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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 4, 1981 (50)FINAL REPORT 1980 DOWNTOWN PARKING SURVEYS Prepared by City of Lodi Community Development Department. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT The purpose of this report is to discuss the covering of :own parking meters during the 1980 Christmas season and the results of two parking surveys which were conducted and 1980. METER COVERING the down - to compare in 1979 At the request of downtown merchants, and the Central Lodi Improve- ment Committee, the City Council approved covering of the parking meters during the :980 Christmas season. The merchants obtained 2,000 opaque white plastic bags with drawstrings. The message, handstamped in red at the bottom of the bag (which was the top after putting over the meter) stated, "Two Hour Free Parking - Time Limit Enforced 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Sundays - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." The message was handstamped by the bag company (Accent Paper) representative as there was inadequate time for professional printings All meters (700+) were bagged the day after Thanksgiving (November 28, 1980) by the merchants, who also kept bags on the street' meters. The City's parking enforcement personnel maintained the lot mtersm The bags were removed the Sunday following New Years (January 3, 1981). According to all reports the bags worked well, especially when the strings were cut and tied around the meter post, Apparently securing the bads with drawstrings permitted adequate air circulation to prevent a buildup of potentially harmful moisture inside the bag. No estimate is available as to the number of bags replaced; however, it appeared that vandalism was relatively minor and there wereno adverse effects as a result of the weather. During the period that the meters were covered, all one-hour time zones were enforced as two-hour zones. Parking enforcement personnel chalked tires during regular patrol and tickets were issued to vehicles exceeding the two-hour time. The 12 -minute zone, five hour spaces in the lots; and the permit lot were enforced as usual. The mechanics of enforcement were not difficult, particularly after a few days of experience. It is a fact that it takes longer to snake the rounds when chalking as opposed to sighting expired meters. Question Number 8 in the on -street interview survey for 1980 provides the only quantifiable. data on the effect of the two --hour free parking; however, on the basil of informal comments and articles and letters in the newspapers, it appears that the action was positively received by the merchants and the public, and an atmos- phere of good -will was created, which was the object. On the less favorable side, enforcement personnel and other indi- viduals informally reported that there were a number of vehicles which were regularly overparked. This is examind to a certain extent in the Parking Duration Survey, discussed below. In some cases- there vehicles belonged to downtown merchants and were parked in front of their own businesses or in front of a neighboring business. There are unsubstantiated reports that this is not unusual° Increased employee parking in the two-hour spaces was also reported. `s'HE PARKING SURVEYS The purpose of the parking surveys was to provide the Central Lodi, Improvement Committee, downtown merchants and the City of Lodi with parking -related data during the time that the parking meters were covered, that could be compared with the data obtained at the same time in 1979, when the mters were operational. The first survey concentrated on parking duration and the second involved on -street interviews of individual opinions about down- town parking. Both the 1979 and the 1980 surveys were conducted .by Ms. Susan Hughes, during the Christmas shopping season. The 1979 surveys were organized by Quad Consultants, as part of their studies of Lodi°s downtown. The data, which was the basis of a number of *arking-related recommendations, is discussed -in part in the mune, 1980 Final Lodi Downtown- Development Plan. Excerpts are provided in this report for comparative purposes. Parking Duration Sury.2y The 1979 parking duration survey was conducted on two days during the week of December 16th. The 1980 survey was taken on Tuesday, December 16th and Thursday, December 18th. The methodology was the same each year. Surveyors drove around the assigned blocks approximately every hour, for ten hours, marking the first three digits of each license plate on a form. This information was ;compiled and analyzed to provide data on parking turnover, occupancy -2- . v. _ .. sW.:tlwvd✓piil>� �i�r�`xn .