the Municipal Parking Management Strategy. Notification was provided to all BIAs and Parking Consultation Group members by email, and to the general public through notices in the Citizen and LeDroit. [Relates to Audit Recommendation 3]
A second open house was held for the Parking Management Strategy on October 2nd 2008, as not all stakeholders were adequately notified of the first one. Prior to this date, all stakeholders, including the email list of over 1,000 individuals, were sent electronic copies of the information boards that were presented at the September 11th Open House as well as a detailed project update.
The new Transportation Master Plan (TMP) was adopted on November 28 2008. It sets the objectives of parking as follows (Section 6.11 in its entirety is attached as Document 5):
“Parking is a strategic tool for city-building. By effectively
managing its supply and price, governments can influence how people choose to
travel and promote a behavioural shift from driving to transit use and other
alternatives to automobile usage. By guiding the appropriate location and
design of parking in new developments, the City can also support the creation
of more compact communities….
… the City’s strategic parking objectives are:
• To provide short-term parking that supports the needs of local
businesses, residents, institutions and tourism destinations
• To limit the supply of long-term parking in a manner that balances
transit ridership objectives with the needs of automobile users
• To support intensification and minimize the amount of land devoted to parking through measures such as parking structures and arrangements to share parking among land uses”
The TMP further requires that the City develop a parking strategy and establish a program to complete Local Area Parking Studies, create a Parking Rate Setting Guideline, and review Cash-in-Lieu of parking policies, among other things.
(3) Municipal Parking Management Principles and
Objectives
Throughout summer and fall of 2008 stakeholders provided further recommendations for the format and wording of the Parking Management Strategy. This input served to remove ambiguity, set priority, and distinguish objectives from principles.
However, many of the BIAs indicated they had concerns about the definition of ‘Transportation Demand Management (TDM). Left undefined it could include transit services and cycling paths unrelated to metered areas. Further, the ByWard Market BIA reiterated the importance of fair and consistent enforcement, and asked that it be part of the objectives. Staff agreed, and the wording of the principles and objectives has therefore been further revised to address this input.
The resulting principles and objectives form the first section of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy attached as Document 1. [Relates to Audit Recommendations 1 and 2]
The Municipal Parking Management
Program values efficiency, transparency, and clarity. Stakeholders will be
engaged through regular and timely communications and opportunities for
consultation.
1.
Provide
and maintain an appropriate supply of affordable, secure, accessible,
convenient, and appealing public parking.
2.
Provide
and promote affordable short-term parking services, and fair and consistent
enforcement services, that support local businesses, institutions, and tourism.
3.
Promote,
establish, and maintain programs and facilities that encourage the use of alternative
modes of transportation including public transit, car/van pooling, taxis, auto
sharing, cycling, and walking.
4.
Support
residential intensification, and resolve parking problems within residential
areas caused by significant traffic generators or conflicting uses of the
roadway, including implementing on-street permit parking programs to relieve
area residents and visitors from parking regulations directed at the
non-resident.
5.
Ensure
the revenues generated by the Municipal Parking Program are sufficient to
wholly recover all related operating and life-cycle maintenance expenditures;
contribute to a reserve fund to finance future parking system development,
operation, and promotion; and then assist in the funding of related initiatives
to encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation.
(4) Parking Governance
Despite calls for the establishment of a Parking Authority during the 2008 budget deliberations, most stakeholders agree that parking should remain a City function at this time.
There are generally three governance models used in Canada to deliver parking services:
· Internal Governance model - generally used when emphasis is on service and broader Corporate objectives, such as implementation of OP and TMP policies;
· Authority and Agency models - generally used when emphasis is on running the service like a business, generating revenue, and building substantial new parking capacity.
A
survey of peers and experts was conducted to discuss the benefits and drawbacks
of the various models. This resulted in
the conclusion that most of the benefits of an Authority Governance Model can
be achieved in the Internal Governance Model if:
Given the alignment of both stakeholder and expert opinions, it is recommended that a Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group be established, a strong funding model adopted, and all policies, budgets and work plans be vetted by Transportation Committee, and rise to Council annually as a comprehensive package. [Relates to Audit Recommendations 1 and 2]
Stakeholders specifically suggested that this new group be modeled after the Central Area Parking Task Force, which existed in the mid 1990’s. The membership of the new Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group is recommended to have many of the same positions as this former Task Force including three BIA representatives, a Building Owner / Manager / Developer representative, and members at large.
Given the newly refined objectives of the Parking Program, Community Association, Tourism, and TDM/Cycling/Pedestrian representatives have been added to the list of members. The proposed Terms of Reference for this group can be found in Document 2.
The governance of this much-improved program can then be explored as part of the next Mid-term Governance Review, if warranted.
(5) Finances
There was strong consensus that the parking program should recover its costs, and that any revenues surplus to operational and lifecycle needs should be reinvested in the Parking Program.
Under the current legislative provisions, fees for services and activities provided by the municipality are to be directed to enforcement, administration, and the establishment, acquisition and replacement of capital assets of the service or activity. Therefore, there must be a reasonable connection between the fees charged and the cost of the service. Consequently parking revenues should be allocated to related costs of parking services. This includes the sale of property and equipment financed with parking revenues.
As noted in the 2008 Parking Function Audit, financial accounts do not accurately reflect all aspects of operations. The amount of revenues has always been available, however the costs of the program are difficult to isolate as they are integrated with a wide number of programs. A team of staff developed a methodology that identified and isolated parking costs, and the Deputy City Treasurer/Controller has signed off on the results. The table that follows provides the best available allocation of costs based upon a detailed review of internal departmental budgets. Costs and revenues will be tracked in more detail as part of the Parking Program implementation plan and annual budgeting process.
Costs and Revenues $ in Millions
On-street Revenues 7.7
Off-street Revenues 5.5
Direct Costs 5.8
Asset Costs (Lifecycle, Debt, Depreciation) 3.2
Indirect Costs (Corporate Services,
Snow Clearing, Road & Curb Lifecycle) 3.2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Revenues 1.0
The
Municipal Parking Management Program therefore has annual net revenues of
roughly $1.0 million and these are expected to increase in the future. The debt
servicing of the City Hall Parking Lot 6 ends in 2011, at the same time revenue
sharing on this lot begins, bringing roughly $500,000 more to the program. Further, the implementation of Pay and
Display should increase net revenues. However, the extent to which revenues
will change is not yet known, as the procurement process is not yet completed.
