Parking Management Study

Springdale, UT Initial Findings and Recommendations Dixon Resources Unlimited

Table of Contents Overview ...... 4 Town Hall Meeting...... 4 Paid Parking ...... 5 Parking Management ...... 6 Parking Supply & Remote Parking ...... 6 Town Parking Lot Location ...... 8 Remote Parking ...... 8 Parking Lot Development ...... 10 Parking Lot Required Improvements ...... 10 Oversized Vehicles ...... 11 Enforcement and Citations ...... 12 Staffing ...... 12 Citation Management ...... 12 Shared Parking ...... 14 Wayfinding ...... 18 FLAP Grant ...... 20 Paid Parking – On-Street ...... 21 Pay Stations ...... 21 Pay Station Accessibility ...... 22 Mobile Payment ...... 22 Parking Rates and Time Limits ...... 23 Paid Parking Resource Requirements ...... 23 Permit Parking ...... 24 Residential Permit Parking (RPP) ...... 24 Employee Permit Parking ...... 24 Occupancy Summary ...... 25 Data Collection Methodology ...... 25 On-Street vs. Off-Street Occupancy ...... 28 On-Street Occupancy ...... 29 Sunday On-Street ...... 30 Tuesday On-Street ...... 31 Off-Street Occupancy ...... 33 Sunday Off-Street ...... 33 Tuesday Off-Street ...... 38 Previous Studies ...... 41 Appendix A: Recommendations Summary ...... 45 Appendix B: Summary - Current Parking Policies ...... 47 Appendix C: Stakeholder Acknowledgement ...... 48

2

Executive Summary

Known as the Gateway to Zion, the Town of Springdale is a quaint community with a unique charm and visual aesthetic. Beginning in the early Spring and throughout the Summer season, the views are obstructed by a wall of cars parked along State Route 9 (SR-9) throughout the Town. During this peak season, Springdale becomes a parking lot for Zion National Park.

The Town has minimal off street parking resources and visitors squeeze their vehicles into any available space along SR-9 and Lion Blvd, including oversized vehicles with trailers. Often, these vehicles encroach upon the roadside natural resources and sometime create impediments to through traffic along the highway.

Over 17 years ago, the National Park Service (NPS) began funding a shuttle service that has transported millions of visitors from Springdale to the park entrance. Due to the visitation increase, the shuttle service has expanded along SR-9 throughout the Town, but it still cannot accommodate the demand.

In October 2017, the second phase of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) project to reconstruct SR-9 through Springdale is scheduled to begin. The project began with widening shoulders and resurfacing portions of SR-9 in Rockville. In Springdale, sR- 9 will be fully reconstructed along with pedestrian and bicycle improvements. It is anticipated that up to 300 existing on-street parking spaces will be eliminated as a result.

The final stage of Parking Management Study will outline a strategic parking management plan that addresses the current, upcoming and long term parking challenges and needs of the community. The strategic plan will consider that the NPS is finalizing the proposed recommendations to address visitor demand and the ongoing impacts to the park resources. It is anticipated that the NPS plan may include some type of attendance limitation that could significantly impact the existing demand on Springdale’s parking resources. Before a substantial capital investment, it is imperative that the Town confirms the long-term plan for Zion. While the popularity of Zion will likely continue, it is hopeful that the NPS plan will help to reduce the overpopulation by moderating access.

The Springdale Parking Management Study includes an analysis of the existing parking conditions and potential management strategies to reduce the negative impacts of parking congestion. This Initial Findings Report outlines the information and feedback gathered during data collection, onsite assessments and various stakeholder interviews and meetings, including a Community Town Hall meeting. The preliminary recommendations outlined will be discussed and reviewed with the Town and incorporated into the Final Report, intended to mitigate congestion and maximize the existing parking facilities.

3

Stakeholder Engagement

Overview Stakeholder engagement is a critical component of the Study to better understand the Town’s unique needs and preferences. During the initial March 2017 visit, in addition to an extensive tour of Springdale, staff coordinated a variety of internal and external stakeholder meetings with NPS representatives, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), and Town staff, including the Police Department, and business and land owners. While brief, these introductions provided an initial overview of the immediate challenges faced by the Town. Most important was understanding the impacts of the upcoming SR- 9 project that will result in the loss of 200 to 300 on-street parking spaces starting in October 2017.

Town Hall Meeting A Town Hall meeting was held on April 17th, 2017. This meeting was open to the public, and attendees included a diverse representation of the community, including business/land owners and employees, residents, members of the Planning Commission, and the National Park Service. Attendees were invited to share their feedback, comments and suggestions about parking management in the Town of Springdale. It became immediately clear that many of the stakeholders were eager to find solutions that will benefit the community.

Many of the topics discussed revolved around the lack of parking, the unique character of the town, parking regulations, enforcement, and keeping parking out of the residential neighborhoods. While the stakeholders took a progressive stance toward parking management, participants also wanted to make sure that the Town takes a realistic approach to addressing parking needs. The following sections are the main topics and themes that were discussed during the Town Hall meeting.

Parking Availability Many of the stakeholders were concerned about the lack of available parking throughout the Town, especially in the downtown commercial area. With the upcoming SR-9 project, many of the stakeholders are apprehensive about the construction and the projected loss of 200-300 parking spaces. While they understand that the project will improve roadway safety, they are concerned that there is no specific plan established yet to replace the lost parking. Establishing where visitors and residents will park will be essential to maintaining a thriving business district. Residents are also concerned about parking demand spilling over into the residential streets.

A shared parking approach was a solution that was discussed as a method to leverage the available parking resources. Many of the business owners were concerned about allowing others access to their parking lots. They do not want to jeopardize their business by sharing their already limited parking assets. There is a perception that many of the off- street parking lots are consistently full throughout the day.

4

Residential Parking While public parking within the residential neighborhoods has not become a major issue yet, many stakeholders expressed their concern about the potential impact of the SR-9 project and that visitors may start encroaching into the neighborhoods once on-street parking is limited. It was suggested that a residential parking permit (RPP) program should be implemented to prohibit day use/visitor parking to further safeguard neighborhood parking. Even though the Town recently passed an ordinance that prohibits parking in the residential neighborhoods, it can still be an issue because of lack of consistent enforcement. Some of the stakeholders mentioned that they sometimes take matters into their own hands and advise visitors that they cannot park on their streets.

Remote Parking Some stakeholders identified that a project priority should be to move the parking demand out of Springdale into more remote locations. Remote parking would help to preserve the Town’s character and reduce congestion along SR-9. Some communities that were identified as possible satellite parking areas included Virgin, Hurricane, La Verkin, and Rockville. However, it was previously noted that the neighboring communities likely do not want to shift the parking problem into their towns.