�X.v r`L`'i.' _ Figure A identifies the block numbers, block faces and survey rout .Figure S shows the number of spaces in each block face (side). Figure G is a suumary of the results of the 1979 and the 1980 parking diaration surveys. Figures D and E show the occupancy rate of each block face, for each of the 1980 survey days. Figures F and G show the total violation hours for each of the days surveyed in 1980. On -Street interview Survey The 1980 on -street interviews were conducted on Friday evening, December 19 for three hours; Saturday, December 20th for four hours; and on Saturday, December 13th for 4� hours. Individuals were randomaly approached on the street in the downtown area (principally along School, Pine, Oak and Walnut Streets) and were asked a series of questions about their parking preferences. The same procedure was used in 1979. A copy of each questionnaire is included in this report as Exhibits H and 1. The only difference between the two years was significantly more interviews were obtained in 1980, and the addition of a new question 8 which reads, "Was the free two hour parking a factor in your decision to shop downtown today." A summary of responses to the 1979 and 1980 inter- views in found in Figure J. Figure K lists all of the specific suggestions for parking improvements that were obtained in the 1980 survey. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS There is no conclusive evidence that hooding the meters had a significant effect on the Christmas shoppers other than already discussed. However, the surveyor and parking enforcement personnel reported that there were undoubtedly more people downtown this year than last. There may be a number of reasons for this. The weather was wet, foggy and cold during the 1979 season, while 1980 was predominantly warm and sunny. Other causes may be economic. The price of gasoline may have forced more people to shop locally, as may have the recessionary trend towards fewer and more conservative gifts, thus decreasing the need or desire to visit large shopping malls. The parking turnover survey further substantiated what is already known that there will be repetitive violations of the time zones, especially in the more desirable parking areas. This information, combined with the interview information tends to support theneed for ongoing parking enforcement, if the avail- able parking spaces are to be used to the greatest advantage in meeting the customers needs. Although the two hour time zone -3- decreased the number of parking space hours, there were hardly any block faces which had 1.00% occupancy on the survey days, with the.average actually between 40% and 50% occupancy. Naturally, not everyone found a parking place where they wanted exactly when they wanted. It is very doubtful that any customer would. -have had to walk more than three blocks from their car to the stores during crowded times Additional information may be gleened from the on --street interview forms; therefore, they have been retained on file in the Community Development Department in City Hall. Suggestions for parking improvements, listed in Figure fit, indicate an awareness of proposals set forth in the Quad Plan or shoppers are thinking along the same lines as recommended alternatives in the plan (particularly those regarding school street parking and direction,) The 1979 questionnaires are not available; therefore, it is not possible to compare the responses to determine comparativepublic awareness regarding proposals for downtown. -4- t 4- 0 0 OAK C WALNUT -1 L01 rMi 49 25 0 ST ST 1980 PA7?I:ING DURATION SURVEY City of Lodi Commuoity Development Department BLOCK NUMBERS, BLOC( FACES AND ROUTE � O cz czS rO LOCUST ELM rx rr rr /0 ri PINE r ' it ra ©AK 17 rx 1� i� 19 v � 14, WALNUT 24 Jr rx 7 ry rz '3 27 t_OW A ST Si ST 19BO PARKING DURATION SURVEY City of Lodi Community Development Department Q Z= I NUMBER OF ON --STREET PARKING SPACES 11$ FIGURE C PARKING DURATION SURVEY RESULTS 'Quad Consultants, Lodi Downtown Development Plano Prepared for the City of Lodi and t�He Centra ods improvement Committee, June 1980. p. 3-3. 2How these figures were derived is not known; therefore, a comparative figure for 1980 is not given. 