The Auditor, the ByWard Market BIA, and the Wellington West BIA have asked that the City consider reallocating a portion of parking revenues back to BIAs. The Wellington West BIA further suggested this grant back to areas with meters could also be used for other projects such as free parking promotions, public art, and community development. Staff is supportive of contributing to BIA led projects and currently provides some funding for them. This practice should be formalized by providing a budget of $5,000 per year per BIA (which can be reviewed annually) for initiatives that are in keeping with program objectives. Specifically these funds must be used for tangible items such as promotional materials, bicycle parking, and public art. [Relates to Audit Recommendation 12]
Stakeholders and experts in the parking field agree that a strong funding model is key to the success of any Municipal Parking Management Program. The methodology for calculating program costs and framework for use of parking revenues is captured in the recommended funding model that forms part of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy attached as Document1.
Costs of
Storing Cars On City Streets Versus Storing Cars On Private Lots
The original Council motion requested that a review of the financial costs to the City of storing cars on city streets versus storing cars on private lots be undertaken. This was raised in the context of a comparison of urban and suburban areas; therefore a calculation has been done for both.
The cost to provide on-street surface parking in traditional main street areas is likely in the $2,000 to $2,500 per stall range because land costs are absent.
The cost to provide off-street in a surface parking lot is much higher as it includes land costs. In the suburbs the cost of an off-street surface parking space is probably in the range of $8,000 to $10,000 per stall. In traditional main street areas, the cost of an off-street surface parking space is much higher – likely in the $35,000 to $45,000 per stall range; the cost of an off-street above and below ground garage parking space ranges from $30,000 to $35,000 per space and $40,000 to $45,000 per space respectively.
In the downtown core, costs would be substantially higher again. Therefore it is likely that providing parking in garages would be just as or slightly more cost effective than providing it in surface lots.
(6) Cash-in-Lieu of Parking
The financial picture of the Municipal Parking Management Program is not complete without the Cash-in-Lieu of Parking fund. The annual increases to this fund vary with development activity. Between amalgamation and February 2009, the net value of the fund increased by $2.16 Million to a total of $3.839 Million. Over this same time period a 62-space parking lot was built on Preston Street and a variety parking studies and the Rideau Street Taxi-stand Study were funded.
The purpose of Cash-in-Lieu of parking is to transfer the requirement to provide parking for a new use from the landowner to the City. Over the years the original intent seems to have been lost. The Cash-in-Lieu of Parking process is therefore under review by Planning & Growth Management. This review has been coordinated with the development of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy. Public consultations were held on January 8, 2009 that resulted in the general consensus that Cash-in-Lieu is not working properly; it should be consistently applied; funds should only be used to build parking; and finally that these funds are not enough on their own to finance new facilities.
There was strong consensus that Cash-in-Lieu can be an important funding and urban planning tool. Stakeholders requested that the Cash-in-Lieu process be limited to areas where the program can or will accommodate parking spaces not built on individual sites. Studies would need to be done in these areas to assist in determining the adequacy of parking supply and any deficiencies that may be addressed in part through the use of Cash-in-Lieu funds to ensure an appropriate parking supply and demand balance is achieved for the area. These studies should be undertaken in consultation with Planning & Growth Management staff and preferably should be a component of Community Design Plans. These studies are described in further detail under the “Local Area Parking Studies” heading below. [Relates to Audit Recommendation 9]
A review of best practices revealed a new trend where cities apply Cash-in-Lieu provisions in new Town Centres to improve urban design and increase transit ridership.
Specific determinations related to the Cash-in-Lieu process will be made through the Cash-in-Lieu review being undertaken by the Planning and Growth Management Branch and will be in the context of the directions being established for the overall Municipal Parking Management Strategy.
Parking Needs in the Zoning Bylaw
As requested in the original Council motion, parking needs in the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw were reviewed as part of the development of the Parking Management Strategy and the analysis of Cash-in-Lieu applications.
The Comprehensive Zoning By-law for the City of Ottawa is a tool that, similar to parking management, is meant to implement a number of different objectives identified in the Official Plan, the Transportation Master Plan and other corporate policies.
In June of 2008 City Council adopted a new Comprehensive Zoning By-law replacing the 36 existing zoning by-laws in Ottawa that had over 1,100 land uses for which motor vehicle parking rates had applied. A consolidation and validation process was undertaken to reduce to somewhat over 100 the number of land use categories in the new Zoning By-law and for these parking rates were reviewed and assigned. The Zoning Bylaw is the responsibility of the Planning and Growth Management Branch.
Sections of the zoning by-law that directly affect municipal parking management, and implement the objectives identified in the Transportation Master Plan include:
(7) Parking for Bicycles, Electronic bikes, Segways,
Scooters and Motorcycles
There was also strong consensus that parking should be provided for alternative modes of transportation such as bicycles, segways, scooters, and motorcycles. How much should be provided and at what price was the subject of further discussions that are summarized below.
Bicycles and Electronic Bikes
It was agreed that free unsecured bicycle parking should continue to be provided by the City on –street and off-street, free of charge.
Going forward, in accordance with Section 4.2 of the Ottawa Cycling Plan, the need for bicycle parking will be part of the scope of Local Area Parking Studies.
Electric motor assisted bicycles are available that do not emit any pollutants and are small and manoeuvrable enough to be parked at standard bike racks. Unfortunately, the Ontario Highway Traffic Act regulates activities for motor vehicles and the definitions within the Act classify them as "motor vehicles". Provincial legislation in the form of Bill 126 has been introduced to reclassify these power-assisted bicycles as “bicycles”, thus allowing them the same privileges (parking at sidewalk bike racks etc). Staff will monitor the status of Bill 126 and bring forward appropriate amendments to City regulations when appropriate.
Secure lockers that can house bicycles and electronic bicycles should be provided by the City at public facilities for a fee that recovers the cost of the lockers. The program would start modestly where demand is evident and only expand as demand increased.
Segways
Segways were of no interest to stakeholders during the consultations undertaken in 2008 but will be re-examined should the need arise.
Scooters and Motorcycles
Scooter and Motorcycle enthusiasts submitted a petition with over 1,000 signatures and attended the June focus group in large numbers to voice their opinion that motorcycles and scooters should be provided free designated parking because they felt these vehicles consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and that they take up less space on roads.