While remote parking was of interest, there was also a concern that by providing alternatives to parking in Springdale, visitors will likely bypass the Town, which will be bad for businesses. Others argued that for satellite parking to be successful, visitors would need an incentive to park further away and use a remote shuttle service.

There was discussion about potential county transit services that would connect St. George, however, this service would not likely be in operation until 2020, at the earliest.

Paid Parking One of the more controversial topics that was discussed during the meeting was the idea of implementing paid parking throughout the Town. For some, paid parking was viewed as a positive solution because it would help to regulate parking and encourage turnover in the downtown corridor, especially near the commercial areas. Paid parking could also be an opportunity for the Town to generate additional revenue. However, there were some stakeholders that argued that it does not make sense to implement paid parking in a small town like Springdale. Another concern expressed was that visitors are already required to pay to enter the Park, therefore they should not have to pay to park as well.

Enforcement Attendees were asked about the potential benefits of expanding parking enforcement. The consensus was that the current level of enforcement is not adequate. Some felt that over the past year, enforcement has primarily been focused only on vehicles that impede traffic on SR-9. They believe that enforcement needs to be increased to regulate residential neighborhood parking. With the potential implementation of any parking management solution, the participants recognized that parking enforcement will be a critical component of this process.

5

Findings & Recommendations Parking Management

 Establish a remote parking location with a circulating shuttle route for access into the Town and the Zion National Park entrance before the SR-9 project commences.  Collaborate with neighboring communities to identify locations for remote parking.  Proceed with the funding associated with the private parking garage development.  Evaluate properties within the Town and their financial viability for a self- sustaining parking location.  Advocate for a hotel transportation county tax that directly funds mass transit.  Consider a private paid shuttle service to transport visitors from neighboring community hotels.

Parking Supply & Remote Parking During the peak season, available parking within Zion National Park and throughout the Town of Springdale is limited. Free on-street parking is available with no time restrictions throughout the Town along SR-9 and Lion Blvd. Vehicles are packed into any viable space, including along the dirt shoulders and sometime along the wrong side of the road. This chaotic process creates not only a hazard to the parker, but it is also hazardous to oncoming traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists. Viewpoints become limited and vehicles trying to exit the residential streets and driveways can be impeded from the congested landscape.

Currently, there is a limited supply of off-street parking, and much of off-street parking is privately owned. There is a significant interest in development to establish an increased off-street supply. However, there are residential impacts that must be considered along with environmental impacts. The existing traffic circulation issues must be comprehensively addressed to support any long-term solution for the Town of Springdale.

As the Town prepares for the SR-9 project, they are already facing a major parking shortage that will only become more impacted starting in October 2017. However, in consideration of any solution or alternative approach, there is a need and priority to preserve the character and small-town aesthetic of Springdale. Some stakeholders are concerned that the Town has transformed into a giant parking lot, serving the needs of the Park and not the community. During the peak season, the Town becomes a blighted corridor of cars.

One item debated was, what if the Town does nothing to address the parking issues. While the option to ‘do nothing’ and see what happens would be a nice option, the

6

Town of Springdale cannot ignore the challenge. In the interest of public safety and traffic control, proactive policies must be established, monitored and enforced.

Because of the Town geography, there is limited open space to expand outwards along SR-9. Developing a parking structure in the core of Town that is out of sight, behind other buildings and with minimal impact on the residential neighborhoods will prove challenging. Many residents are concerned about the impact of a parking structure on community appeal. If a parking facility were to be established, the design can be customized to fit the character of Springdale. There are opportunities to display local art and to incorporate the majesty of the surrounding geography with a thoughtful architectural design to help the structure blend into its surroundings.

Currently the Town is considering allocating one million dollars towards the development of a parking structure using Washington County transient room tax. The Town funding will be a loan that includes interest, repayment requirements, and loan guarantees. This will be an opportunity to expand the parking supply in the Town that is expected to address some of the upcoming loss in on-street parking spaces as a result of the SR-9 project. While there is uncertainty about the future impacts of the Zion Visitor Use Management Plan (VUMP), it is anticipated that a parking shortage will remain and the impacts on the Town will continue. The NPS has not made any commitment to developing additional parking within the Park.

In the meantime, the Town should consider developing a remote parking lot solution that will begin to generate revenues which can then potentially fund further parking program improvements. This effort should proceed immediately to provide a parking outlet for the SR-9 project. The impacts and benefits of the remote parking should coincide with the NPS when they announce the VUMP for Zion and recommendations. Remote parking should be coupled with a shuttle system to traverse visitors into Town and to the park entrance.

The NPS shuttle system that currently operates in the Town of Springdale is funded by the NPS and is free to visitors. The current contract is valid until 2019 and beginning in 2019, the NPS is planning to transition to an electric fleet. Currently there are 19 shuttles total, with 4 of them operating in the Town. The NPS shuttles operate only during the peak season in March – October. The shuttle consistently reaches capacity, even with a frequency of 10-15 minutes. Often, shuttles must pass by shuttle stops that have passengers waiting because the shuttle is already at capacity. Because the NPS sets the budget, there is a limited number of shuttles that they may deploy at any time. It is anticipated that the Park will not increase the shuttle budget and it is anticipated that the plan for the Springdale shuttle system will be addressed in the NPS VUMP.

During March 2017, the Springdale shuttle system carried an average of 55 passengers per hour per unit in operation. There are 31 seats per shuttle, with a maximum of 51 total passengers with standing room. In 2016, the shuttles carried over 5 million passengers. In comparison, the first season total was 1,552,000 passengers in 2000.

7

Town Parking Lot Location As an established community, there is no perfect location to develop parking within Springdale. Identifying a remote parking location near the Town entrance would be ideal to mitigate both parking and traffic congestion through the Town.

The model location would provide enough space to provide parking for passenger and oversize vehicles and allow for an area that can also be developed to provide public restrooms and picnic facilities. This location could become the designated destination to park for the Town of Springdale and Zion shuttle service. A shuttle turnaround could be designed to accommodate the NPS shuttle service. A parking fee rate schedule should be developed for day use parking with an established no overnight parking policy. The fee model would be designed to ensure both a self-sustaining model as well as establish a capital reserve to support future parking development needs including a potential parking structure.

After numerous stakeholder interviews with residents, business owners and developers, the land use proposal for 2381 Zion Park Blvd provided by Rod Perry seems to be the most advantageous and beneficial for the community. This 2.49 acres’ location is optimized for a remote parking area that can support visitor vehicle demand, including oversized vehicles. The current political climate and zoning requirements do not allow for this location to be developed. This location seems ideally suited to provide the described amenities, including the opportunity to divert oversized vehicles prior to entering the Town core.