31t is not known how the percent all day occupancy was calculated in 1979. In 1980, the following method was used: Cars parked in the same block --face for more than four hours were considered to be there 1i day. Cars parked for 8 or more hours were considered to be there all day. The number of all day and � day figures were added together and equated to spaces. Combining the h day and whole days equaled 66 spaces used for all day parking on one day and 84 for the other day. These figures were added together and taken as a percentage of 1616 total spaces (808 + 808). It is important to note that cars moved around the block, or to another block were not counted as all -day parkers unlesp the time in any blcok-face exceeded four hours. Therefore, the number of spaces used for ail --day parking is probably higher than the figures would indicate as it is known that a number of people move the vehicle throughout the day. 41t is not known exactly how the occupancy rate was calculated in 1979. The 1980 figure was derived in the following manner. First, the occupancy rate was obtaii,ed for each block face: #spaces occupied/hour o two hour time limit OR = x 100% (#spaces/block face x 10 hours). 2 hour time limit These percentages are then added together and divided by the number of block faces to obtain the average over the two days. 5The total average violation hours per day was obtained in the following manna r.. First, the number of violation hours per day was calculated for each block face: repeat license plates x 8 hours (adjusted for 2 hour zone) An average of these numbers was taken for each day and then these numbers were averaged. -7- 1979 1 1980 One hour zone spaces surveyed 480 0 Equivalent all -day parker occupancy 96 0 Two hour zone spaces surveyed 223 808 Equivalent all -day parker occupancy 2 48 uk Percent all -day occupancy 20% 9.3% 3 Percent occupancy - surveyed spaces 71% 43.3% 4 Total number average violation hours/day n/a 5.35 5 'Quad Consultants, Lodi Downtown Development Plano Prepared for the City of Lodi and t�He Centra ods improvement Committee, June 1980. p. 3-3. 2How these figures were derived is not known; therefore, a comparative figure for 1980 is not given. 31t is not known how the percent all day occupancy was calculated in 1979. In 1980, the following method was used: Cars parked in the same block --face for more than four hours were considered to be there 1i day. Cars parked for 8 or more hours were considered to be there all day. The number of all day and � day figures were added together and equated to spaces. Combining the h day and whole days equaled 66 spaces used for all day parking on one day and 84 for the other day. These figures were added together and taken as a percentage of 1616 total spaces (808 + 808). It is important to note that cars moved around the block, or to another block were not counted as all -day parkers unlesp the time in any blcok-face exceeded four hours. Therefore, the number of spaces used for ail --day parking is probably higher than the figures would indicate as it is known that a number of people move the vehicle throughout the day. 41t is not known exactly how the occupancy rate was calculated in 1979. The 1980 figure was derived in the following manner. First, the occupancy rate was obtaii,ed for each block face: #spaces occupied/hour o two hour time limit OR = x 100% (#spaces/block face x 10 hours). 2 hour time limit These percentages are then added together and divided by the number of block faces to obtain the average over the two days. 5The total average violation hours per day was obtained in the following manna r.. First, the number of violation hours per day was calculated for each block face: repeat license plates x 8 hours (adjusted for 2 hour zone) An average of these numbers was taken for each day and then these numbers were averaged. -7- S r�1zg /.534) LOCUST 6 371 3S ELM 23' 10 59 11 12 3 d6� ar %f 64 PINE r:n n 85 OAK 18 70 9 !B 94 90 39 2D 6'S 7.L Q WALNUT nL1 �9 ff!�] 13 9/ s� s7 27LODI I r5 � ST ST ST 5T AVE I 1980 PARKING DURATION SURVEY City of Lodi Community Development. Department ® SPACES OCCUPIED/BLOCK PNCE Thurs 12/15 D VA g LOCUST ELM 40 12 3 72 PINE a 5-4 16 '® M OAK r74 20 39 /f 84F WALNUT 2 50 L00% :1 26 27 00 ST ST 1980 PARKING DURATION SURVEY City of Dodi Community Development Department SPACES OCCUPIED/BLOCK FACE Thurs.12�18' E MY4LM YW®MBIOC ST ST ST AVE 1980 PARKING DURATION SURVEY City of Lodi Community Development Department TOTAL VIOLATION HOURS Tues. 12/16 �I LOCUST ELM 9 S r 6 PANE Q v OAK 17 7 [:14 4 WALNUT Si AVE OR 1980 PARKING DURATION SURVEY City of Lodi Community Development Department vim s TOTAL VIOLATION HOURS Thurso 1.2/18 G W rAIM •lurip►wlp .,,,....,, l e Did you drive to downtown?_;_--- 2.Are you here to work, shop, or? 3.Where are you shopping or working? (or your destination) 4®Where did you park? S.Was this where you prefer to.park/is it a satisfactory parking choice? 6,a® Are parking meters for shopper parking a good idea or a bad one? 6.b® (Employees) Would you be willing to pay for a close -in, off- street, parking space? 