Submitted By
Tammie Grossman, Director of Development Customer Services
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad
Agenda Item Title
Title
First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Chapter 15 (“Motor Vehicles and Traffic”), Article 3 (“Parking Meters, Parking Permits and Municipal Attendant Parking Lots”), Section 15-3-18 (“Parking Rates; Parking Meters, Pay By Space Machines, Village Operated Parking Structures, Permit, Extended Pass, Valet and Daytime On Street Permit Parking”) of the Oak Park Village Code
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Overview
Overview
Pursuant to the Village Board’s direction at its October 3, 2022 meeting regarding parking fee revisions for FY 2023, staff prepared an Ordinance to codify all of the applicable revisions within Chapter 15 of the Village Code.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Approve the Ordinance.
Fiscal Impact
Village staff has prepared the two attached spreadsheets to provide the Village Board with various parking-related costs as they relate to the utilization of the Parking Garage and pay-by-plate parking spaces by customers who are frequenting DTOP and Hemingway District businesses for entertainment, dining, and professional service treatments.
Anticipated revenue impacts from the fee revisions proposed via this Ordinance are reflected in the requested FY 2023 Parking Fund budget. The Parking Fund is classified as an Enterprise Fund. Enterprise Funds are distinguished from other Village Funds in that they are often run like a business and are funded by user fees rather than taxes or other revenue sources typically assessed to the public for funding general Village operations. In other words, the user fees collected (parking rates) should always meet or exceed the expenses incurred by the Fund.
Background
At its October 3, 2022 meeting, the Village Board directed staff to prepare an Ordinance codifying the FY 2023 fee recommendation for the Parking Fund and take other necessary administrative steps to prepare for the following:
1. Standardize the dynamic fee structure for all existing and future pay-by-plate parking spaces.
2. Standardize the enforcement of pay-by-plate parking/meter parking until 8 p.m. (previously 6 p.m.).
3. Increase the hourly pay-by-plate parking rates by $0.25 / 15 minutes in high parking demand areas effective January 1, 2023.
4. Begin planning for the Pick-Up-Drop-Off (PUDO) Pilot Program (to commence April 1, 2023).
5. Reduce free parking time from 90 minutes to 30 minutes effective January 1, 2023, in Holley Court, The Avenue, and Lake & Forest parking garages. It is important to note that the Village’s Employee Discount Parking Program is not proposed to be revised. The Employee Discount Parking Program offers Oak Park businesses an opportunity to purchase monthly parking cards for the Holley Court and The Avenue parking structures at discounted rates for employees who meet earnings guidelines. These rates would remain as follows:
0 to 1.5 hours FREE
1.5 to 6 hours $2.00
6 to 12 hours $3.00
12 + hours Daily Rates
6. Increase the quarterly permit fee by $25 for Holley Court, The Avenue, and Lake & Forest parking garages effective April 1, 2023.
7. Begin planning for the reduced quarterly parking permit fee program for Housing Choice Voucher participants. Village staff is in the process of finalizing the program guidelines and will bring forward an Ordinance in Q1 of 2023 for the Board’s review and consideration. It is anticipated that this program would begin for the permit cycle commencing on April 1, 2023.
It is important to also note that, included in the proposed Ordinance, are two modifications to the Village’s Employee Discount Parking Program (EDPP):
1. EDPP cards will be sold on a quarterly basis (currently monthly). This modification is routinely requested by participating businesses on the premise that it is burdensome for business administrators to have to come to Village Hall on a monthly basis to purchase the cards. Cards are currently sold for $1 each and will now be sold for $3 each due to this modified cycle.
2. The number of EDPP cards available for sale is proposed to be increased to more closely match the actual number of spaces in the nested rooftop areas of Holley Court and The Avenue garages. Currently, the Avenue parking garage sells out of the cards on a monthly basis. This increase in cards available for sale should expand access to participants of the EDPP.