The 2381 Zion Park Blvd location is below the SR-9 grade and will have minimal impact on residents’ vista viewpoints. The area can be developed to direct traffic to park upon entry into the Town with a turnout area direct from SR-9. With directed wayfinding signage, some improvements would be required for the approximate 1.62 acres of relatively flat land to establish viable surface lot parking with a future potential for an aesthetically pleasing parking structure (based upon the final NSP VUMP recommendations). The land owner is offering a lease option in perpetuity which appears quite affordable and reasonable. This proposal should be thoroughly vetted and the viability of this solution must be considered by the Town including any opportunity to utilize the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Grant monies (outlined in a later section).

Remote Parking Stakeholders have identified potential remote parking areas in surrounding communities, including St. George, Virgin, and Hurricane. While it would be ideal to divert visitor parking to these areas, it is not likely that their residents will welcome the parking onslaught experienced by the Town of Springdale. However, it is recommended that the Town pursue any opportunity to collaborate with these communities to identify locations that could provide remote parking to support the parking congestion issue. While ‘it never hurts to ask’, if large-scale remote parking is not viable, the Town should also solicit the neighboring communities for other potential support opportunities, like the need for a countywide mass transit solution.

8

Hotel development in the surrounding communities is expanding at a rapid pace, and a countywide mass transit solution could greatly benefit Springdale. A county mass transit system could transport visitors to Springdale and reduce vehicles trips. This is a congestion issue that impacts the entire area. Perhaps advocating for a hotel transportation county tax that directly funds mass transit would be a viable option. While this may not be an immediate solution, it is a sustainable approach, funded by tourism, to address the larger scale congestion issue that is directly impacting this region of Utah.

Recognizing that a countywide mass transit solution may not be immediate, with the expanse of hotel developments in the surrounding communities, there is an opportunity to collaborate on a private shuttle service. Implementing a paid shuttle service that provides an established schedule and route to the surrounding hotels could be a direct benefit to Springdale. It will likely require collaboration with local leaders and their visitor bureaus, but is can provide a direct benefit and convenience to area visitors. For a minimal fee, visitors can be transported to the park entrance with an established pick up schedule. This is an opportunity that should be considered to minimize parking and traffic congestion in the Town. Without the Town’s involvement and encouragement, hotels and businesses will not be motivated to provide alternative transportation sources thus leading to more vehicle trips to the Park and to Springdale. This must be a concerted effort supported and, potentially, collaboratively managed by the Town and the NPS.

9

Parking Lot Development

 Standardize policies regulating private parking lot development and required improvements.

Parking Lot Required Improvements The Town should establish standardized policies to regulate private parking lot development. Clearly established standards will be a more equitable approach for the Town to regulate development. Policies could include provisions for the following:

1. Signage: establishing the design, materials, size, and amount of signage. This could be used to develop a more consistent parking brand across the Town.

2. Striping: ensure that spaces are the correct length and width with adequate marking.

3. Grading: define grading requirements based upon lot size and configuration. Grading requirements should be incorporated into parking lot zoning requirements.

4. Pavement: zoning policies should define when parking lot developments require pavement and/or pavement alternatives. Pavement can improve the quality of parking lots and provide opportunities to improve storm water management. An option of pavement alternatives that can be considered include:

Impervious surfaces have dramatic effects on the amount of non-point source pollution levels. Due to the pollutants present in urban runoff, watersheds are impaired and natural ecosystems are degraded. Permeable pavers are an attractive environmental management tool to reduce the impact of parking lots. Permeable pavers allow for storm water to infiltrate into the ground for groundwater recharge, thus reducing storm water runoff. There are options for interlocking concrete, stone, or brick pavers that may be laid above a gravel bed to allow water to percolate slowly into the ground. Another environmentally-friendly option is permeable pavement. While not as effective as pavers, it is much more affordable. The cost of the pavement is around half the cost per square foot compared to the pavers. A porous pavement can also allow water to permeate into the ground and reduce Image 1. Kellogg Park runoff. Options include poured-in-place pervious concrete or Parking Lot. Source: permeable asphalt concrete. The pavers and pavement each City of San Diego require a base layer underneath that may serve as an underground reservoir for water.

10

5. Lighting: the environmental impact of lighting should be balanced with the importance of safety and visibility.

6. Oversized Vehicles: identification of any height or weight restrictions should be consistently posted at any Town parking lot location.

7. Disabled Access: compliance with State and local accessible parking space ordinances is the responsibility of the parking lot owner.

Oversized Vehicles

 Initiate oversized vehicle on-street parking limitations.  Designate available location for oversized vehicle parking.

Other than the Zion Park & Ride parking lot, located near the entrance to Springdale, there is no designated oversized vehicle public parking. Many on-street parking spaces are occupied by large campers or recreational vehicles with trailers which causes a safety hazard. These vehicles currently park along SR-9, which can be dangerous for oncoming traffic and for vehicles entering and exiting driveways and side streets.

Establishing a parking requirement for oversized vehicles is recommended along with encouraging private lots to provide accessible locations for these high-profile vehicles. Oversized vehicle parking should be included as a minimum performance requirement for any shared parking agreement (described in a later section).

11

Enforcement and Citations

 Dedicated parking enforcement staff is required during current peak season (March – October).  Implement handheld parking enforcement equipment and an automated citation processing management system, including noticing and collections.  Establish a formalized towing program to address parking and traffic hazards.

Staffing On-duty police officers enforce Springdale parking regulations. While they have been effective, parking enforcement cannot be their priority. In 2016, police officers wrote over 400 parking citations which is impressive considering the size and magnitude of the population that overtakes the community during peak season. Based upon the sheer volume of vehicles parking in Springdale, it is recommended that the Town consider deploying dedicated parking enforcement resources during the immediate peak season, at a minimum. Parking hazards and safety concerns need to be address, including driveway clearance issues, wrong way parking and red zone violations. While we are not encouraging an enforcement state, consistency and compliance should be mandates to safeguard the community and visitors. Utilizing police officers to enforce parking is an expensive cost and their job priority is health and safety, not parking. While two new police officers are slated to begin work soon, dedicated, non-sworn resources should be allocated to support the parking enforcement needs of Springdale. This could be an opportunity for a seasonal summer employment for one or two parking enforcement staff with potential for weekend support throughout the remainder of the year. Ideally enforcement would be done on bike or foot, depending on staffing levels.

This compliance approach is a necessity as the Town approaches the SR-9 project. Drivers need to be educated and informed regarding the parking regulations and the policies need to be enforced. To ensure efficiency, parking enforcement staff should be equipped with citation issuance handheld devices. This will ease the burden of management support required as well as allow provide violators with immediate and accessible payment options. Currently, police officers use their personal phones or cameras to capture violation images which are uploaded to a Dropbox folder. Town staff manually matches the images with each citation number using the violation images of the license plate. The suggested handheld devices are equipped with cameras that automatically link violation images with the citation file. The enforcement officers would have the option to include a violation image on the citation issued which typically encourages compliance, expedited payment and minimizes adjudication.