7s1s downtown parking a factor in where you shop, compared to shopping center parking, or are other factors more important? $.Any suggestions for downtown parking improvement? SMM FIGURE I 1980 STANDARD INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE I'm conducting a downtown parking survey for the City of Lodi and the Central Lodi Improvement Committee; could I ask you a few brief questions? l.® Did you drive to downtown? ; 2, Are you here to work, shop, or? 3, Where are you shopping or working? (or your destination) 4f Where did you parr? 5. Was this where you prefer to park/Is it a satisfactory parking choice? 6a. Are parking meters for shopper parking a good idea or a bad one? 6bo (Employees) Would you be wiring to pay for a close -in, off-street, parking space? 7� 2s downtown parking a factor in where you shop, compared to shopping center parking, or are other factors more important? Bo Was the free 2 hour parking a factor in your decision to shop downtown today? 90 Do you have any suggestions for downtown parking improvements? -13- FIGURE J ON -STREET INTERVIEWS 1979 and 1980 SUMMARY OF RESPONSES Total number of persons surveyed S Persons surveyed who reached downtown by driving uk Persons surveyed who reached downtown by walking Persons surveyed downtown to shop >_ shoppers going to single store ,..; Shoppers going to two stores Shoppers going to several stores Persons surveyed downtown to work Personas surveyed downtown for Post Office Persons surveyed irho parked on the street Personas surveyed who parked in lots r�. - Persons surveyed satisfied with where they parked Attitudes of personas surveyed towards meters - Good idea Bad idea No opinion l58 132 uk 137 19791 R 83.5 uk 86.7 19 12.0 70 53.0 uk uk 102 77.3 36 22.8 11.1 70.3 11 6.9 230 218 12 213 114 15 84 14 3 148 70 183 22 1.80 95.0 5.0 92.0 53.5 7.0 39.5 6.0 1.0 64.0 30.0 80.0 10®0 78.0 12.0 55.0 4200 37®0 62.0 Persons surveyed who felt, downtown parkintt an important factor in determining where to !shop E5 5308 126 Persons surveyed who felt downtown parking not an important factor in determining where t.osFop uk uk 97 Personas surveyed who felt two hour free parking a factcr in decision to shop downtown M) na na 84 Persons surveyed who felt two hour free parking not a factor in decision to shop downtown 142 Nunber of move who indicated they liked the two hour free parking 22 f, n, ;a !Quad Consultants* Lodi Downtown Development Plano Prepared for the City of 9:: Lodi and the Central Lodr Improvement Committee, June , 1980. T 4. µti . 55.0 4200 37®0 62.0 FIGURE 1K ON -STREET INTERVIEWS 1979 and 1980 SU2MRY OF SUGGESTED PARRANG IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTION/COri=NT # TIMES SUGGESTED 1 METERS/TXME ZONES Get rid of meters 90 (33%) 2 Doesn't like time -limit parking/more time: 4 Two hour time limit for free parking 1 Lots of parking® should be no limit or cost 1 Aeep bags on rafters 1 Make shoppers pay for parki.ncr 1 Don't make shoppers pay for parking l Like free parking 1 More lots (especially centrally located) 12 (4W) Lots are a great help/like lots 3 Free parking lot 1 Validated parking Larger lots l AMOUNT OF PARKING More parking 5 No place for more spaces 3 Not enough spaces 2 More parking behind stores 1 Usually plenty of places except Christmas 1 Most times parking ok 1 FACILITIES/DESIGN biagonal parking favored 8 0%) No diagonal parking on Sacramento Street 2 Don't like parallel parking 1 Diagonal parking on one side 1 Better parking 7 (205%) Make School Street a mall 1 Make School Street one-way or a mall. 1 Make parking easier 1 Don't allots parking close to corners 1 Make School Street one --gray 3 Wider Streets 3 Larger spaces 6 (2%) Places hard to get in and out. from 1 Do Quad plan l Trams to stores 1 More lighting 1 Parking garage (centrally located) 7 (2m5%) -16- SUGGESTION/COMMENT ., Downtown is dirty Need more trees (emphasized) More unique shops in attractive setting (like Santa Cruz) RESTRICTIONS Make people walk more Do away with cars Seep employees out of parking places ...... ...... ................ m-...-..-t.www...-w-,..,o.:.auavwe�.�w.,d._.,-; ,Jwzcu,. NO SUGGESTIONS3 No suggestions No suggestions, parking not a problem No suggestions, from out of town to shop here Like it the way it is Lod,i's ok No suggestions, Lodi's great the way it is No suggestions - parking always a problem Could write a book of suggestions lMany personas made more than one comment.® Each suggestion was counted individually. 2Each suggestion counted as one. The percentages are based on the total number of suggestions. 'Nearly 35% of those interviewed stated, "Get rid of the meter's." 3Many who stated, "no suggestions" actually had some comment® These comments are included in the above listing. -17-