Memorandum

City of Lawrence

 

TO:

Mayor and City Commissioners

FROM:

City Manager David L. Corliss                            

Date:

March 31, 2011

RE:

1000 block of Vermont Parking Lot

 

Request

The Treanor Architects proposal to rehabilitate and occupy the 1040 Vermont building includes the following request in their letter:

 

“We need to be assured that we will have adequate parking for our staff. We anticipate approximately 70 professionals will relocate to this building.  We have a certain number of parking spaces in our lot, but we will need at least fifty more spaces in the public parking lot located to the north of the Project.  We would like an agreement with the City to designate this parking lot for longer term parking with a paid parking permit. Our understanding is that currently the cost of such permits would be $195 per space annually.  We would like the agreement to fix that price for a period of ten years.”

 

Background

There are currently 60 parking spaces and 3 disabled accessible spaces in City parking lot #10, on the east side of the 1000 block of Vermont Street.  This parking lot is both a 2 hour free lot and a 10 hour Value-Pass parking lot.  The City’s Value-Pass is valid in only three locations: Lot #10, the lower level of the Riverfront garage, and the top level of the New Hampshire parking garage. The Value-Pass sells for $160/year, which is a 16% savings over the 10 hour annual pass.   (The top level of the New Hampshire garage is currently free). 

 

The Lawrence Farmer’s Market takes place on Tuesday afternoons in Lot #10; and parking is prohibited between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM on those days.

 

The parking capacity figures for Lot #10 (Monday-Friday) is approximately 36% in the mornings, 48% in the afternoons, and 59% in the evenings.  This parking lot has one of the lower utilizations of downtown surface parking lots.

 

1000 block of Vermont – street parking

There are 10, 2 hour meters, and 28, 5 hour meters, in the 1000 block of Vermont.  All of the 2 hour meters are at the south end of the block, with 8 meters on the east side of Vermont, and 2 meters on the west side.

 

The 10 hour pass is valid in any 10 hour parking lot, or at any 10 hour meter downtown.  The 10 hour pass is offered for $192/year; with pro-rations available.

 

Public Input

The City sent the attached letter to area property owners and downtown interests.  We received correspondence from 3 area property owners which is also attached.  D & D Tire indicated their opposition to convert the parking from short term parking to day-long parking.   Representatives/employees of Cap Fed and the law offices of Pendleton and Sutton expressed support for making the parking lot a 10 hour lot.  At the public meeting on March 30, 2011, Mr. Brent Crandon, Crandon & Crandon Optometrists, 1019 Massachusetts Street, articulated a strong desire to have some of the parking remain as short-term parking to allow customers of businesses on Massachusetts, including his Optometrist office, have available parking to access their businesses from the west.  There was discussion about the desirability of allowing a mix of parking uses:  continued 2 hour parking, parking spaces which would be reserved for only 2 hour parking, and allowing in the other spaces long term parking.  There were no other impacted businesses/property owners who attended the meeting or provided comments.

 

Options

The City has complete authority over the parking rules and regulations for this City owned parking facility.  It is not anticipated that any changes to assist the Treanor development would be necessary until after construction and occupancy later this year (e.g.  it should not impact the 2011 season for Farmer’s Market).   

 

Options include:

 

A.        Status Quo – no change.

 

B.        Adopt the original request from Treanor Architects.

 

C.        Maintain 2 hour free parking, allow for 10 hour pass parking, except in 8 parking stalls centrally located in the parking lot which would be signed to not allow long term parking to encourage short-term access to all adjacent businesses.

 

D.        Any option which the City Commission desires.

 

ACTION:      Direct staff, as appropriate.