Citation Management Impressively, Town staff developed an internal citation management program using an Excel workbook. For each issued citation, the workbook tracks payment status, as well as noticing and fine escalations. In 2016, over $26,000 was generated from the parking enforcement program, with a significant amount of the revenue produced from late fees. 12

Citation penalties begin at $50.00, and after 10 days’ fees are escalated to $60.00. Following a manual DMV license plate look up, the Town issues a notification letter after 15 days. After an additional 30 days, the fee is escalated by $25.00. On average, each police officer only issues approximately 7 to 8 parking citations on weekends because parking enforcement is not their primary focus. Dedicated enforcement staff will be critical in achieving consistent enforcement levels and compliance. Currently, there is an outstanding balance of $4,200 in delinquent fees to be collected. The Town’s debt collection company pursues the unpaid parking citations. For rental car companies, notices are sent and the majority comply with the notices received.

While the Excel workbook has addressed the current need, there was a substantial manual support effort required to manage the parking operation. It is recommended that the Town solicit a citation processing management system. This solution will automate the administrative processes, including DMV look ups and notice generation. Most important, the system will be integrated with the recommended citation enforcement handheld equipment. Violators would be able to access, appeal and pay their citations online. Additionally, citation processing software solutions typically offer delinquent collection services specific to parking with collection rates above 90%.

Parking regulations need to be reviewed and updated to ensure ease of enforcement management and vehicle impoundment (towing) policies. Most agencies work from a local rotation list that has been established from the local state highway patrol or county sheriff. If this is not the case, the Town should establish a tow priority list to address safety hazards identified by law enforcement. Later in this report, a brief assessment of existing regulations and recommendations are outlined.

13

Shared Parking

 Explore potential shared parking agreements with local businesses and land owners.

The Town could pursue shared parking agreements with businesses and land owners that may have parking availability in their parking lots. This will become especially important to account for the 200-300 spaces that are expected to be lost during the SR- 9 project. It was identified that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Springdale (1584 Zion Park Blvd) parking lot has 112 parking spaces that are primarily available, except for Sundays. The Town should explore the possibility of utilizing these spaces through a shared parking agreement.

The O.C. Tanner Amphitheater parking lot (300 W Lion Blvd) also contains a substantial inventory of parking spaces that are unused unless there is a venue event. There are approximately 98 spaces in the Amphitheater lot. Additionally, there is a dirt area north of the water treatment plant that is just under an acre without defined spaces. While these locations may seem remote, it seems more viable than soliciting a neighboring town to provide parking resources and the visitor transport solutioning would be similar. However, due to the locations, rather than a shuttle system, the Town might also consider a peak season valet service. While this may seem like an unlikely fit for Springdale, it could provide a customer convenience that mitigates congestion, generates revenue and allows for vehicle stacking that may not be viable with self-parking. If valet was a viable option, the drop off location would have to be carefully considered since visitors often spend time staging at their vehicles for their hike and/or bike ride. Regardless of the type of parking, this is also a prime location for oversized vehicles and a shared parking agreement should be evaluated.

There is also an opportunity to establish shared parking agreements with the paid parking lots located throughout the Town. There can be certain regulatory policies established such as rate controls and facility maintenance requirements and the Town would provide wayfinding signage (described in a later section) and parking information to promote availability.

While the hotels provide ample parking to their patrons and have generally allowed visitor parking in their parking lots, with the SR-9 project, the demand upon these locations may become impacted. It is encouraged that the Town should proactively solicit and develop a shared parking agreement that regulates any opportunity for available visitor parking spaces. Any shared parking agreement with the hotels should outline the potential for a Springdale paid parking program (outlined in a later section). A paid parking program will likely impact the hotel parking lots and, regardless of a shared parking agreement, they will need to prepare accordingly. Ideally, an established shared parking agreement can address the potential incremental parking changes for the Town of Springdale.

Because of the upcoming on-street parking shortage, it is important to utilize every empty parking space within the Town limits and consider all potential solutions.

14

Stakeholders and Town Hall attendees were solicited to determine if they would be interested in pooling their parking resources to support the downtown core. While there was some reluctance and possessive concern, shared parking agreements can help the Town utilize space more efficiently and it is significantly more affordable than building a new parking supply. Some considerations to have when pursuing business owners and shared parking agreements are:

 Term and extension: evaluate return on investment and ensure terms that allow for potential redevelopment.  Use of Facilities: establish available hours, number of spaces, time limitations and ensure base user will retain use at the end of the sharing period.  Maintenance: evaluate the added cost of maintenance and operation.  Operations: consider revenue collection operations (when applicable) and needed signage.  Utilities and Taxes: determine the responsible parties and any cost sharing agreements.  Signage: consistency with Town signage can improve the public experience.  Enforcement/Security: determine who handles enforcement and towing.  Insurance and Indemnification: consider litigation with any cost sharing.  Termination

Figure 14 below is a sample shared use agreement from the City of San Diego.

15

Figure 1. City of San Diego Sample Shared Parking Agreement

16

17

Wayfinding

 Develop a comprehensive wayfinding signage system with a unified and consistent parking brand.  Utilize integrated digital messaging signage to direct visitors to available parking.  Promote parking information via all website opportunities.

Whether visitors are traveling to Springdale for the first time or someone from the surrounding region is returning to shop or dine, identifying where to park your vehicle is not easy. An important concern about arriving in Springdale is clearly communicating where available parking is located and any associated regulations or policies. Without this information, visitors have established parking where they can find it with minimal regulatory oversight, leaving many visitors with an unpleasant visitor experience. As Springdale proceeds with parking and transportation developments, including the SR-9 project, it will be crucial to consider the ways in which the public can access accurate information regarding parking and navigating to Springdale. Implementing a comprehensive wayfinding plan should be a priority for the Town and this should be a consideration for the use of the FLAP Grant monies (outlined in the next section).

Once the Zion Park parking lots are full, vehicles are circulated back into Springdale to look for parking. Ideally, if visitors were notified in advance that the Park is at capacity, they would know to seek an alternative parking location. Wayfinding is a tremendous congestion mitigation tool that should be considered as a priority by the Town. As the NPS approaches a capacity threshold, an integrated dynamic messaging sign at the entrance to Springdale would notify visitors of parking location alternatives further minimizing the congestion and excess trips on SR-9 returning from the Park entrance to look for available parking.

Currently, visitors rely upon the 1610 AM radio station announcements regarding Zion announcements and updates, including parking availability. NPS also posts a temporary display sign on the median indicating that parking is full and vehicle use the Park Entrance parking lot for vehicle turnaround. Additionally, at the entrance to the Town there is signage that can be flipped down to display notification that Zion parking is full ahead. The park employees manage this signage.

