Mercer Island Town Center Parking Study Joint Commission Presentation March 16, 2016 Mercer Island Town Center Parking Study
Study Area Town Center Bordered by Sunset Way, Island Crest Way, SE 32 nd Street, and 75 th Avenue SE
Project Introduction Parking is vital to success of the Town Center economy and quality of life Parking study is part of an integrated planning for the future of the Town Center Ensure sufficient parking now and in the future Focused initially on non-residential parking Overbuilding parking can also have negative effects
Project Introduction 1. How much non-residential parking is available? 2. What is the current nonresidential parking occupancy on a typical day? 3. Is the existing parking enough to meet current demand? Depending on the analysis, the following will be considered: 1. Should the City amend its parking regulations? 2. How can the City efficiently manage parking? 3. Should the amount, locations, and restrictions for on-street parking by revised?
Perceived Challenges Not enough parking Inconvenient parking locations Poorly designed parking garages Confusion over permits Low parking turnover rates Bus commuters using Town Center parking Lack of enforcement of parking restrictions A lack of walkability in some areas Lack of parking for employees working in the Town Center Confusion over where parking is located, especially for shared stalls in garages
Land Use Land Use has implications for parking supply and demand Parking requirements, permitting, and other restrictions tied to land use and zoning Most of Town Center is devoted to commercial uses, with some newer mixed use development Land use and development changes over-time will affect parking demand Increases in public parking can support a greater share of parking demand
Town Center Policies Provide ample parking on and off-street so that one can park at Town Center and then walk from one location to another This goal would be achieved through implementing a set of parking policies, such as those proposed to the right Policies include: Reduce land area devoted to parking through encouraging structured and underground parking Encourage improved access by transit, bike, and foot Consider a range of regulations and incentives to increase the supply of public parking On and off-street parking should be well-lit, convenient, and well-signed Encourage additional commuter parking Prioritize parking for Mercer Island residents
Inventory of (Non-Residential) Parking in Town Center Parking Stalls Percent of Total Stalls Number of off-street (non-residential) stalls 3,268 93% Number of on-street stalls (public) 258 7% Number of time-restricted stalls (2-hour) 82 2% Number of permitted stalls (M-F, 7-9 AM) 73 2% Number of on-street unrestricted 103 3% Total Parking Stalls 3,526 100% Note: New parking in ongoing development is expected to become available. Parking inventories for projects currently under development are not available at this time. Some on-street parking may have been restricted due to being in the vicinity of a construction site and were not included in the inventory or parking counts.
Inventory of (Non-Residential) Off-Street Parking in Town Center Off-Street Supply Non-Residential Square Feet Built Parking Ratio 3,276 846,000 3.9 Stalls/1,000 sq ft
Inventory of (Non-Residential) On-Street Parking in Town Center Small inventory of on-street parking Many streets have no on-street parking Lack of off-street public parking Increased public parking may reduce needed off-street supply in the future On-street parking enhances the pedestrian experience
Data Collection Methods Data collected on February 3 rd and 4 th Four counts each day for off-street parking, conducted every three hours Occupancy Hourly on-street counts Occupancy and Duration
Off-Street Parking Results Peak Occupancy: 12 to 3 pm on 2/3/16 44.4% Occupancy
Off-Street Parking Results Parking regulations require between 3 to 5 stalls of parking per 1,000 square feet of floor area in Town Center for Retail/Office Built parking ratio is 3.9 stalls per square feet The highest observed utilization was 1.7 stalls per 1,000 square feet Built Parking Supply Ratio Highest Observed Utilization Ratio (1 pm to 3 pm) Utilization Gap 3.9 Stalls/1,000 sq ft 1.7 Stalls/1,000 sq ft 2.2 Stalls/1,000 sq ft Supply Ratio 3.9 stalls per 1,000
Off-Street Parking Peak 2/3/16 between 12pm and 3pm 44.4% Occupied 47.4% Occupied if Farmers Insurance property is removed 1815 stalls available at peak
On-Street Parking Results Peak Occupancy: 60% at 1 PM on 2/2/16 Peak Occupancy: 157 of 258 stalls were occupied Occupancy below 85% is considered acceptable
On-Street Peak Occupancy 60% at 1pm on 2/3/16
On-Street Duration Duration 2.2 hours on 2/3/16 2.4 hours on 2/4/16 Duration acceptable based on twohour time limits Date Duration 2/3/2016 2.2 hours 2/4/2015 2.4 hours
Parking Regulations Audit Off-street parking requirements in the Town Center appear to be higher than observed demand and compared to other communities Incentives for shared parking are limited (up to 20% reduction) Maintaining parking as a permitted or conditional use allows for greater opportunities for shared off-street parking Current on-street parking management strategies are effectively managing demand Residential requirements of between 1 and 3 stalls per unit may lead to parking being overbuild
Residential Parking Between 1 and 3 stalls per unit required The cost of overbuilding parking can be substantial and adds to the overall cost of housing The Right Size Parking Project s 2015 parking calculator estimate that actual demand for a multi-family development in the Town Center is 1.15 stalls per unit Option: Residential field counts at selected sites (up to 5)
Parking Lot Design Dimension WDOT Manual City of Redmond Mercer Island Aisle Width 90 Degree Two-Way Traffic 24 25.5 20 Aisle Width 60 Degree One-Way Traffic 18 20 15 Stall Width 8.5 for longer-term use 9 to 10 for short-term use 8.5 to 10 8.5 Standard 8 Compact
Key Findings The Town Center has sufficient on and off-street parking to meet current demand The current off-street parking ratio is approximately 3.9 stalls per 1,000 sq ft of floor area (the highest observed occupancy ratio was 1.7 stalls per 1,000 sq ft of floor area (a gap of 2.2 stalls) Public on-street parking is limited in the Town Center. Peak occupancy observed was 60%, indicating there is additional capacity Average duration of stay for on-street vehicles was 2.3 hours Off-street parking requirements exceed observed demand Town Center parking regulations provide limited incentive-based reductions Existing parking requirements may result in overbuilt parking
Next Steps Future Parking Demand Update Parking Regulations Option: Residential Parking Counts
Questions? Does data match perceptions around parking in the Town Center? Are there key issues not addressed in data? How does parking data relate to the City s goals for development in the Town Center?