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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-09-16; Housing & Redevelopment Commission; Resolution 3711 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 371 A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA APPROVING THE VILLAGE PARKING ENHANCEMENT ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO PROCEED WITH APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO CARRY OUT THE RECOMMENDED WHEREAS, the availability of public parking in the Village has been a priority of the downtown area since prior to the establishment of the Village Redevelopment Area in 1981; and WHEREAS, the availability of public parking is a significant factor in the success of the Village Redevelopment Area; and WHEREAS, as one of the City Council goals for fiscal year 2002-2003, the Village Parking Enhancement Assessment and Action Plan was prepared to assess the various methods by which the Redevelopment Agency believes it can increase the amount of City ownedlcontrolled public parking in the Village Redevelopment Area and provide an action plan outlining specific staff recommendations. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Housing and Redevelopment Commission of the City of Carlsbad as follows: 1. The Village Parking Enhancement Assessment and Action Plan attached hereto, is hereby accepted and approved, and the Executive Director of the Carlsbad Redevelopment Agency or designee is authorized to proceed with carrying out the recommended actions. /Ill 1111 /Ill 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 < 2. Staff is authorized to proceed with the allocation of staff resources and to proceed with ippropriate actions to obtain outside consultant services, as deemed necessary, to carry out the -ecommended actions contained within the Village Parking Enhancement Assessment and Action Plan. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular meeting of the Housing and Redevelopment Commission of the City of Carlsbad, California, on the 16 th day of m. 2003, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Commissioners Lewis, Finnila, Kulchin, Hall NOES: None ABSENT: Commissioner Packard ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: RAY~ND R. PATCHETT, Secretary HRC Resolution No. Page 2 Village Parking Enhancement Assessment and Action Plan Prepared by City of Carlsbad Housing & Redevelopment Department June, 2003 INTRODUCTION Success of the Village Redevelopment Area is contingent on many things; a desirable mixture of uses, a pleasant pedestrian-oriented shopping environment, and the availability of parking. The focus of this report is on the third factor, the availability of parking in the Village, which has been a priority of the downtown area since prior to the establishment of the Village Redevelopment Area in 1981. The historical land use patterns in the Village Area predominately consist of small lots with large buildings and very little, if any, on-site parking. Many businesses rely on street parking for their customers. In an effort to provide more parking in the downtown area the Redevelopment Agency has purchased property for public parking purposes, imposed three-hour time limits to encourage higher turnover of street parking, and leased private property for public parking purposes. While these efforts have been beneficial in helping to increase the supply of public parking in the area, demand for public parking continues to increase. The availability of public parking is also a factor in the success of the Parking In- Lieu Fee Program. The Program was initiated in 1999 as a tool to assist in the redevelopment of the downtown area by providing an option for developers to satisfy on-site parking requirements associated with new construction and the expansion or intensification of existing uses. The Program allows developers to pay a fee, per parking space, in lieu of providing a portion, or in some cases all, of the required on-site parking. The fees collected from the Parking In-Lieu Fee Program are deposited into an earmarked, interest bearing fund to be used for construction of new, or maintenance of existing, public parking facilities within the Village Redevelopment Area. One of the stipulations of the Program is that participation in the Program will be suspended once an 85% utilization rate is established in the existing public parking lots. Currently, the utilization rate is 79%. Therefore, it is important to continue to add public parking to maintain the effectiveness of the Program. ASSESSMENT This report will look at the various methods by which the Redevelopment Agency can increase the amount of impediment-free, City-ownedkontrolled public parking in the Village Redevelopment Area. Various opportunities that will be discussed include: 1) revisions to existing street standards, 2) incorporation of maximum public parking opportunities in conjunction with private development projects, 3) restriping of existing public parking lots, 4) acquiring long term lease agreements for public parking lots, and 5) acquiring private property for public parking purposes. Revisions to Street Standards One method for increasing the amount of public parking is to consider revisions to the City’s existing street standards. For instance, angled parking provides 2 almost twice the amount of spaces as parallel parking. Furthermore, providing angled parking in conjunction with reducing the amount of curb cuts along a street can substantially increase the amount of street parking available. c - Parallel Parking Angled Parking South Side 45 70 North Side 46 75 A majority of the existing street widths in the Village are established. Right-of- ways have been dedicated and street improvements including curb, gutter, sidewalks, and landscape areas have been installed. The type of street parking provided (angled or parallel) depends on the overall street width and number of travel lanes provided. Many streets in the downtown area do not have adequate width to allow for an alternative parking arrangement. However, in a few cases, the street widths and circulation patterns warrant an investigation of a