Parking Committee
January 9, 2014
Meeting Summary
Present: Present: Wayne Mikos, Paul St. Martin, Jack Gerten, Bill Hosko, Vivian Martinson, Venita Warnke, Nancie Litin, Lucy Thompson, Paul Mandell, Paul Johnson, Josh Lieberman, Ginny Harris, James McClean, John Mannillo, Damian Goebel, Melissa Martinez-Sones, Sandra Erickson
1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Committee Member(s) Reports and Updates:
a. What’s Under the Farmers’ Market – Bill Hosko
There are utility lines surrounding the Farmers Market stalls but apparently none directly underneath.
b. Handicap Placard Assessment – Bill Hosko
Due to the recent cold weather Bill decided to wait for warmer weather to conduct informal placard parking observation study.
Attendees urged the group to remember there are people who legitimately need and use the placards in addition to the apparent abuse of government employees using them for all day parking.
Bill distributed questions (separate document) to gain specific information about Parking Meter Passes/Placards. Paul St. Martin will use questions to seek more detailed information about placard policies and procedures.
c. Placards Update – Paul St. Martin
Paul summarized the attached report regarding a proposal to revise City Code Regarding Disability Parking Privilege in Metered Spaces
There was some discussion about alternative approaches. Paul said the new meters do not have capability to require placard users enter some kind of code to park.
Weight sensing technology would be very expensive and require the issuance of a lot more parking tickets to have a chance of paying for itself.
Proposed changes would apply wherever there are parking meters in Saint Paul, not just downtown.
Paul distributed a proposal (separate document) requesting changes to the current St. Paul Disability Parking Privilege and is seeking committee and/or CRC board support. Committee members were asked to review and further discussion and vote to support proposal will be placed on the February Parking Committee Meeting agenda.
3. Farmers’ Market future: direction, strategies, timeline – Jack Gerten
· Jack presented a future vision for the Farmers’ Market (with illustrations). The Market would expand and extend along 4th Street up to and include the horseshoe drive in front of Union Depot. Jack commented that minimal investment would be necessary to implement this vision.
· The Grower’s Association has considered other locations for the Farmers’ Market.
· The Grower's Association is committed to having the Market stay where it is for two years to see how the new ballpark activities will impact operations and business.
· The Grower'swouldlike to see the Market District visioncreatedwithin the next 3 - 5 years.
· Jack had forecast 2013 season sales to be 50% lower than 2012 season salesbecauseof parking issues, ballparkdemolitionand water main work which affected the Market operations.
· Jack is completing his Grower End-of-Season Feedback Survey (to date 2/3 of responses are in) and 2013 sales/revenue were up 10% over 2012. A surprise to all. Yes, prices were increased, but that does not take into account all of the revenue growth
· Customertraffic, although down from severalyearsago, remainedfairlyflat from 2012, thus, the customer base remained steady. The attendee count was 9000 in 2013, which was a slight increase from 2012 but well below their best year of 12,000.
4. Discussion:
a. Review committee work plan recommendations identified during Dec. 2013 meeting (see Dec. 2013 Parking Committee Meeting Summary) AND determine recommendations for committee to ‘take on’ and incorporate into work to be completed.
Wayne presented the recommendations from the December 2013 meeting and the November 2013 prioritized Opportunities.
Wayne identified similarities between these two lists and agreed to repackage this information into one initiative document for review and discussion at February meeting.
5. Other Business?
Lucy Thompson mentioned the City had received funds to hire a consultant to study St. Paul downtown parking. The Parking Committee could be an important resource to the consultant. It was also noted that action items on the Parking Committee’s list might be tabled until the consultant’s work is completed.
The next Parking Committee Meeting will be Thursday February 6.