Alternatives
The Village Board could deny the Ordinance and direct staff to conduct additional research or public outreach, including an Economic Impact Study, as proposed by the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce. It should be noted that Village Staff would require a Professional Services Contract for such a study, as this is not something that staff has the capacity or expertise to produce. This would require a denial or tabling of the proposed Ordinance as well as an increase to expenditures in the Requested FY 2023 budget, to provide adequate time for procurement of such professional expert services as well as increased funding for the study. Parking Fund revenues in the Requested FY 2023 budget would also need to be reduced by $1,618,544.00 to reflect projections based on the current fee structure, thereby increasing the Parking Fund’s deficit position to ($3,085,714.00) in the FY 2023 Budget.
Previous Board Action
Pursuant to the Village Board’s adopted goals, a special study session was held on February 14, 2022, to review the history of policies related to the Village’s parking system and determine consensus for direction on the next steps. At this meeting, staff gave a presentation to the Village Board, providing an overview of the following: 1.) Overnight parking in Oak Park, 2.) Parking system assets, 3.) Parking Fund debt service, 4.) Parking Fund revenues/fees, and staff’s recommendations regarding the Village’s Parking Pilot Program.
At its February 14th study session, the Village Board concurred with the following staff recommendations related to fees:
1.) Standardize the dynamic fee structure tested as part of the Parking Pilot Program for all existing and future pay-by-plate parking spaces;
2.) Standardize the enforcement of pay-by-plate / metered parking spaces until 8 p.m. as tested as part of the Parking Pilot Program (previously enforced until 6 p.m.); and
3.) Implement a reduced quarterly parking permit fee program for Housing Choice Voucher Program participants.
Also, at its February 14th study session, the Village Board directed staff to conduct further analysis of the following recommendations:
1.) Reduction of free parking time in the Holley Court, The Avenue, and Lake & Forest parking garages; and
2.) Increases to quarterly parking permit fees for permit holders in the Holley Court, The Avenue, and Lake & Forest parking garages.
As a follow-up to its special study session held in February, at the May 9, 2022, Village Board meeting, staff presented additional information and analysis regarding the proposed fee recommendations.
At its May 9, 2022 meeting, the Village Board directed staff to do the tasks below.
1.) Terminate the sublease agreement effective December 31, 2022, between the Village and Calvary Memorial Church for Village Parking Lot 16. We have communicated with Calvary Memorial Church and Church Officials agree with the Village’s decision to no longer lease this lot. They intend to apply for property tax exemption after the expiration of the lease.
2.) Further analyze the reduction of free parking time in the Holley Court, The Avenue, and Lake & Forest parking garages, to include an option for 45 minutes of free parking.
3.) Further analyze the increase to quarterly parking permits for permit holders in the garage, including an option of raising the fee by $20 versus $25 or possibly a step increase over multiple years.
4.) Research how other community organizations are identifying low-income families as a way to expand the reduced quarterly parking permit fee program in the future.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
At its January 11, 2022 meeting, as part of its discussions regarding the expansion of Parking Pilot Program policies, the Transportation Commission made a motion to support staff’s recommendation to extend the enforcement of all pay-by-plate parking spaces to 8 p.m. and standardize the dynamic fee structure Village-wide, with the caveat that staff research strategies for short-term drop-off and pick-up parking (Motion passed 6 to 0).
The Commission did not review any other aspect of the proposed Ordinance given that the establishment or revision of parking fees is not within the Commission’s purview.
Village staff routinely provides parking-related updates to the Business Association Council (BAC) at its monthly meetings. Parking was discussed at the July 27th, September 28th, and October 12th meetings. As the Board knows, the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce Executive Director is a member of the Business Association Council.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
A second reading of this Ordinance is tentatively scheduled for the November 21, 2022, Village Board meeting.
An Ordinance establishing the Reduced Permit Fee Program will be brought to the Village Board for its review and consideration in Q1 of 2023. It is anticipated that this program would begin for the permit cycle commencing on April 1, 2023.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
N/A