Providing free parking for two-wheeled vehicles on the basis of environmental benefits would be inequitable for those who walk, cycle, or pay to take public transit. The question of providing parking incentives for more energy efficient and low emission vehicles has been considered by the City of Ottawa in the past. Environmental Advisory Committee, at its meeting on August 11, 2005 considered a draft report titled Parking Incentive For Energy Efficient And Low Emission Cars. The EAC reviewed the draft report recommendations and acknowledged City staff's efforts to encourage citizens to drive smart in their daily commute. However, some EAC members thought the City should promote public transit and shared transportation lanes, and discourage free parking for all types of vehicles.
Motorcycles and Scooters do, however, take up substantially less space than standard passenger cars. Therefore designating and promoting specific areas in off-street lots, where these vehicles can be parked more compactly than cars, is recommended (1/2 price wherever practical), as is charging reduced rates. These recommendations are reflected in the Rate Setting Guideline, which forms part of the Strategy attached as Document 1, and the Implementation Plan, attached as Document 4.
Also of note, scooter riders raised concerns about securing their small vehicles. Scooters are fairly light and are easily picked up and moved or taken away. Therefore, locking rings should be provided at designated spaces to secure scooters and mopeds, where appropriate.
(8) Tourist Parking
Stakeholders indicated that the most important aspect of supporting tourists is to have an adequate supply of parking, to have convenient payment methods, and to have clear signage so the rules are evident. It is further recommended that time limits be a minimum of two hours or longer in order to minimize the need to move a vehicle. The time limits would be worked out through a Local Area Parking Study and would take into account the specific needs of the local area.
Transportation
Committee specifically requested that staff examine the benefits of a tourist
pass as is used in other cities. Only a
limited number of smaller municipalities have a tourist pass program. Ottawa’s typical comparators do not have
such a program. Further, Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel
Association, after reviewing the research, indicated that they believe benefits
are limited and the implementation of such a pass would not justify the
cost. The implementation of a Tourist
Pass Program is therefore not recommended.
(9) Local Area Parking Studies
During the development of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy discussion repeatedly returned to the importance of Local Area Parking Studies.
Local Area Parking Studies have been done in the past, but it is recommended that in the future they be more comprehensive, be undertaken as part of Community Design Plans or other similar studies, involve stakeholders, and look at more than just on-street utilization.
Without these studies there is no structure for useful dialogue and no data on which to base decisions. With them, staff and stakeholders can consider recommendations for how to best provide and manage parking to achieve the Official Plan, TMP, and Municipal Parking Management Strategy objectives, among others. Recommendations may include: providing new facilities (either publicly or as part of a joint venture); promoting existing facilities and services; coordinating services with private lots; and adjusting rates, hours or locations of paid parking. [Relates to Audit Recommendations 3, 10, 11, and 12]
A standard Terms of Reference for Local Area Parking Studies, to be used as a template to ensure future studies are comprehensive yet can be tailored to specific circumstances, is attached as Document 3.
(10) Rate Setting Guideline
The rate-setting guideline was the most contentious topic during consultations.
There are generally two distinct pricing approaches for municipal parking, depending upon the size of the City, the size and makeup of the main street or downtown core areas and the economic health of business operations. One approach is based on cost recovery, and the other is based on utilization.
The cost recovery approach emphasizes pricing parking services in order to recover costs so that general tax revenues are not required to fund the operation. Full lifecycle expenses and future capital investments should be included in this price setting method.
The utilization approach is based on the principle that parking cost should reflect demand. The goal is to price on-street parking at a point that ensures a driver has a good chance of finding a space in a reasonable amount of time thereby improving service and reducing congestion, lost time, fuel costs, and pollution generated by cruising around the block looking for a space.
If drivers have difficulty finding parking as most or all of the spaces are full, then rates may need to be increased. On the other hand, if the demand is far below capacity, then the rates may be too high and may need to be decreased.
The utilization rate typically used in the parking industry to indicate that prices should be increased (or new supply provided) is 85% utilization during peak periods.
In October 2008, six of the BIAs submitted a paper that suggested parking rates should be based solely on cost recovery. These BIAs and a Church representative also expressed concerns regarding the methodology for implementing the utilization approach, summarized as follows:
Staff met with BIAs on February 20 2009 and addressed these concerns. The result of this meeting was general agreement that the responses put forward by staff were acceptable provided Local Area Parking Studies were carried out with the local BIA’s involvement and considered a broad range of issues and solutions. The remaining Parking Consultation Group members also approved of the direction presented by staff. All concerns from the BIAs received in response to this presentation have been addressed in this report, with the exception of a submission from the Bank Street BIA, discussed below under the heading “Stakeholder Engagement –Results”
With regard to basing meter rates on utilization, it should be understood that it is an industry proven rate setting approach: price is adjusted so that 8 of every 10 spaces are full and maximum turnover is achieved. This approach is used by Toronto and Calgary as well as other jurisdictions.
In practice, both utilization & cost recovery need to be considered together – flexibility is required to use rates to achieve improved system performance and provide better service to customers.
Response to BIA concerns
The first, second, and third concerns are addressed by adopting the Standard Terms of Reference for Local Area Parking Studies, which outlines the issues to be considered, attached as Document 3. These studies will consider a variety of factors and involve a variety of stakeholders. The final terms of reference for any study will be based on this standard template and can be tailored further to reflect the context of the area.
With regard to the fourth concern, staff agrees that comparable areas should have comparable rates and hours – one area should not have an unfair advantage over another. Therefore it is recommended that on and off-street rates and hours for different areas should vary only where a clear reason for the variance exists.
Staff does not agree with the fifth point - rates should not necessarily remain uniform across the City. The rate in the core may not be appropriate everywhere. This opinion is held by a majority of stakeholders. It is also a common practice: most large cities have parking rate zones.
Staff agrees with the suggestion that on- and off-street rates need to be coordinated. On-street parking is the most desirable type of parking – it must be priced at an appropriate level in comparison with off-street facilities. When on-street meters are priced below off-street rates, the on-street spaces become more attractive to long term parkers thereby defeating the concept of generating more short term parking turnover for patrons of nearby businesses. This will be taken into account during Local Area Parking Studies.
