City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 7, 2015
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance to Authorize the Establishment of Parking Meter Zone Four and Install Multi-space Parking Meters in Landbay G of Potomac Yard and Consideration of a Resolution Setting the Hours for the New Zone. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
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ISSUE: Consideration of a proposed ordinance to authorize the establishment of Parking Meter Zone Four in Landbay G of Potomac Yard and installation of multi-space parking meters on the following blocks: both sides of the 2900 and 3000 blocks of Dogue Street; both sides of the 2800, 2900, and 3000 blocks of Main Line Boulevard; both sides of the 700 and 800 blocks of Seaton Avenue; west side of the 2800, 2900, and 3000 blocks of Potomac Avenue; both sides of the 600 and 700 block of Maskell Street; both sides of the 600, 700, and 800 block of East Glebe Road. Upon adoption of the aforementioned ordinance, consideration of a resolution setting the hours for the new zone.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1) Adopt the attached proposed ordinance to authorize the establishment of Parking Meter Zone Four in Landbay G of Potomac Yard and authorize the installation of multi-space parking meters on the following blocks: both sides of the 2900 and 3000 blocks of Dogue Street; both sides of the 2800, 2900, and 3000 blocks of Main Line Boulevard; both sides of the 700 and 800 blocks of Seaton Avenue; west side of the 2800, 2900, and 3000 blocks of Potomac Avenue; both sides of the 600 and 700 block of Maskell Street; both sides of the 600, 700, and 800 block of East Glebe Road (Attachment 1) on first reading, and to set it for public hearing and final passage on October 17, 2015.
2) Adopt a resolution setting the hours for the new aforementioned zone (Attachment 2) on October 17, 2015.
BACKGROUND: Installation of multi-space parking meters in Landbay G of Potomac Yard was a condition of approval for DSUP#2011-0026, Landbay G, Block F, in March 2012. The blocks in Landbay G are located in the town center of Potomac Yard, where commercial and retail uses predominate. Based on the land use, and demand for short-term parking, the installation of meters in this location was necessary to ensure parking turnover. The applicant agreed to contribute $90,000 to the City for the capital equipment and meter installation.
DISCUSSION: Installation of multi-space parking meters in Potomac Yard requires the establishment of a new parking meter zone, the fourth such zone in the City, which is shown in a map in Attachment 3. Currently there are two parking meter zones located in Old Town (Zones 1-2) and one zone (Zone 3) located in Carlyle. City Code requires that City Council establish parking meter zones prior to installing paid on-street parking. Consistent with other meter zones in the City, staff proposes to operate the meters in Potomac Yard every day of the week except Sunday and state legal holidays. The daily hours of operation would be from 8 AM to 6 PM with a three-hour maximum time limit for parking in any space. The end time for the proposed zone differs from those in the three existing meter zones, where the hours of operation end at 9 PM. Based on occupancy monitoring, staff determined that currently there is not a high-level of commercial activity and short-term parking demand in Potomac Yard during the evening. Therefore, staff recommends ending the meter hours at 6 PM. The proposed meter hours would be set by resolution and staff proposes to continue monitoring the meters with an option to amend hours as more development occurs in Potomac Yard. As was the case with the Carlyle development it may take a number of years until extending the meter hours to 9 p.m. is warranted.
The Alexandria Traffic & Parking Board held a public hearing on Monday, September 28, on the ordinance change to establish Parking Meter Zone Four and to set the hours and maximum time limit for the zone. No members of the public spoke on this agenda item, and the Board voted 7-0 to support the proposed changes.
FISCAL IMPACT: The applicant for Landbay G, Block F (DSUP#2011-0026) agreed to contribute $90,000 to the City for the capital equipment and meter installation in proposed Meter Zone Four. The contribution will allow for 12 meters to be installed, six of which will be installed in FY 2016, and others will be installed as the occupancy of Landbay G occurs. The operating cost for maintaining the meters is not developer funded. The annual operating cost for a meter is $2,200 annually, and this amount was included in the FY 2016 operating budget for six meters for eight months, for a total of $8,800. For FY 2016, the meter revenue for eight months of operation for the six new meters is expected to generate an additional $30,000, which would result in an increase in parking meter revenue to $3.73 million from the $3.7 million currently budgeted in FY 2016. The revenue estimation is based on a conservative initial assumption of meter revenues as compared to the average citywide annual meter revenue by meter. It is anticipated that in several years, revenues from the Potomac Yard meters will increase per meter as commercial activity increases in Potomac Yard. The Alexandria Police Department will enforce the meters in accordance with their regularly scheduled meter enforcement activities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Ordinance Cover Sheet
Attachment 2: Ordinance for Addition and Installation of Parking Meters in Potomac Yard
Attachment 3: Resolution Setting Hours for Potomac Yard Meter Zone
Attachment 4: Map of Proposed Meter Zone Four
Attachment 5: Presentation
STAFF:
Emily Baker, Deputy City Manager
Yon Lambert, AICP, Director, T&ES
Earl Cook, Chief, Alexandria Police Department
Christopher Spera, Deputy City Attorney, City Attorney Office
Carrie Sanders, Division Chief, Transportation Planning, T&ES