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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD-44-99 y .~ . ... THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMNISTRATION COMMITTEE File # 1036.E' Res. 4/Gflf-07-n Date: November 1, 1999 Report #: CD-44-99 Subject: PARKING REVENUES By-law # It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report CD-44-99 be received for information; and 2. THAT a copy of Report CD-44-99 be forwarded to the Bowmanville BIA. REPORT: In July 1998, Council approved a five-month pilot project on parking downtown Bowmanville which provided for free parking in the Division and Silver Street lots and a flat rate of $2.00 per day in the Church Street lot. In February 1999, the recommendations contained in Report CD-07-99 were approved which continued the pilot project to the end of 1999. Report CD-07-99 estimated the annual impact on the parking Reserve Fund to be $32,650. This estimate appears to be on target with the amounts actually realized to date. A copy of Report CD-07 -99 is attached hereto as Attachment No.1. Following consideration of the Monthly Parking Report for July 1999, Council directed staff to meet with members of the BIA to address the issue of the decrease in parking revenues. This report identified a decrease in revenues in the amount of $25,396. A meeting was held on October 8, 1999, with Ron Hooper and Garth Gilpin representing the BIA, Councillor Jim Schell, Len Creamer and the Municipal Clerk in attendance. In discussing the loss in revenue, the BIA members indicated that they were prepared to live with the reduced funding as they believed it to be much less than originally forecasted. It should be noted that they were referring to the original estimate in June 1998 when it was recommended that all meters in downtown Bowmanville be free also. The BIA membership feels that the free parking is a definite attraction to shoppers in the downtown area and they would like to continue with the parking program as is, with new possible opportunities for funding being investigated. 702 !:~ ~. Report CD- 44-99 -2- November 1, 1999 Staff is of the opinion that the free parking should continue to the end of the year, as was originally agreed to, particularly in light of the various construction projects that are ongoing in the area. Also, we are fast approaching the Christmas season when free parking is made available each year. A further report will be submitted to Council following year end to address this matter once again. This report is submitted to Council for information purposes only. ReSpe~IY submitt Reviewed by d~~ Franklin Wu, M.C.l.P. Chief Administrative Officer Attachment Interested party to be advised of Council's decision: G. Gilpin Secretary-Treasurer and General Manager Bowmanville Business Centre P.O. Box 365 Bowmanville, Ontario L1 C 3L1 703 ., Attachment No. 1 ~THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT vleeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE -, File # ,~~ :Jate: February 1. 1999 Res.;I[ c' "1 .,-eport #: CD,07-99 Bv-Iaw # Subject: PARKING PROPOSAL - BOWMANVILLE BUSINESS CENTRE- OUR FILE: T02.GE It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council: ~ THAT Report CD-07-99 be received; 2. THAT the pilot project of providing free three hour parking in the off-street lots at Division Street and Silver Street continue until December 31, 1999; and 3. THAT the Bowmanville BIA be advised of Council's decision. BACKGROUND At its meeting on July 13, 1998 Council approved Resolution #C-622-98 allowing for a five month pilot project on parking in downtown Bowmanville. Since that time, parking at the DiviSion Street and the Silver Street lots has been free and the cost of parking in the Church Street lot has been a flat rate of $2.00 per day. Staff were requested to monitor the situation and report back in the new year. ~. meeting was held with members of the BIA on January 20.1999. At that time, the BIA indicated that the ntroduction of free parking in the lots has been a positive marketing strategy and the discontinuance of the practice would have a negative impact on their customers. As such. they have requested that the free Jarking be continued to the end of 1999 They feel that this time frame would provide a better base for the ;ilot project. Crom the Municipality's view point. the most apparent result has been the effect on revenue. At the end of July. parking revenue was $85,158.26, an increase of $4.334.16 over 1997. This was oartly the result of Increased enforcement, the majonty of which was complaints in the evenings related to on-street parking at lanous baseball diamonds in residential areas. Despite the early increase, by year end the revenue was 704 . . Report CD-07 -99 - 2- February 1. 1999 down $9,270.14 from last year. This equates to a total loss for 1998 of $13,604.30, an average of $2,720.86 per month. Report TR-58-98 stated that the calculated loss in revenue, should Council approve staffs original recommendation to provide free parking at all meters and central meters, would be approximately $5,100 per month. At the request of the BIA, Council did not approve the recommendation for free parking at the meters, therefore, the lost revenue is less than was projected. However, the actual loss will impact the Parking Reserve Fund in an annual amount of $32,650. The Parking Reserve Fund is used to offset all costs of Parking operations, ie, enforcement, maintenance, acquisition of new parking lots and any related capital expenditures. The approximate balance in this fund is currently $475,000. The Property Manager is presently negotiating the purchase of two pieces of property which may impact the funds in this account. A concern of misuse of the free lots by employees of downtown businesses was identified in the initial report presented to Council. Originally, municipal staff were instructed to park in the Church Street lot, as per Council's resolution. By way of letter dated August 21, the BIA requested that municipal staff park in any of the lots in order to free up the Church Street lot for downtown employees. Accordingly, staff of the municipality have dispersed from this one lot, thereby freeing up more spaces for the employees of the downtown businesses. However, inspections of the lot have indicated that these individuals frequently park in the free lots. The BIA has indicated that they will forward a letter to its members requesting thatall employees park in the Church Street lot at the $2.00 per day flat rate. Previously, these employeeswer&-. purchasing a monthly parking pass at a cost of $50.00 plus applicable taxes. Paying $2.00 per day to. park in the Church Street lot saves each employee approximately $16.00 per month. During the meeting with the BIA, concern was raised that the Church Street lot was quite often full when the downtown employees arrive for work. Staff advised that if this should happen, the employees could pay the $2.00 at the central meter, display the tag on their dash and park in the Division Street or Silver Street lots for the entire day without the threat of being ticketed. The resolution of Council stated that ticketing in the lots was only to be carried out on a complaint basis. The BIA is satisfied with this arrangement and, should Council grant an extension to the pilot project, they will continue to monitor the lots for vehicles parked in excess of the permitted three hours. RECOMMENDATIONS The merchants have indicated that their customers have commented that the free parking is a definite attraction to shopping downtown. Although the municipality recognizes a loss of approximately $32,000 annually, staff are not opposed to the extension of the pilot project to the end of 1999. The time previously spent by the Parking Enforcement Officer in monitoring these lots (approximately one to one and one half hours per day) has been spent in other areas of the municipality investigating complaints. This is evidenced by the increase of 375 more tickets issued in 1998 than in 1997. - 705 -. Reoort CO-07-99 - .5 - =ebruary 1, 1999 Should Council extend the pilot project until the end of 1999, a further report wlil be forthcoming early in 2000 to provide an update, Reviewed by '-. --,' , ,(- ~' ,_ ~----- \.?__L _ ~~-- .:. '-- PattiL lv1urucipal CI Franklin Wu, M,CJP, RP.P" Chief Administrative Officer Interested party to be advised of Council's decision: G, Gilpin Secretary-Treasurer and General Manager Bowmanville Business Centre P,O, Box 365 Bowmanville, Ontario L1 C 3L1 706