ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA County Board Agenda Item Meeting of May 16, 2015 DATE: May 8, 2015 SUBJECT: A. Ordinance to Amend, Reenact and Reordain Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D, Section 14.2-44 (B) of the Code of Arlington County, Virginia to Increase Parking Meter Rates to be Effective on September 7, 2015; and B. Ordinance to Amend, Reenact and Reordain Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D, Section 14.2-44 (C) of the Code of Arlington County, Virginia to Increase Hours of Parking Meter Operations to be Effective on September 7, 2015. C. M. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Enact an Ordinance to Amend, Reenact and Reordain Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D, Section 14.2-44 (B) of the Code of Arlington County, Virginia Concerning Parking Meter Rates to be effective on September 7, 2015. 2. Enact an Ordinance to Amend, Reenact and Reordain Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D, Section 14.2-44 (C) of the Code of Arlington County, Virginia to Increase Hours of Parking Meter Operations to be effective on September 7, 2015. ISSUES: Changing maximum parking meter rates requires County Board approval. The proposed increases of $0.25 per hour would make Arlington rates consistent with other rates in the region and will result in more efficient utilization of valuable curb space. Increasing meter hours of operation from 8 a.m. 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. 8 p.m. will encourage more efficient use of curb space during early evening periods, benefit commercial enterprises that are dependent on the availability of short-term parking spaces, and become more consistent with the hours of operation with other municipalities. County Manager: ##### County Attorney: ***** 33. Staff: Michael Connor, DES and Larry Marcus, DES
SUMMARY: Arlington County uses parking meters to encourage parking turnover and to manage curb space. The most recent change to meter rates was in 2011 (FY 2012). Since then, curb-side management pressures have increased and parking operating costs have increased. The proposed increase in maximum rates is $0.25 per hour. Off-street rates in Arlington s commercial areas vary; existing parking rates in neighboring communities of the County range from $1.25 per hour to $2.00 per hour. The demand for curbside parking extends well beyond the current 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. period. Use of curbside space by long-term parkers after 6 p.m. limits the number of spaces available for short-term parkers. This limitation has a negative impact on adjacent commercial businesses that are generally dependent on convenient curbside parking. Metered curbside parking hours of operation in other municipalities in the region presently extend to 9 p.m. and/or 10 p.m. BACKGROUND: Parking meter rates have remained unchanged since 2011. However, during the four year period, parking pressures have increased and parking operating costs have increased. The proposed increase in maximum rates is $0.25 per hour. On-street parking rates in Arlington lag behind those in the region (rates as of April 2015): District of Columbia Alexandria Bethesda Leesburg Arlington $2.00/hour in premium demand; $0.75/hour in remote areas $1.75/hour; $1.25/hour at older single space meters $2.00/hour on-street; $1.25 in off-street lots $1.50/hour on-street $1.50/hour short term; $1.25/hour long term (Proposed) DISCUSSION: The rate increase and hours of operation change are intended to encourage more frequent turnover in parking spaces during hours of greatest demand. The maximum rate increase for long-term parking (four hours or more) is from the existing $1.00 per hour to $1.25 per hour. The maximum rate increase in the short-term rate is from the existing $1.25 per hour to the $1.50 per hour. Other subdivisions of County Code Section 14.2-44 are proposed to remain unchanged at this time. The proposed changes in rates and hours of operation would help achieve the goals adopted in the Parking Element of the Master Transportation Plan by encouraging parking turnover in areas where short-term parking is needed and encouraging use of off-street parking garages. County fees are intended to recover the costs of the respective programs. The proposed increase in parking meter rates and the proposed extension of hours will cover more of the costs for providing, administering, and maintaining curb-side metered parking spaces than is presently the case, thereby reducing the subsidy currently being provided by General Fund revenues. The County Manager is authorized by Chapter 14.2 to set parking meter rates lower than the maximum rates if factors such as volume, duration, and time determine it is warranted. Some metered areas have very low occupancy and to keep this valuable parking resource useful, the County Manager currently authorizes metering of portions of such areas at a rate lower than the - 2 -
