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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Seeking your input: Sacramento prepares to update parking code
by Jared Goyette, published on October 24, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Storyline: Turning it around
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A comprehensive update to the city's parking code would eliminate the need for new businesses in the central business district to provide parking for their customers.
City staff say that part of the intention of the measure, which is set to be discussed and voted on at next week’s City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 30., is to make it easier for businesses to open in the central city, where it can be difficult for property owners or developers to create parking spaces.
We're working on a story about the parking code changes with interviews from city staff, businesses, developers and residents, and would like your input. Do you think the city's move to update the ordinance is a good idea? Let us know in the conversation below, and we might follow up to quote you in the article.
Background:
Parking is a contentious issue in the grid for both residents and business. Some Midtown residents have complained about the spillover effects caused by patrons of bars and restaurants parking in their neighborhoods, and many residents and business owners argue that it can be too difficult to find parking in popular sections of the grid at certain hours, like during lunch or Second Saturday art walks.
To address those concerns, the city has adopted a multipoint plan which includes upgrading parking meters to ones that accept credit cards, partnering with businesses to open parking lots to the public when the businesses are closed (typically, an office building’s parking lot that is vacant at night), and a crackdown on disabled placard abuse.
The parking regulations that next week’s ordinance seeks to eliminate have frustrated business operators such as the owners of Cornerstone, whose attempts last year to move from their old location at the corner of J and 24th streets to an abandoned church at 23rd and K were stymied by the need to provide parking. City code required them to provide about 20 spaces, while the church only had seven, and obtaining a waiver would have taken two or three months. They eventually gave up on the idea and moved to their current spot inside Headhunters, at 20th and K streets.
The plan is 106 pages long was over a year in the making. You can read it in it's entirty here.
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I am fortunate to generally not have to drive to get downtown or Midtown, but I am sypathetic to those who do. In addition to making it easier to pay, it should be perfectly clear when it's required to pay and how much it is. ("Hey Tom, it says "90 minute parking, excludes Sunday". It's Sunday, do I still have to pay?") It should also be very clear what parking areas have discounted, after-hours prices (they all should, ideally), or, heck, allow parking at all. Advertising the $2 parking at 17th and L was brilliant, by the way. Would like to see that happen elsewhere.
Very ironic, when I went to go get my free guest pass at City Hall, firefighters were there for a City Council meeting to ask that firefighers don't get laid off. A small fee for residents could really help.
The other "traditional" neighborhoods like Land Park, East Sacramento, Oak Park, North Sacramento and Curtis Park will use the same new parking rules as Midtown, including the exemption for lots smaller than 6400 square feet. Outlying "suburban" neighborhoods will have their own set of rules--with higher minimum parking space requirements than neighborhoods like Land Park.
Also--this change in parking code is not really about parking meters or even on-street parking. It is primarily about reduced requirements for parking lots and private parking garages (not street parking) for businesses and residential uses, throughout the city.
Everyone: I'm writing the piece on Sunday, to publish on Monday. If you want to be quoted, make sure I can reach you via the email you registered with us when you set up your profile.
Anyway, I don't mean to drag this out....feel free to ignore me, or we can take this offline.
That being said, I have written a few articles here and elsewhere in favor of making parking market-driven, and the city staff responsible for the code updates have included a lot of community input in the final product--including a lot of specific concerns by residents.