Admin Order 53-19-01-F - Laserfiche WebLink

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concerns: parking rates are already too high; the increases will be a hardship to low income workers ; and the City should find another way to pay for parking garage maintenance. Response: I have considered the impact to downtown hourly wage workers, and City Parking staff is constantly weighing the parking impact on downtown economic activity by balancing customer parking needs, employee on-street parking, and maintaining public investment in downtown parking structures that have encouraged economic development. The proposed fee schedule is supported by the Downtown Eugene Merchants Association, Downtown Eugene, Inc., and the Chamber of Commerce. City staff will continue to work with downtown employees and visitors to evaluate methods that create on-street turnover and balance economic growth. A goal of the paid parking program is to encourage alternative modes of transportation. City staff can provide resources to find other means of transportation to our downtown core if the rate increases are a burden . I understand the cost pressures for downtown businesses, which is why I delayed increasing the rates for as long as possible . However, the City's parking structures and surface lots are at capacity, including waiting lists for new parking customers . The rate increase is necessary to support the parking enterprise fund and to re-allocate parkers to continue downtown business and economic growth over the next several years. The City charges for downtown parking permits to manage parking demand, encourage alternative modes of transportation, and pay for downtown parking operation costs . In 2016 , the parking system had an identified $10 million maintenance back log. City staff are working through the maintenance backlog and making targeted repairs. The fee increases are necessary to continue maintaining parking assets and to look forward for future downtown development in light of parking constraints . No changes are being made to the fee schedule as a result of these comments. General comments and questions. Fifteen people submitted general comments and questions, many of which were not related to this rate increase and , therefore , are not being addressed in this Order. The comments submitted concern adding more electric vehicle charging stations , adding free weekend on-street parking, too many changes in parking downtown, feedback on screen legibility of meters, convenience of parking and using the bus , recommendation of lower end of rate increase scale , and statements around downtown safety. Response: I am weighing all the feedback and looking for opportunities to add move electric vehicle charging stations and make downtown safer with our Downtown A m bassador program , hosted public bathrooms , and a day storage option . City staff will continue to work with regional partners to find better and more convenient parking options too . No changes are being made to the fee schedule as a result of these comments. Changes recommended by staff: (1) Fees related to the following off-street parking facilities have been removed because at the time of adoption of this fee schedule , the City does not control these faci li ties : Lot 72 (12th & Willamette) and Lot 70 (777 Pearl). Exhibit A to Administrative Order No. 53-19-01-F --Page 2 of 17