maximum rate. A total of 181 metered spaces in six areas of the County have rates of $0.50 per hour or $0.75 per hour. These rates will not be impacted by the proposed ordinance. DES and AED communicated this proposal to the business community through the various BIDs, the Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Federation, civic associations and other similar organizations. Staff used various forms of social media to reach out to the general public while also posting the proposed plan on the County website, issuing a press release and working through BizLaunch in both English and Spanish. Additionally, County staff attended the Transportation Commission meetings on April 2 and April 30, 2015 to discuss the merits of the proposed amendments. At the April 30 th meeting, the Transportation Commission voted 9 to 0 in favor of the parking meter rate increase. The Commission vote on extending the hours was 7 to 3 in favor, with two members voting against until a parking study could be prepared and one member opposed on the merits. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed increase in parking meter rates and enforcement times was not included in the FY 2016 proposed budget. With a proposed effective date of September 7, 2015 to allow for meter reprogramming and some new meter replacement, it is estimated to produce additional revenue of $950,000 for the rate increase and $675,000 to extend by two hours ($337,500 for each additional hour) in FY 2016. An extension of hours without a rate increase would produce $550,000 instead of $675,000 in FY 2016 revenue. - 3 -
Attachment A AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND, REENACT AND REORDAIN CHAPTER 14.2 (MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC), ARTICLE I, DIVISION 2, SUBDIVISION D, SECTION 14.2-44 (B) and SECTION 14.2-44 (C) OF THE CODE OF ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA CONCERNING PARKING METER RATES AND HOURS OF OPERATION TO BE EFFECTIVE ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2015. I. BE IT ORDAINED by the County Board of Arlington County, Virginia that Chapter 14.2, Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D, Section 14.2-44(B) and Section (C) of the Code of Arlington County, Virginia, is hereby amended, reenacted, and reordained, to be effective on September 7, 2015, to read, in pertinent part, as follows: 14.2-44. Parking time limits; when parking meters operative. (b) Parking or standing a vehicle during the hours of meter operation in a designated space or area in a parking meter zone shall be lawful upon the deposit of coin or coins of the United States of America or upon the use of a credit card or other acceptable form of payment or upon the proper designation of time on an in-vehicle parking regulator at the following maximum rates, unless a lower rate is determined by the County Manager after considering, among other factors, volume, duration, and time of day of metered parking space utilization: (1) Thirty (30) minute parking meter zone: One dollar and twenty-five cents fifty (2) One (1) hour parking meter zone: One dollar and twenty-five cents fifty (3) Two (2) hour parking meter zone: One dollar and twenty-five cents fifty (4) Four (4) hour parking meter zone: One dollar and twenty-five cents fifty (5) Over four (4) hour meter zone: One dollar ($1.00) and twenty-five cents ($1.25) for each hour parked. (6) Tour bus parking zone: Three dollars ($3.00) for each hour parked. II. (c) Said parking meters, except those in tour bus parking zones, shall be operated in said parking meter zones every day between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 8:00 p.m. except Sundays and holidays; provided, however, that the County Manager or his designee may provide for different hours of meter operation in such parking meter zones whenever he determines that traffic conditions in any particular zone required such change; in which case - 4 -
the County Manager shall cause a tag, showing the hours of meter operation, to be affixed to each meter in the zone affected by such change and he shall have other appropriate signs erected showing the hours of legal parking in such zone. Upon the affixing of such tag and erection of such signs, the hours of meter operation shall be that indicated on such tags and signs. (7-9-69; 6-3-72; 3-17-80; Ord. No. 83-12, 7-1-83; Ord. No. 88-10, 5-21-88; Ord. No. 89-30, 11-21-89; Ord. No. 92-33, 7-11-92; Ord. No. 98-4, 6-1-98; Ord. No. 99-7, 4-10-99; Ord. No. 07-06, 4-21-07, effective 7-01-07; Ord. No.10-01, 3-13-10; Ord. No. 10-02, 4-24-10; Ord. No. 11-04, 4-16-11, effective 7-1-11; Ord. No. 12-05, 5-19-12) III. The remaining sections and subsections of Article I, Division 2, Subdivision D of Chapter 14.2 not hereby amended shall remain as previously enacted. IV. This Ordinance shall be effective on September 7, 2015-5 -