TRN-6.04 - Carsharing

BCP-TRN-6.04

WHEREAS, The City of Portland recognizes that carsharing is an innovative transportation alternative that provides benefits to the City and its residents, including reduced air and water pollution, reduced congestion, reduced parking demand and increased transit ridership, biking and walking. Other public benefits include increased mobility and lower transportation costs for lower-income or transportation disadvantaged citizens; and

WHEREAS, The Bureau of Transportation System Management has completed an evaluation of the costs and benefits of providing reserved on-street parking spaces for carsharing vehicles during a one-year pilot project; and

WHEREAS, The carsharing pilot program evaluation report shows that carsharing produces measurable public benefits, costing the City approximately $60,000 in 2005 in foregone parking meter revenue and administrative costs; and

WHEREAS, It is in the City’s best interest to establish a fair and consistent carsharing policy that balances support for carsharing with adopted policies that prioritize short term parking access for the general public over longer-term parking and full cost recovery for services that benefit specific users; and

WHEREAS, The Bureau of Transportation System Management is authorized by the City’s Comprehensive Financial Management Policy (BCP-FIN-2.02) to establish fees to recover full costs for services that benefit specific users, in order to provide maximum flexibility in the use of general City taxes to meet the cost of services of broader public benefit; and

WHEREAS, The Director of the Office of Transportation (PDOT) is authorized by Title 3 of the City Code (3.12.010)to issue administrative rules;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Portland recommends the City Council accept the Carsharing Pilot Program Evaluation Report; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council directs the Director of the Office of Transportation to issue Administrative Rules to establish carsharing parking operating procedures and protocols, including permit fees and a cap on metered on-street parking spaces that may be reserved for the exclusive use of carsharing vehicles; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the parking permit fee for metered spaces shall be increased to recover full costs and will be phased in over two years; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the parking permit fees be reviewed and adjusted as part of PDOT’s periodic Cost of Service study by the Parking Operations Manager to set parking permit fees, based on the latest parking meter and cost of service information; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no more than 50 metered on-street parking spaces citywide may be reserved for the exclusive use of any one carsharing organization, for a maximum of 100 metered spaces and two carsharing organizations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Portland Office of Transportation monitor and evaluate the implementation of the increased carsharing permit fee and cap on metered spaces and report back to City Council in one year on the results and recommend any necessary changes.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution is binding City policy.

Resolution No. 36418, adopted by City Council June 21, 2006.