different parking layout in order to achieve more street parking. The Public Works Traffic Division completed a preliminary study of the Village Area and found two streets wide enough to incorporate angled parking where parallel parking is currently provided. The streets are Grand Avenue between Hope Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard and Madison Street between Grand Avenue and Arbuckle Place. The City’s Traffic Engineering staff conducted an initial assessment of the streets in order to provide an estimate of the maximum number of potential angled parking spaces. The information generated from this assessment is provided below and should be used for planning purposes only. Detailed engineering drawings will be needed to generate a final number of potential parking spaces. Grand Avenue - The following table shows the amount of parking spaces that can be achieved on both sides of Grand Avenue by installing angled parking versus parallel parking: I Total 1 91 I 145 I The assessment took into consideration the location of existing curb cuts, streets, alleys, and “No Parking” zones. Madison Street - An assessment of additional parking potential was also conducted on Madison Street between Grand Avenue and Arbuckle Place. Given the width of the street and the extensive curb cuts on the east side of the street, angled parking was found to be only possible on the west side of the street. There is about 41 feet of parallel parking between Grand Avenue and the parking lot entrance to Old World Center. It is the opinion of the City Traffic Engineer that this should remain and not be converted to angled parking because of its proximity to Grand Avenue. On the remainder of the west side of the street there is space for 12 parallel spaces or 20 angled parking spaces, 3 9 yielding a net increase of 8 spaces if the parking were modified to 45 degree angled. Overall, it is the opinion of the City Traffic Engineer that the portion of Madison Street described above could be considered along with the Grand Avenue in a comprehensive evaluation of angled parking in the downtown area. The conversion from parallel to angled parking can be a somewhat controversial issue, especially in light of the fact that angled parking previously existed on Grand Avenue and was removed and replaced with parallel parking as part of the streetscape improvements that took place in the late 1980’s. However, since that time staff has a heightened awareness of traffic calming needs and a commonly held goal for a pedestrian-oriented downtown. Prior to moving forward with any changes to the existing parking layout on either Grand Avenue or Madison Street, the pros and cons of angled and parallel parking will need to be evaluated and detailed engineering drawings will need to be prepared to assess the total number of spaces and impacts on through traffic lanes. Public Parking in Conjunction with Private Development Chapter 8 of the City of Carlsbad Village Redevelopment Master Plan and Design Manual addresses the circulation plan for the Village Redevelopment Area. It identifies the location of primary streets in the Village, bicycle routes, and the transit center. It also discusses the goals for creating the pedestrian framework for the area. The circulation plan for the Village Area was established on land use patterns and buildings that were developed as long ago as the early 1900’s. A majority of the public right-of-way has been dedicated and public improvements have been installed. However, along the periphery of the Village Area there remains “pockets” of unimproved property which lack public improvements. These areas present an opportunity to incorporate alternative street ‘designs, such as angled parking, into redevelopment projects as they are proposed. If an alternative street design is planned out in advance of any redevelopment project, additional right-of-way can be obtained as part of the land use permit process. However, unless an extensive street frontage is redeveloped this can result in a “patchwork” of various public improvements. It can take decades for each parcel to redevelop in order to complete the public improvements along a single block. Incorporating angled parking into this kind of scenario becomes very difficult unless the City can acquire all the necessary right-of-way and is willing to fund the installation of public improvements, including angled street parking. Therefore, staff believes that one of the only reasonable opportunities for providing angled street parking is through large redevelopment projects. One such project where this was highly successful is the Village by the Sea project. This mixed-use project includes 65-condominium units and 8,700 square feet of 4 retail space. The project is bordered by Carlsbad Boulevard to the west, Washington Street to the east, Christiansen Way to the south, and Beech Avenue to the north. When the project was initially proposed, the developer requested the City vacate excess right-of-way along Christiansen Way. Seeing an opportunity to create more street parking near the Coaster Station, staff supported maintaining the existing right-of-way and assisted the developer in designing an angled parking lay-out along Christiansen Way that almost doubled the number of public parking spaces provided on the street. The Village by the Sea project is an excellent example of what can achieved by City staff and developers working together to maximize street parking. For all future redevelopment projects, staff will assess the ability to achieve maximum on- street parking as a part of the standard project review. Identifying potential areas for increased street parking in the future will require a comprehensive right-of-way analysis for all streets within the Village Redevelopment Area. Alternative street designs should be evaluated to determine where additional public right-of-way could be obtained through the development review’permit process. Restriping of Existing Lots Another opportunity to create additional public parking is to consider restriping the existing public parking lots to create more spaces. Staff conducted an assessment of the public