The seventh concern raised relates to the methodology for setting rates – specifically who should be involved. This is addressed through the following proposed process for setting or changing rates, adjusting hours or days of paid parking, and introducing or removing paid parking:
1. On-street and Off-street Public Parking Rates, hours, and locations will be set by Council on an Annual Basis as part of the approval of the Parking Management Program Work Plan and Budget approval, based on the results of Local Area Parking Studies.
2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 above, On-street Public Parking Rates, hours, and locations may be varied by staff at any time throughout the year provided the variation of the rates is within the range approved by City Council and the local Ward Councillor(s), BIA(s), and Community Association(s) concur with the change.
3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 above, off-street rates maybe varied at any time throughout the year provided the variation of the rates is within the range approved by City Council.
An area where point 2 may come into use is Vanier. Meters in Vanier appear to have consistently low utilization rates, and it may not be necessary to undertake an extensive Local Parking Area Study to reach a consensus that rates should be reduced. Staff proposes to explore the reduction of meter rates in Vanier further during the spring.
The last concern, that consumers will avoid the downtown if rates are set too high relates is addressed in a number of ways. First, staff recommends that the Tariff of Fees bylaw be amended to permit fees for on-street paid parking spaces to be within the range of $0 and $3. It is recommended that Council only adjust this range during their annual approval of the full Parking Program budget and work plan. Second, rates should be adjusted in incremental amounts and then the results of the change will be monitored to ensure utilization stays high. Also of note, studies suggest that choosing to go to a main street area to shop versus a mall is not typically based on the price of parking - instead, the specific stores and the atmosphere of these areas are what draw customers in.
The complete Rate Setting Guideline recommended for adoption forms part of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy attached as Document 1.
(11) Stakeholder Engagement – Results
On March 4 2009 all BIAs were asked for final input, and staff indicated that, based on the February 20th meeting, the report to Transportation Committee would reflect the overall support received at this meeting regarding the proposed parking strategy and the creation of a formal Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group.
Of these stakeholders, the motorcycle & scooter representative, and the ByWard Market, Vanier, Glebe, Wellington West, and Bank Street BIAs provided comments.
Agreement
Staff agrees with almost all of the submissions. Most indicated general support and reiterated the importance of Local Area Parking Studies, fairness between areas, acting on the Audit recommendations, clear financial reporting, and completing the Cash-in-Lieu of Parking Review. As discussed earlier in this report, the following changes have been made to the documents to address the further suggestions as follows:
· The objectives clarifies that transportation demand management initiatives funded by the parking program must be related to it. This would include bicycle parking, designated stalls for carshare vehicles, and car/van pool spaces, which specifically benefit areas that have paid parking.
· “Fair and Consistent Enforcement” is now part of the objectives, and the Terms of Reference for the Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group now indicates that Parking Enforcement Branch staff will attend all meetings.
· The Funding Model includes the allocation of a portion of paid parking revenues to be granted to the BIAs for promotion and marketing and other projects consistent with the Municipal Parking Management Principles and Objectives.
· A standard Terms of Reference for Local Area Parking Studies provides a clear methodology for reviewing parking issues in an area and involving stakeholders.
· The Rate Setting Guideline clearly provides BIAs a role in setting rates, either through a Local Area Parking Study that is then vetted by Transportation Committee and approved by Council on an annual basis, or through delegated authority at any time during the year where staff may only adjust on-street rates if the local Ward Councillor, BIA, and Community Association concur with the change.
· The recommended amendment to the Tariff of Fees bylaw sets a minimum rate for on-street parking at $0 and an maximum rate for on-street parking at $3. This will be reviewed for the 2011 budget year when a comprehensive annual budget and work plan based on the results of Local Area Parking Studies will be presented to Council for approval.
· Designation of on-street motorcycle parking has been added to the Terms of Reference for Local Area Parking Studies.
Further Concerns for Consideration
The following concerns and opinions are provided to Committee and Council for their consideration. They have not been incorporated into the attached Documents or included in the recommendations of this report.
· The Arts, Heritage and Culture Advisory Committee recommended that the new parking management policy provide one per cent of project costs toward public art for all city parking development projects, including those of amounts less than $2M.
· A number of the BIAs questioned the inclusion of road and curb lifecycle in the financial costs. These costs, as noted in the funding model that forms part of Document 1, are related specifically to infrastructure constructed to accommodate on-street parking.
· The Bank Street BIA has raised concerns that the Terms of Reference for the Municipal Parking Management Strategy are too limited to respond to the concerns raised by the Auditor. The Terms of Reference included a review and update of the TMP and Parking Strategy policies, the determination of a framework, and the development of a guideline for rate setting. All of this has been completed and appropriate connections and coordination points to various high-level policies, studies, and related programs have been documented.
· Last the Bank Street BIA has suggested that a thorough evaluation of the governance models was not provided to stakeholders. Stakeholders generally agreed that parking is a service and should continue to be managed by the City. Their concerns regarding governance related to the lack of information available regarding parking, the lack of focus on the program as a service, and the need for a forum to engage them. A panel of experts and peers were clear these three initiatives are critical to the success of any parking program. Therefore this reports recommends first implementing these recommendations before proceeding with any changes to the governance model.
(12) Implementation
An Implementation Plan, attached as Document 4, serves to clearly identify key tasks required to establish the new parking program during 2009 and 2010. These tasks include:
· Amend the Delegation of Authority and Tariff of Fees Bylaw
· Create a Parking Reserve Fund and Restate the 2009 Parking Program Budget
· Establish the Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group
· Undertaking Local Area Parking Studies
Once this foundation is in place the first comprehensive annual budget and work plan for the Municipal Parking Management Program will be prepared next summer for 2011. The implementation plan that is attached distinguishes between strategic and operational activities and provides a timeline for implementation, as will future work plans. [Relates to Audit Recommendation 2]
Amend the Delegation of Authority and Tariff of Fees Bylaw
The Department, in consultation with Legal Services will amend the Tariff of Fees Bylaw and the Delegation of Authority Bylaw to allow Parking Operations staff to vary the on-street parking rates and the hours of parking by location provided that the variation of the rates is consistent with the Municipal Parking Management Strategy, is within the range approved by City Council as part of the annual budget and the local Ward Councillor, BIA and Community Association concur with the variation. Further, the existing delegation of authority to vary off-street parking rates be expanded to permit staff to alter rates for alternative modes of transportation, such as motorcycles, scooters, and auto-share vehicles provided that the variation of the rates is consistent with the Municipal Parking Management Strategy and is within the range approved by City Council as part of the annual budget.