The Town has successfully experimented with digital message signage and it proved to be extremely effective. The electronic signage directed visitors entering Springdale to park at the Majestic View Hotel parking lot (located at the entrance to Town) for Park access. The facility filled immediately causing impacts to all the shuttle route stops for the remainder of the day. While there were immediate impacts that must be addressed as the parking plan is developed, the trial demonstrated the effectiveness of wayfinding and proved that visitors are seeking direction for where to park along with an easy parking experience and there is a willingness to park and ride a shuttle.

18

The Town can deliver parking information through multiple different outlets including vehicle messaging systems, wayfinding signage, and various websites, including the NPS, tourism board, hotel, travel and parking sources. The technology exists to provide parking and transportation information in real-time. Therefore, the Town must be proactive to educate and inform those preparing to visit Springdale.

The existing shuttle system is a good example of an effective wayfinding program. The shuttle system is easy to identify because there is clear signage present throughout the Town. It is very clear to a first-time visitor where to wait for the shuttle since each location is marked and effectively delineated. This is not the case for public parking. It is not clear to a visitor where to park. Even the areas alongside SR-9 that are marked for shuttle parking are not typically allowed in other regions where it appears that a vehicle would be blocking a bike lane or parking on a dirt easement that may pollute the natural environment. Since the City does not have the existing resources to direct parking, this emphasizes the importance to Image 2. NPS establish shared parking agreements and identify alternative parking Shuttle Stop locations to efficiently and effectively utilize parking guidance wayfinding technology and signage with a goal to direct as many vehicles off the street and into off-street parking locations.

If shared parking agreements are established, the Town should incorporate the private parking lots into the wayfinding program. This can help the Town establish a unified ‘parking brand’ that will be easily identifiable to visitors. To do so, the Town must engage with the private lot owners to develop a long-term vested interest. The Town should have an ongoing stake, but offer benefits to the participants in the form of a parking brand and wayfinding campaign. If the shared parking agreements prove to be a viable asset for available parking, another consideration would be the use of vehicle detection equipment (i.e. car counters) at any authorized parking lot location that would provide real-time parking availability information that can be communicated to any parking guidance technology and signage.

As with the shuttle stops, the Town must develop a parking brand image that is utilized with all signage, postings and promotion of Springdale parking. The signage/brand must be consistent throughout the Town, including sign format, symbols and colors. Any Town authorized parking area including those established with a shared parking agreement needs to be clearly identified and the signage should promote the parking location, any time restrictions and any applicable rates/fees. The parking brand/signage would be required to be used in conjunction with the terms and conditions of the shared parking agreement.

In addition to consistent branding and wayfinding, the commercial area would directly benefit by distinguishing between commercial parking time limits versus longer term parking for Zion Park. This would ensure parking availability for shopping and dining throughout the downtown area.

19

FLAP Grant

 Consider the following options for the FLAP Grant monies: o Develop a remote parking solution. o Install integrated digital messaging wayfinding signage. o Fund the parking enforcement staff positions required to monitor and regulate existing conditions. o Test the use of vehicle occupancy detection equipment.

In 2016, the Town applied for a Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Grant, requesting $722,304.00 for shoulder widening, parking additions, pedestrian and intersection improvements on SR-9 and Lion Boulevard. The pedestrian and intersection improvements proposed include a pedestrian tunnel to be installed under SR-9 at Lion Boulevard. The tunnel was intended to improve pedestrian safety without obstructing access to Zion National Park.

Because the FLAP Grant is meant to improve access to the Park, it is important that the solutions implemented consider traffic flow and congestion mitigation. The use of a digital messaging wayfinding system could promote parking availability when the park is nearing capacity. The system should be integrated with the NPS to provide advanced notification as the Park fills. The FLAP monies could be used to acquire the equipment needed to distribute this information. Additionally, the monies could be used to lease, develop and promote parking either closer to the entrance, i.e. at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater, or in a more remote location near the Town entrance, i.e. 2381 Zion Park Blvd. Either of these locations could considerably reduce vehicle trips along SR-9 that are circulating looking for available parking. Any potential parking location must be designed to accommodate oversized vehicles.

Illegally parked vehicles often create a safety hazard and block access. Parking regulations must be enforced. Some of the FLAP monies should be used to fund the parking enforcement staff required to manage the parking policies throughout the peak period, at a minimum. The upcoming on-street space reduction should have a positive impact on traffic flow and access, it will be imperative that processes are managed and consistently enforced. There is an identified need and the Town should leverage the monies to initiate this support necessity.

The Town should also test the use of vehicle occupancy detection equipment, like ground inductive loops. If the Town can establish shared parking agreements, these would be ideal locations to determine real-time space occupancy that can be promoted through digital wayfinding signage. Additionally, depending upon what type of equipment is used by the NPS, the Town could either receive any existing data counts from the Park entrance or potentially install vehicle detection equipment in coordination with the Park to confirm messaging to the wayfinding signage.

20

Paid Parking – On-Street

 Implement paid parking along SR-9 and Lion Boulevard with credit card and mobile payment options.  Utilize pay stations with a pay and display configuration.  Ensure pay station accessibility at all installation locations.  Develop a rate model that supports longer term parking outside of the downtown area and implement 2-hour time limits throughout downtown (near the restaurants and businesses) to promote vehicle turnover.  Identify Town staff resources to support a paid parking operation, including pay station maintenance and revenue reconciliation.

Pay Stations Currently all on-street parking in the Town of Springdale is free, and visitors can park the entire day with no time restrictions. During peak periods, parking is a severely limited resource and paid parking is an opportunity to better manage the Town’s parking assets.

A paid parking operation should be self-sustaining and a successful program will allow the Town to invest in the development of parking resources that directly benefit the Springdale community. It is recommended that the Town implement paid parking along SR-9 and Lion Boulevard. Because most of the on-street parking spaces are not marked and there is limited marked curb space, the Town is ideal for a multi-space pay station installation rather than single-space parking meters.

Pay stations typically support around 8 to 18 on-street parking spaces or more, depending upon the roadway configuration. The pay stations can be configured to accept multiple forms of payment including credit card, coin and bills. Rate configurations can be customized and programmed to allow for variable rate models that allow for time of year, time of day and flat rate options. To minimize maintenance issues, it is suggested that the Town implement a credit card only payment option along with a mobile payment feature for customer convenience.

Pay stations, depending on their features, cost between $6,000 and $10,000 each with monthly data management fees between $45 and $75 per meter per month. The typical pay station vendor provides a back-office management system that provides real time access to meter information and maintenance support requirements.

There are three main operational configurations for multi-space pay station equipment: pay and display, pay by space and pay by plate:

 Pay and Display: The driver parks, purchases parking session time at the pay station, and then returns to their vehicle to display the receipt on their dashboard.  Pay by Space: The driver parks in a labeled space, and then pays at the pay station using the parking space number. The driver does not have to return to their vehicle because their payment is electronically tied to their space number.