parking lots and it appears the parking layouts that exist today are the most optimal in terms of on-site circulation, points of ingress and egress, and configuration of the lots. Therefore, staff has no recommendations for increasing the number of parking spaces by restriping the existing public parking lots. Long Term Lease Agreements The Carlsbad Redevelopment Agency owns parking Lots A, B, and I and maintains lease agreements for the use of Lots C, D, and E (see attached map for reference). There are no time limits for parking in any of these lots, with the exception of Lot I, and parking is free to the public. Lot I has a three (3) hour time limit to keep this centrally located parking lot available to customers and visitors to the area while discouraging its use by Coaster Station commuters. North County Transit District (NCTD) owns, operates and maintains parking Lots F, G, H, and J. The Redevelopment Agency currently leases Lots C, D, and E. Lots D and E are owned by the NCTD and Lot C is privately owned by the Baumgartner Family Trust. In the Business Plan developed by NCTD, it states that it is their intent to increase all land leases to “fair market value”. To date, this increase has not taken place, however, it is staff’s belief that these increases will occur in the near future. In fiscal year 2002-03, the Redevelopment Agency paid $14,530 to lease 5 IC 128 parking spaces from NCTD. Once the Redevelopment Agency receives notification of any increases in lease amounts to these two properties, staff will evaluate the benefits of maintaining the lease agreements against the costs. For instance, 44 of the parking spaces in Lot D are utilized by the Public Works Department for the parking of City vehicles. If the Public Works Yard is relocated, the benefit of maintaining this parking lot should be reevaluated. Historically, Lot E has received minimal amount of use because it is situated in an obscure location on the east side of Washington Street behind an existing building that blocks its view from Carlsbad Village Drive. However, utilization is increasing in this lot. Currently, the cost of this lease is a nominal amount that warrants maintaining the lease agreement. However, future lease increases or the provision of public parking in an alternative location may warrant the termination of this agreement. The last property the Redevelopment Agency leases is Lot C, owned by the Baumgartner Family Trust. This property has 50 parking spaces for which the Redevelopment Agency paid $74,500 in fiscal year 2002-03 and is subject to annual increases (6% automatic) based on the current lease agreement. The cost of leasing this property to date warrants the Redevelopment Agency’s investigation of an alternative action associated with maintaining public parking on the property such as a more cost effective long-term lease agreement or purchase of the property. Acquisition of Private Property Staff consistently evaluates properties that come on the market for their potential use as public parking lots. The primary factors associated with acquiring land for public parking purposes are location, size, and cost. The property must be in an area that is centrally located and in close proximity to high pedestrian traffic areas. Yet the property should not be so centrally located that it upsets retail continuity or displaces desirable land uses. Secondly, the property must be of a sufficient size to achieve a significant number of parking spaces. Ideally, around 50-55 spaces are desirable for surface level parking. A lot of .4 acres (125 ft. x 140 ft.) is needed to provide 50-55 spaces and associated drive aisles. This constitutes approximately one-third of a standard block in the Village Area. Additional ingress and egress points associated with an adjacent alley are also highly desirable when determining location. Finally, the cost of the property must be evaluated to weigh the public benefit against the fair market value of the land. Ideally, the consolidation of multiple surface parking lots for the construction of a multi-level parking structure achieves the greatest outcome in terms of providing maximum parking opportunities in the smallest area. In January 1999, staff completed a report on parking utilization, programs and recommendations for the Carlsbad Village Redevelopment Area entitled Parking in the Carlsbad Village Redevelopment Area. The report identified two key sites for parking structures in the Village Area. One site is the Carlsbad Coaster 6 Station owned by NCTD. Development of a parking structure on this site would require a coordinated effort between NCTD and the City of Carlsbad, but would not require the acquisition of additional private property. The second site is on the east side of Roosevelt Street between Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive where a majority of the property is owned by the Carlsbad Redevelopment Agency and two surface parking lots (Lots A and B) currently exist. Along with the property owned by the Redevelopment Agency on Roosevelt Street, the remainder of the block includes two additional parcels owned by separate entities. The first parcel abuts the corner of Roosevelt Street and Grand Avenue and is 50 feet wide by 140 feet deep. The second parcel is 75 feet wide by 140 feet deep and is located between the two existing public parking lots. The location of the second parcel makes it ideal for acquisition by the Redevelopment Agency, but previous offers by the Agency to purchase the property have not been accepted. Staff is continuing efforts to acquire the noted properties on Roosevelt Street and to work with NCTD on construction of a parking structure. As previously discussed, the Baumgartner property (Lot C) is also ideal for acquisition by the Redevelopment Agency. The current lease will expire in June 2008. The owners have stated they are not currently interested in selling the property. However, if the lease is not extended by the AgencyKity beyond 2008, there might be another opportunity to purchase the property. PARKING ENHANCEMENT ACTION PLAN The purpose of the Village Parking Enhancement Assessment was to research and identify