Create a Parking Reserve Fund and Restate the 2009 Parking Program Budget
The Department, in consultation with Legal Services will bring forward a bylaw to establish a Parking Reserve Fund. The reserve fund would be derived from parking fees and the sale of any capital assets and will be used for parking related programs consistent with the Municipal parking Management Strategy. Once in place, Financial Services will restate the 2009 budget. Both of these tasks will take place during 2009.
Establish the Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group
The Department will solicit applications for members of the Parking Stakeholders consultation group in Q2 2009 and will confirm membership during Q3.
Undertake Local Area Parking Studies
Further, staff will start carrying out Local Area Parking Studies, beginning with the ByWard Market. This area has been selected because it was identified in the Markets Management 2009 Business Plan, the BIA is supportive of it being undertaken, and utilization rates in this area exceed capacity on a regular basis pointing to the need for exploration of parking management options (See the Rate Setting Guideline contained within Document 1 for a explanation of how studies are prioritized). Staff will initiate a second Local Area Parking Study in the fall of this year, and a third beginning in early 2010, and a fourth in mid 2010.
CONSULTATION
Extensive consultation, in excess of the Terms of Reference, was undertaken in 2008 and 2009:
9 June 2008 Link to Terms of Reference Report provided to over 1,000 stakeholders: BIAs, Community Associations, Downtown Churches, General Public and all Advisory Committees.
18 June 2008 Parking Management Study Terms of Reference Approved
18 June 2008 Focus Group Sessions held (Environment/Cycling/Alternative Modes of Transportation; General Public & Community Associations; Accessibility)
19 June 2008 Focus Group Sessions held (BIAs, Businesses & Chambers of Commerce; Building Developer, Owner, Managers; Places of Worship; Tourism)
26 June 2008 Formed the Parking Consultation Group (PCG) made up of 9 representatives of BIAs, Communities, & Churches based on availability through summer consultation schedule.
26 June 2008 Established an additional series of meetings open to all BIA’s (not required under the approved Terms of Reference)
15 & 17 July 2008 Second Session with BIAs & PCG; Steering Committee Meeting: Mandate
Tour of Vanier & Somerset BIA’s
18 July 2008 Steering Committee Meeting
12 August 2008 Third Session with BIAs & PCG: Review of Mandate, Governance, Financials, Local Area Studies and Program Planning
9 September 2008 Fourth Session with BIAs and PCG: Governance, Process for Local Area Studies and rate setting (specifically consultation)
Tour of Westboro Village and Wellington West BIAs
11 September 2008 Public Open House (Coordinated with TMP Open House), and Steering Committee Meeting: All Identified issues
12 September 2008 Steering Committee Meeting
19 September 2008 Advise PCG and BIAs of Oct 2 meeting and ask for specific input.
2 October 2008 Fifth BIA and PCG Meeting: Rate setting
Tour of ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau BIAs
Public Open House # 2
30 October 2008 Email to BIAs and PCG attaching Council Memo #6
20 Feb 2009 Sixth Session with BIAs: All Identified Issues
PCG Provided staff presentation for comment
27 Feb 2009 Notice provided to over 1,000 known stakeholders of April 15, 2009 Transportation Committee Meeting.
There
are no legal/risk management impediments to implementing the recommendation in
this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
For 2009 forward, all parking revenues will be earmarked for related costs and investments, and not go into general revenues. The revenues may fluctuate over the next few years as the new Rate Setting Guideline is applied. Revenues will likely increase provided high volume areas are included to offset low volume areas.
The impact will be roughly as follows for 2009, and thereafter:
· $1 Million to parking reserves or projects related to parking operating and administrative costs
· $3.2 Million in revenues will be specifically applied to parking related asset costs (lifecycle, debt, depreciation). Previously these were allocated to general revenues
· $3.2 Million in revenues will be specifically applied to parking related costs (snow clearing, road and curb lifecycle, corporate services). Previously these were allocated to general revenues
There
will be no tax implication, as appropriate adjustments will be made to the
contribution to the City Wide Reserve and the Parking Reserve Fund.
The
report recommends that Cash-in-Lieu of Parking funds be used only for the
development or provision of shared public parking facilities. In the past these
funds have been used for broader parking studies as well as a taxi stand
study. These studies did not relate
directly to the provision of new parking.
Last,
the report recommends that the proceeds obtained from the sale of any parking
facility be paid to the City and the balance remaining after payment of
incidental expenses be paid into the Parking Reserve Fund.
Within the Municipal Parking Management Program envelope, the report recommends $150,000 per year be budgeted for Local Area Parking Studies to be undertaken by external consultants. The results of these studies will form the direction for future budgets and work plans for the program.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 2 – Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group Terms of Reference
Document 3 – Standard Local Area Parking Study Terms of Reference – To be issued separately
Document 4 – Implementation Plan – To be issued separately
Document 5 – Transportation Master Plan 2008 Section 6.11 – Parking
Document 6 – Audit of the Parking Function 2008 – Recommendations and Responses
Document 7 –
Parking Management Strategy – Discussion Paper – Held on File with City
Clerk’s office
DISPOSITION
Staff will undertake all tasks necessary to implement the approved City of Ottawa Municipal Parking Management Strategy in accordance with the implementation plan.
DOCUMENT
2
MANDATE
The mandate of the Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group is to act as a channel between the City, stakeholders and affected citizens and groups. In doing so, it will provide advice and guidance on parking management policy that support the Objectives of the Municipal Parking Management Program as well as the parking Objectives of the Transportation Master Plan. The Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group will promote parking policies that support the needs of local business, residents, institutions and tourism.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group shall be responsible for:
1. Providing advice to the General Manager of Public Works related to the Municipal Parking Management Program including parking policies, budgets and annual work plans.
2. Liaising with all stakeholders to exchange information and knowledge related to the Municipal Parking Management Program.
3. Engaging stakeholders and providing input on Local Area Parking Studies to encourage an ongoing dialogue throughout the process.
4. Liaising with staff from the Parking Enforcement Branch to ensure fair and consistent enforcement of parking rules.
MEMBERSHIP
The Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group will be comprised of the following:
The Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group will be chaired by the General Manager of Public Works, or his or her designate.
Staff from the Enforcement and Operations Branch will also attend all meetings. Other City staff will attend as appropriate, based on the Agenda.
The General Manager of Public Works will approve all appointments to the Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group.