21

 Pay by Plate: Like pay by space, but the driver enters their license plate number at the pay station to record their payment. This method does not require drivers to return to their car as well.

Pay by space would not be feasible in Springdale because there are not marked spaces to number. The pay by plate configuration would require the acquisition of license plate recognition (LPR) technology which is not recommended now. Ideally, parking enforcement officers would patrol on foot or bike, therefore, it is recommended that the Town install pay stations with the pay and display configuration.

Pay Station Accessibility With the implementation of pay stations, there must be a level of accessibility. In some areas along SR-9, vehicles park on the dirt easement and in some locations, it may be paved with narrow sidewalks. Allowing for visitors to have easy access to the pay station is imperative especially considering any ADA regulations. The design and location of the pay station installation must be considered for both access and traffic safety considering the proximity to SR-9. The pay station installation footings are standard, it’s the development necessary around the pay station installation that needs to be addressed by the Town in coordination with UDOT. Ease of access is essential to the customer service and overall utilization of the parking program.

Mobile Payment Many municipalities choose to implement mobile payment or pay by web as an option to improve customer service by providing a more convenient payment option. Cellular service would have to be evaluated throughout the Town to determine feasibility. Patrons can create an account through a phone app or website to pay for parking, which also allows them to extend their time remotely. Mobile payment services require drivers to enter in their license plate number, which serves as the payment identifier for the parking enforcement officer. The mobile payment system may be integrated with enforcement handhelds for ease of use. This would make the pay by plate pay station configuration a viable option, as the enforcement officers would already be checking the plate to verify mobile payment status.

Typically, the mobile payment vendor offers a turnkey solution for implementing their system, which includes signage and promotions without an additional cost to the municipality. Some vendors also offer a while label service, which allows cities to utilize their own branding for the service. This allows municipalities to promote mobile payment through a Town-owned website.

Utilization of mobile payment falls between 3% and 10% in most cities, and users pay a small transaction fee, usually between $0.10 and $0.35. While the current utilization may seem low, with the continued widespread use of smart phone technology, it is recommended that the Town of Springdale implement a mobile payment system with any paid parking solution.

22

Parking Rates and Time Limits Currently there are no time limit parking zones in Springdale. Implementing time limits near the downtown business would help significantly by encouraging turnover. By limiting on-street parking to 2-hours downtown, the longer-term parkers who are visiting the Park for the day may not park in this area, thus freeing up the streetscape for shoppers. This will also prevent oversized vehicles from parking all day outside of businesses and blocking them from site. Downtown should be an open and inviting space where visitors will be able to park at ease to go shop.

Paid Parking Resource Requirements If the Town should proceed with a paid parking program, there are resources required to manage the associated operation, support and accounting services. In addition, with the potential of paid parking, Town staff would manage all aspects of the paid parking technology required to support the operation, including, but not limited to, parking hardware management, maintenance, as well as revenue collection and reconciliation. By installing pay stations with credit card and mobile payment options only, this will minimize the resource demand. However, due to anticipated demand, staff should be expected to service and support the pay stations for maintenance requirements like a jammed card or the pay stations have no communications signal. Staff will receive Level 1 vendor training to manage and mitigate most repair issues.

23

Permit Parking

 Implement residential permit parking zones to prevent spillover parking.  Consider utilizing an online customer portal for applications.  Ensure adequate signage is posted to enforce the residential permit parking.  Establish an affordable downtown employee parking location.

Residential Permit Parking (RPP) In preparation of the SR-9 project and the potential implementation of paid parking the Town should initiate a residential parking permit program to prevent spillover parking in the residential neighborhoods. This can be a simple solution that allows residents to obtain a hangtag or sticker based upon proof of residency. Many municipalities choose to have an online customer portal for residents to apply for a residential permit and upload supporting documents. Typically, RPP programs also allow for a certain number of guest parking permits per household. Hangtags or stickers should be color coordinated by the year to make enforcement simple. Enforcement officers will simply need to visually verify whether the correct color permit is attached to the vehicles parked in the residential parking zone. There should be a minimal charge to, at a minimum, cover the administrative and support costs associated with the residential permit program.

It will be important for the Town to install signage announcing the RPP zones. This will ensure that visitors are notified of the parking restrictions in a residential area.

Employee Permit Parking Like RPP, employee parking should be proactively addressed prior to the start of the SR- 9 project. Based upon stakeholder feedback, it appears that employees park on- and off-street for extended timeframes throughout the downtown core. With the projected removal of on-street parking spaces, these employees will need a parking alternative. Additionally, the off-street spaces that are currently dedicated to employees could be better utilized for short-term customer parking. Rather than ‘seeing where they show up’, the Town should designate an ideal location for these employees. Similar to the RPP, employees should pay an administrative cost to sustain the operation.

With the implementation of paid parking, it will be important to make sure that employees have an affordable location to park while they work. Additionally, businesses will benefit from employees parking remotely rather than taking up the convenient spaces outside of the businesses that should be meant for customers.

One potential location for employee parking could be next to the treatment plant located on Lion Boulevard. The Town could fund a circulating shuttle, funded by paid parking, or implement a bike share program, to traverse employees up and down the road. This location would have to be less expensive than the on-street parking around the businesses to encourage employees to utilize it.

24

Data Analysis Occupancy Summary Data Collection Methodology On- and off-street inventory and occupancy data was collected in the Town of Springdale on Sunday, April 16 and Tuesday, April 18, 2017. The inventory is the number of spaces (marked and unmarked), and the occupancy is the number of parked cars. These dates were selected by the Town to attempt to capture a peak occupancy day (Sunday) and a non-peak occupancy day (Tuesday). It was anticipated that Sunday would be a peak day due to the Easter holiday weekend. It is important to note that one day prior, on Saturday, Zion National Park had 21,000 visitors and NPS parking was full by 10:00am. Due to concerns of overcrowding, there was public outreach by the NPS in the news and on social media may have discouraged visitors from visiting the Park on Sunday. As a result, it is expected that the Sunday data collection results are non-representative of a peak occupancy day.