methods for increasing City ownedkontrolled public parking. The different mechanisms investigated include: 1) revisions to existing street standards, 2) incorporation of maximum public parking opportunities in conjunction with private development projects, 3) restriping of existing public parking lots, 4) acquiring long term lease agreements for public parking lots, and 5) acquiring private property for public parking purposes. Based on the assessment, the following actions are being recommended: Revisions to Street Standards - Staff is recommending that a comprehensive study be completed to determine the feasibility of converting the existing parallel parking on Grand Avenue and Madison Street to angled parking. If this action is acceptable, detailed engineering drawings and a traffic analysis need to be prepared to assess the total number of spaces to be feasibly achieved and the impacts to through traffic on the subject streets, as well as, adjacent streets. Estimated costs for completing the work will also be calculated. Once this information is prepared, staff will present this information, via the Leadership Team, to the Traffic Safety Commission and then to the Housing and Redevelopment Commission to receive public input and provide staff with further direction. 7 Public Parkinq in Coniunction with Private Development - In order to maximize public parking opportunities in conjunction with private development, staff recommends alternative street designs be evaluated for the Village Redevelopment Area. This will require a comprehensive right-of-way assessment for every street in the downtown area. On streets where right-of- way has been previously established, remaining sites should be identified where additional right-of-way is needed. Identification of these parcels will ensure necessary right-of-way is acquired through the land use permit process. On streets where excess right-of-way exists, an alternative street design should be prepared before any requests to vacate right-of-way are granted, which will ensure maximum public parking opportunities in the future. Finally, as part of every large redevelopment project, especially those that encompass an entire street frontage on a single block, creative alternatives to maximizing on-street public parking will be evaluated as part of formal project review and development. Restripinq of Existing Lots - There is no action recommended in terms of restriping of the existing public parking lots. The initial assessment indicates parking has been maximized at all existing lots. Lonq Term Lease Aqreements - All existing parking lot leases are paid out of the Redevelopment Operations budget. With the Village Redevelopment Plan set to expire in 2006, staff recommends against entering into any new lease agreements for parking on private property until a future funding source has been identified and approved. Staff is currently working on development of a Village Redevelopment Operations Strategy. This strategy will outline the actions that must take place prior to the expiration of the Redevelopment Plan. A major component of the strategy is the future administration of actions currently supported by redevelopment funds. Administration and funding for existing parking lot leases will be evaluated as part of the overall strategy. Any proposed rate increases on Lots D and E, owned by NCTD, will be carefully evaluated. Currently, the cost of leasing these lots is such a nominal amount that it warrants the Redevelopment Agency continuing administration. However, a substantial rate increase by NCTD may justify termination of the lease agreements. The high lease cost on the Baumgartner lot and its termination in 2008 warrants consideration of a renegotiation of a more cost-effective long-term lease agreement or purchase of the property. Acquisition of Private Propertv - As part of the goal process for fiscal year 2003- 04, staff will be actively pursuing the purchase of property for public parking purposes. Key sites that are being considered include, but are not limited to, the two private properties on the east side of Roosevelt Street between Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive and the Baumgartner property. Staff will also be pursuing other properties as opportunities are identified or offered. 8 13 CONCLUSION When the Village Redevelopment Plan was created in 1981, one of the primary issues facing the Village was the availability of public parking. Many efforts have been made since 1981 to improve parking in the downtown area including: 0 Private property has been purchased and leased for public parking purposes; 0 The City/Redevelopment Agency worked with NCTD to expand parking at the Commuter Rail Station by approximately 200 spaces. Further effort is ongoing with NCTD to provide additional parking. 0 The Parking In-Lieu Fee has been implemented to assist in the funding of additional public parking lots and ideally, a parking structure; 0 Three-hour time limits have been established on various streets within the core Village Area and in one public parking lot to discourage Commuter Rail customers, business owners and employees from parking in areas intended for retail customers; 0 The “Three for Free” marketing campaign was initiated to encourage people to utilize the public parking lots and walk around the Village in order to experience all that the area has to offer in terms of products and services: and 0 A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the impediments to higher utilization rates of the public parking lots and recommend actions were implemented to increase the public’s use of the lots. Even with all the actions taken since 1981 to increase the amount and utilization of City ownedkontrolled public parking, the availability of public parking continues to be viewed as a key factor in the future success of the Village Area. The assessment and action plan outlined in this report provides an overview of remaining opportunities to increase public parking in the Village and the necessary steps to achieve them. Staff will continue to seek creative and innovative ways to achieve this challenging goal. 9 \4