QUORUM
Quorum for the meetings will consist of a majority of the members.
Members of the Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group may appoint a designate who shall be a member under the same category as the absent member. The designate shall be considered in the determination of quorum.
MEETINGS
The Parking Stakeholders Consultation Group will meet on a quarterly basis or more when required at the request of the General Manager of Public Works, or his/her designate.
The Public Works Branch will:
1. Provide the resources to make all necessary arrangements for conducting meetings and be responsible for the preparation and distribution of agendas and minutes.
2. Coordinate and convene the meetings, and provide administrative and other services, as required.
3. Accept submissions from stakeholders regarding the items for inclusion on an agenda and inform others of the agenda as appropriate.
TERM
With the exception of the chair, members will sit on the committee for a time period that runs concurrent with the term of Council.
Any
member who is absent from three consecutive meetings without providing an
alternate will be deemed to have resigned and a new member will be recruited.
DOCUMENT 5
Parking is a strategic tool for city-building. By effectively
managing its supply and price, governments can influence how people choose to
travel and promote a behavioural shift from driving to transit use and other
alternatives to automobile usage. By guiding the appropriate location and
design of parking in new developments, the City can also support the creation
of more compact communities. However, these strategic considerations are
challenged by the concerns of employers, stores service providers and tourism
destinations where employees, customers and visitors arrive in automobiles,
whether by need or choice. In this way, short-term economic and practical
realities are brought into conflict with longer-term goals – making parking one
of the more challenging issues addressed in this plan.
Bearing in mind these considerations, the City’s strategic
parking objectives are:
• To provide short-term parking that supports the
needs of local businesses, residents, institutions and tourism destinations
• To limit the supply of long-term parking in a manner
that balances transit ridership objectives with the needs of automobile users
• To support intensification and minimize the amount
of land devoted to parking through measures such as parking structures and
arrangements to share parking among land uses
In support of these objectives, the City of Ottawa’s parking
services include on-street parking, several off-street parking lots and
garages, public bicycle parking and parking enforcement. The City also
influences the supply of parking in new developments, and has some regulatory
control over privately run off-street public parking lots. Recent changes to
the City’s new Zoning By-law included: harmonizing parking rate requirements;
reducing parking rates for employment, institutional and retail uses near rapid
transit stations; providing shared parking provisions for combinations of land
uses with different peak periods of parking usage; introducing parking rate
reduction in circumstances where bicycle change rooms and shower facilities are
provided, or when underground rather than surface parking is provided; and
introducing expanded and new bicycle parking provisions.
The following policies address on-street and off-street
parking and touch on matters discussed in Chapter 3 (land use), Chapter 4
(bicycle parking), Chapter 5 (Park & Ride lots), and Chapter 6 (carpool
parking).
The City will:
1. Develop a Municipal Parking Management Strategy in
2009 that:
a) Defines a program to regularly examine public parking needs, evaluate alternatives and recommend on-street and off-street solutions in key areas including but not limited to the downtown, Business Improvement Areas and Town Centres
b) Identifies parking policies and programs to support intensification and residential development in targeted areas
c) Establishes guidelines for parking pricing, with key parameters including rates, hours, locations and vehicle types
d) Identifies opportunities to support the parking needs of cyclists, carpoolers and private carshare companies, and examines the parking requirements of scooter, moped and motorcycle riders
e) Reflects transportation demand management (TDM) principles and objectives (Section 3.3) and identifies synergies between parking and TDM initiatives
f) Recommends an appropriate allocation of parking revenues to support parking programs, parking infrastructure development and TDM initiatives that defer or negate the need for new parking infrastructure
g) Recommends approaches to provide transparency and clarity through communication with stakeholders about the parking program’s goals and objectives, financial status and infrastructure investment plans
2. Periodically review the City’s Zoning By-law to
ensure that minimum and maximum parking requirements for new developments
(particularly commercial, retail and multi-unit residential uses) support
municipal objectives for compact development and more sustainable
transportation behaviours.
3. Update the City’s Cash-in-Lieu of Parking policy to
reflect the City’s growth management principles to ensure consistency with
objectives and activity related to development and parking programs in the
relevant areas of Ottawa.
4. Support the availability of short-term parking for business
(retail and service), institutional, residential and tourism uses, particularly
those in the Central Area and inner city neighbourhoods, by:
a)
Providing on-street
parking that does not compromise multimodal safety or service level
b)
Giving priority to
serving short-term users in City-controlled parking facilities
c) Providing City-operated short-term parking in mixed
use developments
5. Discourage the temporary use of vacant lands for
long-term parking.
6. Conduct a pilot project to showcase proactive parking management strategies in Centrepointe mixed-use centre, a transit-oriented development node where the City has considerable landholdings and an opportunity to maximize transit ridership.
7. Prepare a tour bus parking strategy in partnership
with other levels of government, institutions, tour operators, and tourism
authorities.
8. Conduct marketing initiatives that, among other
objectives:
a) Encourage the use of off-street parking lots rather than on-street parking
b) Involve Business Improvement Areas and other partner agencies
c) Measure overall marketing performance and customer satisfaction
Recommendations
Recommendation
1
That the City ensure that
responsibilities, accountabilities and coordination of all aspects of the
Parking Function, including planning related matters (zoning requirements,
cash-in-lieu) development matters (new and existing locations/requirements of
on and off-street parking including residential on-street parking) and
operational requirements (collections, rate setting, enforcement) be clearly
assigned in a manner which ensures a comprehensive and coordinated approach to
the Parking Function.
Management
Response
Management agrees with this
recommendation.
Presently, the Planning branch manages the
Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Comprehensive Zoning By-law.
These documents take into account broad land use issues and serve to set the context and the
high-level objectives for the Parking Program.
At its meeting of 13 February 2008, City Council gave
the following direction:
“That staff be directed to develop a new city-wide,
comprehensive, consolidated parking policy in conjunction with the principles
articulated in the Parking Management Strategy and the Transportation Master
Plan; and that the policy include parking needs in the zoning by-law, a review
of the financial costs to the City of storing cars on city streets versus storing
cars on private lots; and
That the study examines on-street parking rates:
· That vary according to geography; and,
· That vary according to time (time of day, day of the
week).
Also, that the terms of reference for this
study/review be brought to Transportation Committee for its review and approval
prior to being undertaken.”
The Transportation Committee approved the Terms of
Reference for the Parking Management Strategy on June 18, 2008 and work is
currently underway.
