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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEGD-026-08 q![-!!Jgron REPORT ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT Date: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Monday/June 2, 2008 Resolution #:~c 0 ~ Meeting: Report #: EGD-026-08 File#: By-law #: Subject: CLARINGTON BEECH CENTRE PARKING STUDY Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report EGD-026-08 be received for information; and 2. THAT the Municipality of Clarington act as a resource to the Clarington Older Adults Association (COAA) over the next year as they work through the potential parking solutions outlined within this report; and 3. THAT Council re-visit this issue again in one year upon receipt of a written report to Council from the Clarington Older Adults Association (COAA) detailing the efforts that have been made; and 4. THAT discussions take place at that time about the success of these initiatives as well as any appropriate next steps; and 5. THAT any interested parties be notified of this report. Reo_W ~ Submitted by: A.S. Cannella Director of Engineering Services o~-~ Th, Reviewed by: Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer ASC/jb/jo May 22, 2008 CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-9282 Report #EGD-026-08 Page 2 1.0 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 1.1 In light of the proposed reconstruction of Beech Avenue in Bowmanville, Ontario, management of the Clarington Beech Centre and the Clarington Older Adult Association (COAA) have requested that concerns over parking issues at the Clarington Beech Centre be addressed at this time. With expected increases in COAA future membership and potential increased use of the facility by all users, the COAA is anxious to mitigate any current or future demand for parking. In response, the Clarington Beech Centre Parking Study was planned and conducted to assess current conditions, limitations to future growth, and possible mitigating factors. 2.0 DATA COLLECTION 2.1 Based on input from the COAA, two representative days (where the facility is typically booked for both day-time and evening use) were selected to study current conditions. Occupancy rates of the existing parking facility were collected on an hourly basis over these two days. Data was assembled for each of the three separate parking areas on the Centre's property and for the 'informal' parking area that exists on Beech Avenue in the vicinity of the Centre. 2.2 Seventy-seven parking spaces exist on the Clarington Beech Centre property, with two reserved for handicapped parking. Informal parking on Beech Avenue accounts for an additional twenty-eight spaces. In addition, there are as many as twelve undesignated parking locations on the property (improperly used areas) that fall outside the formally delineated parking spaces. Including all formal, informal and undesignated locations, parking for 117 vehicles currently exists at the facility. 2.3 Hourly use of the facility's parking resources has been collected and tabulated to reveal peak periods of usage and to identify specific times where the facility's parking resources are strained beyond their current capacity. Further recorded observations of parking and traffic activity include vehicle occupancy, periods of Report #EGD-026-08 Page 3 concentrated arrival and departure, and modes of arrival and departure (Le., walking, taxi, drop-off and pick-up, etc.) 3.0 ANALYSIS 3.1 Based on collected data, it was found that the north lot is the preferred patron parking area and regularly exceeds 85-90 per cent of the parking supply, which is considered to be 'effective capacity' in parking analysis (the point at which users perceive the lot to be full and no longer search for empty spaces). The south lot is mainly used by staff and there is evidence to suggest that some patrons are unaware that this lot is available for public use. 3.2 Faded pavement markings, and snowfall in winter months, have made parking spaces less visible, increasing the incidence of improper parking and decreasing the number of available spaces. The Executive Director of the Centre has stated that two or three collisions have gone unreported to police. In the course of observation, it was noted that there is an increased risk of collision during peak usage times, due to congestion, especially when improper parking is taking place. 3.3 During peak hours, informal parking on Beech Avenue approaches capacity. To determine overall parking supply versus demand, total parking for all locations, including on-street parking (formal and informal), was compared to total on-site parking supply (formal). On both study days, demand for formal on-site parking approached or exceeded effective capacity during peak hours. Informal on-street parking satisfied demand at these times. 3.4 It must also be noted that the existing width of Beech Avenue is insufficient to accommodate on-street parking as well as two-way (simultaneous) traffic, and reconstruction will not result in an increase in the width of the roadway. The current parking by-law prohibits parking on either side of the street but only the west side of the street is signed as such, effectively allowing parking on the east side. Concerns have been raised by the Clarington Fire Department that there is Report #EGD-026.08 Page 4 insufficient room for placement of emergency vehicles (pumper trucks) if on- street parking is allowed to continue. 