TRN-3.108 - Parking Meter Rates

BCP-TRN-3.108

The Council finds:

Portland Mall Revitalization Project

1. The South Corridor Project is a light rail extension project, which includes a separate project known as the Portland Mall Revitalization Project. The South Corridor Project is funded primarily by the Federal Transit Administration with the required local match being provided by TriMet, the City of Portland, Clackamas County, State of Oregon, Metro and PSU.

2. On May 19, 2004, City Council passed Resolution No. 36216, adopting the Conceptual Design Report - Final Supplement for the Portland Mall Revitalization Project, and directed the Office of Transportation (PDOT) to work with the Office of Management and Finance (OMF) to prepare a South Corridor Financial Plan for the City of Portland’s contribution for Council’s consideration prior to the Federal Transit Administration’s required submission date for New Starts federal funding, which is August 20th.

3. The Budget and Financial Strategy for the Portland Mall Revitalization Project recommends the use of $15 million of City revenue bonds backed by increases in parking revenues for design and construction of the project and $500,000 annually for Mall management upon its completion.

4. The Conceptual Design Report-Final Supplement as adopted by the City Council acknowledge the long term maintenance needs of the Portland Mall and recommended that at the end of the ten-year debt terms for the bonds supported by the enhance parking meter revenue, the debt service funds should be dedicated to maintenance of the Mall to insure long-term, high quality maintenance.

Portland Streetcar

5. The Report to Council regarding the Portland Streetcar Financial Plan, accepted by Council on April 24, 2004, recommends additional funding from parking meter revenues for streetcar operations.

6. On June 1, 2004, the Board of Portland Streetcar, Inc., adopted Resolution 04-9 which included a recommendation that an additional $300,000 annually in new parking meter revenues be allocated for enhanced streetcar operations. The allocation is for enhanced service commencing on July 1, 2006, and will be conditioned on an increase in the use of the streetcar. Portland Streetcar, Inc. (PSI) has accepted the condition that Streetcar ridership must increase by at least 9% within 24 months from the time that enhanced service begins in order to continue receiving the funds for enhanced service. PDOT shall provide ridership survey results to the City Council on a yearly basis in order to measure progress. If ridership numbers are not met the City Council will determine how the $300,000 will be spent, with a preference going to Transportation Maintenance backlog.

Policy Context

7. Policy 6.25 of the Transportation System Plan directs that on-street and off-street parking supply be managed to achieve transportation policy objectives for neighborhood and business district vitality, auto trip reduction, and improved air quality.

8. Policy 6.26 of the Transportation System Plan directs PDOT to develop and maintain on-street parking meter districts to provide for customer turnover, reduce on-street parking use by commuters, efficiently allocate parking among diverse users, encourage the use of alternatives to the use of the automobile, and provide a funding source for transportation projects within the districts.

9. As it relates to on-street parking, the major objective of the Central City Transportation Management Plan is to manage the supply of on-street parking with the following priority: short-term, carpool, and finally, long-term parking.

10. The Parking Meter District Policy, adopted by the Council on January 24, 1996, provides a policy framework and guidance for the management of new and existing meter districts with respect to rates, fines, enforcement, and allocation of revenues derived from parking meter systems.

11. Consistent with the intent of the Parking Meter District Policy, PDOT in partnership with TriMet has conducted an extensive and broad-based public outreach process among business and neighborhood interests to inform the public and solicit opinion and comment on a package of proposed parking meter revenue initiatives. This outreach has included weekday evening and weekend occupancy and turnover studies together with intercept surveys of parking patrons and targeted surveys of key business stakeholders.

12. The proposed use of new parking meter revenues is consistent with the Revenue Allocation requirements of the Parking Meter District Policy.

Parking Environment

13. The Report to Council regarding an increase in parking meter rates, accepted by Council on January 28, 1998, recommended increasing short-term rates to $1.00 per hour and long-term rates to $.60 per hour.

14. The current rate structure encourages the use of long-term meters by single-occupant-vehicle commuters and leads to increased congestion and air pollution as more vehicles drive to and park in the city’s meter districts.

15. The current hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Short-term parking availability in the evening hours is compromised by the current hours of operation where on-street parking spaces are occupied for long periods and therefore not available to clients and patrons of retail establishments, restaurants and cultural venues open for business in the evening hours.

16. The extension of the Transit Mall south on SW 5th and 6th Avenues between Madison and Jackson Streets will require the removal of existing parking meters and cause the loss of approximately $300,000 annually in currently budgeted revenue.

17. On July 21, 2004, City Council passed Ordinance No. 178598, which authorized a pilot project to install 70 pay-and-display parking meters in the Lloyd District for a period not to exceed 9 months.

Schedule & Implementation

18. Assurance of sufficient revenues to back $15 million in revenue bonds is needed by August 20, 2004, for the New Starts submittal to the Federal Transit Administration for the South Corridor Project. Net proceeds from the sale of revenue bonds will be needed prior to commencing construction of the Portland Mall Revitalization Project.

19. The parking meter revenue initiatives proposed for implementation are the unification of long- and short-term rates, an increase in parking meter rates, and an extension of the hours of operation.

NOW THEREFORE, the Council directs:

a. The Portland Office of Transportation to increase on-street parking meter rates to $1.25 per hour and extend hours of operation to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in the CBD Meter District, commencing July 1, 2005.

b. The Portland Office of Transportation to unify the long-term parking meter rate to match the short-term meter rate in the CBD Meter District and the OHSU Meter District, commencing July 1, 2005.

c. The Portland Office of Transportation to unify the long-term parking meter rate to match the short-term rate in the Lloyd Meter District, commencing upon the conclusion of the pilot pay-and-display parking meter demonstration project.

d. This ordinance is binding City policy.

Ordinance No. 178672 passed by the Council and effective August 11, 2004.

(Re-indexed by City Auditor October 2005 - formerly indexed as BCP-TRN-3.29)