The Parking Management Strategy will be set within the
context of the Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan policies and
objectives and will outline a framework that will clearly identify
responsibilities and accountabilities to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated
approach to the parking function. The Parking Management Strategy is scheduled
to be presented to Council in Q2 2009.
Recommendation 2
a) That the City ensure that the Parking Management
Strategy and related documents currently underway be modified to clearly
distinguish between strategic versus operational policies, initiatives and
directives.
b)
That
Council approve an expanded scope of the PMS to ensure that all aspects of the
“Parking Function” are included in the strategy. Accountabilities, objectives, goals,
performance indicators and implementation plans for these items should be
clearly stated and progress tracked in supporting documents.
Management Response
Management agrees with these recommendations.
The Parking Management Strategy will distinguish
between strategic versus operational policies, initiatives and directives. It
will also address all aspects of the parking function and will identify how
parking relates to the different areas that the Planning branch is responsible
for such as the Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Zoning By-Law,
Cash-In-Lieu, etc. Further, it will ensure that there are key accountabilities,
objectives and performance indicators that can be tracked and published in
regular status reports.
The Parking Management Strategy is scheduled to be
presented to Council in Q2 2009. Work will be done in the development of this
strategy to ensure that these recommendations are reflected in supporting
documents.
Recommendation 3
That the City ensure that the Parking Management
Strategy and its related implementation be developed with the goal of achieving
the strategic objectives identified in the Official Plan and Transportation
Master Plan as well as being compatible with the Economic Development
initiatives (which reside in the Planning, Transit and Environment Department).
These policies and decisions should be considered during Neighbourhood Planning
Initiatives (NPI), Community Design Plans (CDP), and in routine consultations
with BIAs.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
The Parking Management Strategy is being developed to
ensure that strategic objectives in the Official Plan and the Transportation
Master Plan are reflected. These objectives will, in-turn, be reflected in
Neighbourhood and Community Design Plans, which are developed using these
overriding documents for direction and guidance.
The Parking Management Strategy will be presented to
Council for approval in Q2 2009.
Recommendation 4
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch develop a
monthly Parking Operations Unit standard report which highlights revenue from
all sources (off-street facilities by lot, on-street by P&D and meters
preferably by major neighbourhood), for month, year-to-date actual, and budget.
This must be supported by detailed narrative to address variances, issues,
lessons learned, etc., and distributed to the director level for review and
approval. The data source should either be SAP or a document, which is
reconciled routinely to SAP.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Staff are currently preparing a series of reports that
reflect revenues from all sources. Once finalized, this information will be
provided to senior management on a monthly basis. These reports require
coordination between several sources and will be established by Q2 2009.
New reporting will supplement and improve upon the
information that is currently being prepared. Staff currently prepare a series
of reports that reflect all on-street revenues collected by day and by zone as
well as all revenues and expenses for off- street parking facilities. In
addition, staff training is underway which will enable staff to undertake
financial analysis and reconciliation to the extent that is identified in the
Auditor’s report.
Further, realty taxes and Lot 6 third party service
provider costs have been adjusted for 2008 and future budgets in response to
issues identified in the report.
Recommendation 5
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch ensure that
Parking Operations Unit begin tracking paid utilization rates and explain
variances in a monthly report.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Currently, staff selectively track utilization rates
as part of the ongoing management and monitoring of our parking systems. With
the implementation of Pay and Display machines, tracking of revenue and
utilization rates will be carried out on a regular basis and monthly reports
will be generated.
The Pay and Display procurement process will require
Council approval in order to proceed. A report seeking this approval will be
presented to Council in Q2 2009 with expected implementation in Q1 2010 if
approved.
Recommendation 6
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch develop new
Parking Operations Unit collection routes which address both a four and five
day collection schedule and focus on collecting from the busiest routes most
frequently; this may result in collections from some routes less frequently
than is currently done, especially during weeks with statutory holidays.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation and this
practice is currently in place.
Traffic and Parking Operations will continue to look
for efficiencies and improvements to the collection schedule to ensure that the
busiest routes are collected when needed and the less busy routes are collected
less frequently. At the same time, it is important to ensure any system allows
for the continuation of proactive monitoring of all parking meters to address
problems as they arise as efficiently as possible. The data acquired through
these regular collections forms part of a historical database that is used to
monitor trends and forecast year-end revenue expectations.
New collection routes will be developed when Pay and
Display machines are implemented. Due to the increased availability and detail
of financial and maintenance information through automatic means, the
acquisition of this data through regular collections will no longer be
required. The frequency of the new collection routes would then be directly
tied to the utilization of the machine. The implementation of Pay and Display
technology is expected to occur Q1 2010 pending Council approval.
Recommendation 7
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch ensure that
all Parking Operations Unit collection sheets indicate the routes collected and
in cases where there are no collections, identify special circumstances which
would contribute to lower dollars collected (e.g., construction or hooding) as
well as document alternate procedures (e.g., spare vaults used) with the reason
noted on the collection sheet.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Procedures for this practice are already in place.
Staff review collection sheets on a weekly basis to audit the weight of the
vaults and review any abnormalities that may be present in the specific
collection route. Going forward, anomalies will be tracked and recorded
consistently on the monthly revenue comparison sheets.
Once Pay and Display machines are implemented, the
collection process will change and machines that do not require collection due
to construction or hooding will not be collected.
The Pay and Display procurement process requires Council
approval to proceed. A report seeking this approval will be presented to
Council in Q2 2009 with expected implementation in Q1 2010 if approved.
Recommendation 8
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch ensure that
new Pay and Display machines track the outstanding value of Smart Cards.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
As part of the Pay and Display procurement process,
the City has set out minimum standards to ensure that any new Pay and Display
machine can track the outstanding value of Smart Cards.
The Pay and Display procurement process requires
Council approval to proceed. A report seeking this approval will be presented
to Council in Q2 2009 with expected implementation in Q1 2010 if approved.
Recommendation 9
That the City, as part of the Cash-in-Lieu Policy
review currently underway, consider reverting to the original intended use of
cash-in-lieu funds generated (i.e., being used only for the provision of parking spaces) ideally in the same area
as applicant property.
Management Response
Management agrees with the recommendation.