Occupancy was counted during the morning, mid-day, and evening. The data collection times are outlined below in Table 1

Table 1. Data Collection Times

Day Morning Mid-Day Evening Sunday 8:05-11:30am 12:30-3:00pm 4:30-6:00pm Tuesday 8:20-9:40am 12:10-1:20pm 4:30-5:40pm

For the purposes of data analysis, the study area was divided into five (5) zones as outlined in Figure X:

 Entrance (Anasazi Way to Valley View Drive)  Lower SR-9 (Valley View Drive to Evie Lane)  Downtown (Evie Lane to Lion Boulevard)  Upper SR-9 (Lion Boulevard to Park Entrance)  Lion Boulevard (SR-9 to Town Hall)

25

Figure 2. Data Collection Zones

26

Most on-street parking spaces are not delineated, marked spaces, therefore, the on-street space inventory is an estimated value. Based on this Study’s estimate, there are a total of 524 on-street spaces in the Town of Springdale. The breakdown of on-street spaces by data collection zone is as follows:

Table 2. On-Street Inventory by Zone

Zone On-Street Inventory Entrance 66 Lower SR-9 127 Downtown 156 Upper SR-9 92 Lion Boulevard 83 Total 524

This Study has also verified and updated the off-street space inventory that was provided by the Town from previous data collection efforts. Based on this Study’s counts, there are a total of 2,518 off-street parking spaces in the Town of Springdale.

27

On-Street vs. Off-Street Occupancy Figure X compares the on- and off-street occupancies throughout the data collection period. The highest occupancy rate observed was 46% on-street, mid-day on Sunday. It was predicted by Town staff that this would be the peak occupancy timeframe.

On Sunday, the off-street parking experienced higher utilization in the morning than the on-street parking. This may be attributed to employees parking in the off-street lots in the morning. The consistency of off-street occupancy rates may also be due to employees parking in the same spaces for the duration of the day. By mid-day there was a significant jump of 38% occupancy on-street. The off-street rate only increased by 3% during the same time. This indicates that when visitors arrive to Springdale, many of them search and find parking on-street closer to the Park instead of looking for parking in the off-street locations.

On Tuesday, there was a similar pattern with off-street rates staying relatively consistent throughout the day, and on-street rates peaking during the mid-day. The highest occupancy rate observed on Tuesday was 38% off-street during the evening, which appeared to be a result of an increase in hotel parking lot occupancy.

Figure 3. Overall On- and Off-Street Occupancy by Time of Day

100%

80%

60% 46% 43% 41% 40% 38% 40% 33% 34% 34% 30% 26%

20% 11% 8%

0% On-Street Off-Street On-Street Off-Street Sunday Tuesday

Morning Mid-Day Evening

28

On-Street Occupancy The overall on-street occupancy for the three data collection times is outlined in Figure 3. This figure compares the observed occupancy rates on Sunday and Tuesday. The morning rates had a difference of only 3%, but the mid-day occupancy rates varied by 16%. Mid-day Sunday experienced the highest occupancy rate of 46% with dense parking congestion from Lion Blvd to the Park entrance. During this time, the shuttle stops were consistently busy with a crowd of waiting visitors. Overall, Sunday’s mid-day and evening collection rounds displayed higher occupancy rates than Tuesday. However, based on the collection figures, Tuesday’s morning occupancy was higher than Sunday mornings’.

The industry standard states that parking occupancy should be kept below 85% to avoid the perception that there is no parking and increased congestion because of motorists searching for available parking. Even at the peak occupancy time, the on- street parking did not approach this rate. These rates are low partially because the study area is very large. Throughout the data collection process, there were few cars parked in the Entrance zone. It should be noted that on Sunday, there were several visitors, including some oversized vehicles, that took Image 3. Park & Ride Lot advantage of the Park & Ride located near the Majestic View Hotel at the entrance to the Town.

Figure 4. Total On-Street Occupancy by Time of Day: Sunday vs. Tuesday

100%

80%

60%

46%

40% 33% 30% 26%

20% 11% 8%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

Sunday Tuesday

29

Sunday On-Street The zone with the highest observed on-street occupancy on Sunday was Upper SR-9, which had an occupancy rate over 103% during the mid-day data collection period. Occupancy above 100% is attributed to illegal parking. This is likely from visitors trying to double-park cars to get a space closer to the park entrance. Peak occupancy coincided with the NPS posting their ‘Park Full’ sign on SR-9. The mid-day was the most heavily occupied time for all the zones. Despite an estimated 66 on-street spaces in the Entrance zone, there were no cars parked there during the three data collection periods. Downtown and Lion Boulevard peaked at 56% and 58%, which is still well below the industry standard of 85% maximum occupancy. Below, Table 3 summarizes the on-street occupancy rates by zone for Sunday. The Upper SR-9 mid-day occupancy rate is highlighted in red because it is above the industry standard of 85%.

Image 4. Electronic Parking Full Sign Image 5. Zion Parking Full Sign

Table 3. Sunday On-Street Occupancy

Occupancy Zone Morning Mid-Day Evening Entrance 0% 0% 0% Lower SR-9 2% 8% 7% Downtown 8% 56% 46% Upper SR-9 8% 103% 72% Lion Blvd 28% 58% 30%

30

Figure 5. On-Street Occupancy by Time of Day by Zone: Sunday April 16, 2017

120%

103% 100%

80% 72%

58% 60% 56% 46%

40% 28% 30%

20% 8% 7% 8% 8% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% Entrance Lower SR-9 Downtown Upper SR-9 Lion Blvd

Morning Mid-Day Evening

Tuesday On-Street Like Sunday, Tuesday’s peak occupancy location and time was during the mid-day in the Upper SR-9 zone. However, on Tuesday the occupancy reached just 61%. In the Downtown Zone, the same occupancy was observed during the mid-day and evening data collection periods. However, for Upper SR-9 and Lion Boulevard, the peak was during the mid-day and by the evening, the occupancy rate dropped by around 10%. As shown in Table 4, there were no zones during the day on Tuesday that had an occupancy rate at or above 85%.

Table 4. Tuesday On-Street Occupancy

Occupancy Zone Morning Mid-Day Evening Entrance 0% 2% 0% Lower SR-9 1% 2% 3% Downtown 10% 33% 33% Upper SR-9 12% 61% 51% Lion Blvd 35% 54% 41%

31

Figure 6. On-Street Occupancy by Time of Day by Zone: Tuesday April 18, 2017

100%

80%

61% 60% 54% 51%

41% 40% 33%33% 35%

20% 12% 10% 2% 3% 0% 2% 0% 1% 0% Entrance Lower SR-9 Downtown Upper SR-9 Lion Blvd

Morning Mid-Day Evening

32

Off-Street Occupancy The following figure compares the Sunday and Tuesday overall off-street occupancy by time of day (Figure 6). During all three data collection rounds, the Sunday and Tuesday occupancy rates were similar. The biggest difference was observed during the mid-day where the Sunday rate was 9% above the Tuesday rate during the same time period.

Unlike with the on-street occupancy rates, the off-street rates stayed consistent throughout the day. For example, on Tuesday the morning rate was equal to the mid-day rate, and only increased by 4% in the evening. The peak occupancy rate experienced was mid-day on Sunday with a rate of 43%.