3.5 Further observations regarding arrival and departure of patrons include the following: · Typical vehicle occupancy is single occupant with occasional double occupant. · Only three to four pedestrian arrivals were observed each day . Only two arrivals by taxi were observed each day · Pick-ups and drop-offs totaled 30 over both observation days · Drop-off area was blocked by delivery and emergency vehicles on both observation days · In general, arrivals and departures cluster around the beginning and ending of programs 3.7 Seasonal use of the facility by the Bowmanville Tennis Club (BTC) operates from May through October. Demand for parking for tennis club members was not observed; however, information provided by the BTC indicates that demand for parking by BTC members does not conflict with the facility's peak demand hours. The BTC has also expressed their wish that the tennis courts not be converted into additional parking. 4.0 CONCLUSIONS 4.1 Based on the findings of our parking study seven potential options were identified: 1) Maximize the efficient use of on-site parking, information signage should be provided to inform patrons of the availability of parking in the typically under utilized south and east parking lots. Report #EGD-026-08 Page 5 2) As an alternative to the use of other off-site parking facilities, or as a supplementary measure, a program could be initiated to manage the Centre's event parking demand by: a. Encouraging car pooling (including the possibility of signing some parking spaces for the exclusive use of high occupancy vehicles); b. Encouraging the use of other transportation modes such as walking, public transit, or drop-off/pick up by vehicles that will not be parked on- site; c. Utilizing the large grassed areas at the Centre for overflow parking during higher attendance events; d. Using students or other volunteers to direct vehicles to available parking and overflow parking areas; e. Using tandem parking (two to a space) or valet parking - Le. stack the cars in a section of the parking lot, but they are "locked" in until everyone moves. This could only be implemented for those events where attendees would be leaving at the same time. 3) Incorporate a "flexible" programming initiative for those days when the Centre has high attendance events booked by which the programs would be scheduled for another time during the day or another day of the week to avoid overlapping use of the facility. 4) The cooperative shared use of the Center's surplus parking with the Bowmanville Tennis Club should be continued, subject to the BTC having a contingency parking plan (other than parking on Beech Avenue) for times when high attendance events are scheduled at the Centre. 5) The continued use of on-street parking should be reviewed by Emergency Services based on the proposed design for the reconstruction of Beech Avenue due to its current and future width. 6) Should expansion of off-street parking facilities at the Centre be a consideration for the future, options will be reviewed at that time. Report #EGO-026-08 Page 6 4.2 The Clarington Beech Centre is located within a residential neighborhood serviced by local streets. For this reason, and to be respectful of every "member" of this community it is important to attempt to manage traffic growth at the Centre using the least obtrusive techniques described above. Successful coexistence between the Centre and its residential neighbours is a major priority and it is for this reason that we recommend that the expansion of off-street parking facilities should be discussed only after every other option has been duly explored. Since February 13, 2006, Beech Avenue, including the Clarington Beech Centre property, has been designated as the "Beech Avenue Heritage Conservation District." A key requirement of this designation is the "preservation of landscape treatments and the conservation of landmark features in both private and public ownership." Construction of additional parking may be in conflict with this objective. (The Designation is due for review in 2009) The societal trend is to seek environmentally friendly solutions such as those noted above. Building additional parking space would eliminate highly-valued green space and encourage additional vehicle trips to the Centre. Leaving the green space untouched and encouraging car-pooling to reduce vehicle trips to the Centre would create a positive environmental impact and support society's desire for these types of solutions. The Iifecycle cost of constructing and maintaining additional parking at the Beech Centre is considerably greater than the cost of the other solutions noted above. Report #EGD-026-08 Page 7 4.3 For these reasons, staff recommends that the COAA attempt to implement recommendations 1 through 4 of the Parking Study, with the assistance of staff, for a one year period, and report back to Council on the effectiveness of these measures. Emergency Services' assessment of the continued use of on-street parking, as noted in Parking Study recommendation 5, will be completed once Beech Avenue is reconstructed. Only after the results of these measures have been fully assessed should the implementation of recommendation 6, which calls for the construction of additional on-site parking, be reviewed in more detail. List of Interested Parties: List with Engineering Services Department