The consideration of 'reverting to the original
intended use of cash-in-lieu funds generated' will form part of the report to
Committee and Council as part of the Cash-in-Lieu Policy review currently
underway in the Planning branch. Parking Operations will play a key role in the
review of the Cash-in-Lieu Policy. Timelines for the Policy review are as
follows:
• Consultation
with stakeholders |
Q1 2009 |
• Report on
options to Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) and Council for
identification of preferred option |
Q2 2009 |
• Consultation
on preferred option |
Q2 2009 |
• Report to PEC
and Council on results of consultation, including implementation strategy and
financial implications |
Q3 2009 |
Recommendation
10
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch
re-evaluate Parking Operations Unit current inventory of surface lots with the
view towards divesting of surface lots which do not satisfactorily assist in meeting
Council approved desired goals.
Management
Response
Management agrees with this
recommendation.
A review of the inventory of surface lots
will be initiated upon the completion of the Parking Management Strategy, which
is scheduled to be presented to Council for approval in Q2 2009.
The evaluation of any particular surface
lot requires a comprehensive local area study to evaluate the short, medium and
long-term parking supply and demand scenarios. The areas where surface lots
exist will be assessed on this basis and a determination will be made with
respect to their viability relative to Council approved desired goals.
Recommendation 11
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch re-evaluate
Parking Operations Unit current inventory of on-street parking, including
On-street Residential Permits, to ensure it complies with the new Parking
Management Strategy, once developed.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
A review of on-street parking, by area, will be undertaken
upon the completion of the Parking Management Strategy, which is scheduled to
be presented to Council for approval in Q2 2009.
Recommendation 12
That the City work with local Business Improvement
Areas (BIAs) to develop parking rate strategies including considering
allocating revenues collected within the BIA, Neighourhood or Ward in which the
funds are collected, to further buy-in by the local community.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Staff have set up internal and external working groups
as part of the development of the Parking Management Strategy, which will be
presented to Council for approval in Q2 2009. Members of these working groups
include representatives from area BIAs, community and church groups, business
associations, motorcycle and scooter representatives and others. The Parking
Management Strategy will address the allocation of revenues.
Recommendation 13
That the Parking Operations Unit maintenance staff of
the Traffic and Parking Operations Branch endeavour to spend additional time
testing and conducting proactive maintenance on parking machines in high
traffic areas to detect and correct malfunctions in meters as soon as possible.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Parking Operations currently has in place a proactive
maintenance management program for both on-street and off-street equipment. The
program includes over 31 maintenance plan elements with over 1,129 activities
that address key operating components. Staff continually strive to improve our
proactive maintenance activities and techniques to ensure that less time and
money is spent on maintenance and that there is an ongoing reduction in the
number of calls from the public regarding equipment malfunctions. This
proactive approach has already resulted in a 37% reduction in calls related to
equipment malfunctions between 2003 and 2007.
Staff will endeavour to further improve upon these
results through the establishment of scheduled testing protocols on parking
equipment in high traffic areas that will test coin discrimination, battery
levels and Parking Card acceptance. The implementation of these protocols will
focus on parking equipment in high traffic areas. Monthly reports will be
prepared as a result of these tests and will be tracked to monitor any
lifecycle issue with the different components. This initiative will be
implemented in Q2 2009.
The implementation of Pay and Display machines
(expected Q1 2010) will assist staff in identifying problems sooner, as the
machine will be able to communicate problems wirelessly to a PDA or cell phone
as they occur.
Recommendation 14
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch work with
their FSU, once a decision is made as to how to proceed with the use of P&D
machines, to develop standard monthly reports to ensure they are managing the
operations effectively and to ensure that any contracted work meets contractual
obligations.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Upon the conclusion of the procurement process for Pay
and Display machines, appropriate processes and reports will be established to
enable the City to properly monitor the performance of the system as well as
the contractual obligations of the successful proponent. This action will
coincide with the expected implementation of the Pay and Display machines in Q1
2010.
Recommendation 15
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch develop a
proactive and cost effective approach to maintenance of parking machine
inventory (parking meters, P&D, POF).
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Parking Operations currently has in place a proactive
maintenance management program for both on-street and off-street equipment. The
program includes over 31 maintenance plan elements with over 1,129 activities
that address key operating components. Staff continually strive to improve our
proactive maintenance activities and techniques to ensure that less time and
money is spent on maintenance and that there is an ongoing reduction in the
number of calls from the public regarding equipment malfunctions. This
proactive approach has already resulted in a 37% reduction in calls related to
equipment malfunctions between 2003 and 2007.
Staff will endeavour to further improve on these
results through the establishment of scheduled testing protocols on parking
equipment in high traffic areas that will test coin discrimination, battery
levels and Parking Card acceptance. The implementation of these protocols will
focus on parking equipment in high traffic areas. Monthly reports will be
prepared as a result of these tests and will be tracked to monitor any
lifecycle issue with the different components. This initiative will be
implemented in Q2 2009.
The implementation of Pay and Display machines
(expected in Q1 2010) will assist staff in identifying problems sooner, as the
machine will be able to communicate problems wirelessly to a PDA or cell phone
as they occur.
Recommendation 16
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch develop
operational protocols and best practices to which they will aspire and against
which they will be measured. This document, approved by Council, should include
various Performance Measurement outcomes against which the Unit’s performance
can be measured and published.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
Parking Operations currently follows core policies and
procedures that guide activities and maintenance schedules in order to reduce
downtime for parking meters, pay and display machines, pay on foot machines and
other parking equipment. There are also programmed maintenance schedules for
parking structures and lots. Presently, a Performance Measurement Framework is
being developed within Traffic and Parking Operations that will review
service-specific outcomes as well as the establishment of performance measures
and targets. It is anticipated that this initiative will be finalized and
implemented by Q3 2009. This will be presented to Council as part of the
Strategic Branch Review in 2010.
Also to be undertaken is the development of an
Operation Protocol and Best Practices document that will amalgamate existing
operational procedures into one overall guiding document. This document will also
be completed by Q3 2009.
Recommendation 17
That Traffic and Parking Operations Branch develop a
mechanism to ensure that Council initiated directives are achieved and reported
to Council. In the event these initiatives will not be achieved within a
reasonable timeframe, the information should be communicated to Council.
Management Response
Management agrees with this recommendation.
There is currently a corporate-wide coordinated effort underway to improve the tracking of City Council initiated directives. Traffic and Parking Operations is active in this respect and will have an internal process in place by Q4 2008.