Figure 7. Total Off-Street Occupancy by Time of Day: Sunday vs. Tuesday

100%

80%

60%

43% 41% 40% 38% 40% 34% 34%

20%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

Sunday Tuesday

Sunday Off-Street The off-street parking lots were divided using the same zones as the on-street data collection. The Entrance, Downtown, and Upper SR-9 zones each had peak occupancy rates on Sunday during the mid-day. On the other hand, Lower SR-9 off-street occupancy peaked in the morning and Lion Boulevard in the evening.

Despite Lion Boulevard’s proximity to the park entrance, the off-street occupancy was just at 5% in the morning. At the same time, Upper SR-9 and Downtown had off-street occupancy rates of 30% and 38%.

The highest off-street occupancy rate on Sunday was 54% in the Entrance zone. The only off-street parking in the Entrance zone is the Zion Park & Ride Lot. The higher occupancy rate in this location indicates that many visitors are utilizing the shuttle system 33

to access the park, including parking oversized vehicles at this location which is an ideal location.

Figure 8. Off-Street Occupancy by Time of Day by Zone: Sunday April 16, 2017

100%

80%

60% 54% 50% 47% 45% 44% 41% 41%43% 38% 40% 33% 28% 30% 23% 20% 17%

5%

0% Entrance Lower SR-9 Downtown Upper SR-9 Lion Blvd

Morning Mid-Day Evening

Table 5 below displays a complete overview of off-street Sunday occupancy by lot. The occupancies at or above 85% are highlighted in red. These are the locations that are considered to be highly occupied and in a state where locating an available parking space may be difficult. During the morning, there were seven lots considered full, during the mid- day there were eleven, and during the evening there were just six.

Table 5. Sunday Off-Street Occupancy by Lot

Occupancy Rate Lot Inventory Morning Mid-Day Evening ZNP Park & Ride Lot – 2381 Zion Blvd 35 17% 54% 23% Majestic View Lodge – 2400 Zion Blvd 120 29% 31% 38% Majestic View Ext – 2230 Zion Blvd 17 12% 24% 41% The Park House Cafe – 1880 Zion Blvd 12 92% 33% 17% Silver Bear – 1865 Zion Blvd 6 0% 0% 0% River Park – 1751 Zion Blvd 14 0% 43% 57% Chevron – 1593 Zion Blvd 8 38% 13% 13% Driftwood Lodge – 1515 Zion Blvd 98 70% 24% 33% LDS Church – 1584 Zion Blvd 112 88% 2% 1% Quality Inn Montclair – 1516 Zion Blvd 39 41% 46% 67% Zion Rock & Mtn Guides – 1458 Zion Blvd 9 56% 11% 22%

34

Zion Rock and Gem – 1416 Zion Blvd 5 100% 60% 80% LaFave Gallery – 1214 Zion Blvd 9 11% 44% 33% Holiday Inn – 1215 Zion Blvd 130 34% 31% 41% Switch Back Grill/Jacks – 1149 Zion Blvd 65 17% 35% 43% Bit and Spur – 1212 Zion Blvd 24 8% 29% 100% Zion Visitor Center – 1101 Zion Blvd 22 27% 77% 50% Hampton Inn – 1127 Zion Blvd 119 36% 41% 35% Springhill Suites - 1207 Canyon Springs Dr. 134 36% 25% 28% DeZion Gallery – 1051 Zion Blvd 6 17% 17% 33% Terrace Brook Lodge – 990 Zion Blvd 28 39% 21% 21% Red Rock Inn – 998 Zion Blvd 9 33% 33% 44% Under Eaves – 980 Zion Blvd 8 75% 88% 63% Sol Foods – 995 Zion Blvd 32 44% 78% 50% Zion Vacation Home – 90 Juniper Ln 10 80% 50% 80% Flying Monkey – 961 Zion Blvd 35 69% 94% 57% Shell – 962 Gifford Park Dr. 4 75% 125% 100% Lazy Lizard – 948 Zion Blvd 5 60% 100% 80% Oscars Café – 948 Zion Blvd 36 67% 97% 42% Joy Craft – 932 Zion Blvd 1 0% 0% 100% Zion Guide Hub – 932 Zion Blvd 1 100% 100% 0% Deep Creek – 932 Zion Blvd 2 0% 0% 0% Zion Canyon Offerings – 933 Zion Blvd 4 0% 25% 50% Zions Bank – 921 Zion Blvd 7 14% 29% 0% Bumbleberry Campus – 97 Bumbleberry Ln 107 48% 67% 52% Springdale Elementary School – 898 Zion Blvd 15 7% 13% 27% Zion Park Motel – 865 Zion Blvd 32 47% 16% 28% Zion Park Laundry – 894 Zion Blvd 8 25% 38% 38% Zion Pizza Noodle – 868 Zion Blvd 60 27% 47% 33% Novel House – 73 Paradise Dr. 12 75% 67% 42% Zion Park Gift and Deli – 866 Zion Blvd 6 0% 17% 0% Historic Pioneer Lodge – 838 Zion Blvd 44 75% 43% 43% Amigos Complex – 805 Zion Blvd 43 14% 21% 23% Worthington Gallery – 789 Zion Blvd 12 0% 25% 17% La Quinta – 792 Zion Blvd 126 54% 30% 35% Blondies Diner – 736 Zion Blvd 10 0% 0% 0% 9 East Lot – 715 Zion Blvd 19 37% 47% 84% Reserved 9 East – 715 Zion Blvd 14 14% 14% 7% Prospector’s Rock Shop – 694 Zion Blvd 8 0% 63% 38% Desert Pearl – 707 Zion Blvd 67 76% 54% 66%

35

Post Office – 625 Zion Blvd 14 43% 50% 14% Harvest House B&B – 29 Canyon View Dr 2 100% 100% 100% Zion Canyon B&B – 101 Kokopelli Cir. 10 70% 70% 40% Quality Inn RV Campground – 479 Zion Blvd 41 68% 41% 71% Hoodoos Market – 35 Lion Blvd. 17 6% 65% 53% Whiptail Grill – 445 Zion Blvd 20 0% 35% 10% Flannigan’s Inn – 450 Zion Blvd 45 98% 64% 84% Flannigan’s Villas – 425 Zion Blvd 4 75% 25% 0% Spotted Dog Café – 428 Zion Blvd 7 29% 14% 14% Garage Location – 359 Zion Blvd 28 0% 93% 46% Janet Mika Lot – 145 Zion Blvd 50 0% 40% 38% Tribal Art Gallery – 291 Zion Blvd. 9 22% 33% 33% Cliff Rose – 281 Zion Blvd 58 90% 69% 67% Thai Spa – 198 Zion Blvd 19 0% 42% 42% Café Soleil – 205 Zion Blvd 44 20% 41% 48% Subway – 180 Zion Blvd 22 9% 9% 0% Zion Canyon Village – 147 Zion Blvd 189 41% 90% 62% Park Entrance lot – 179 Zion Blvd 29 0% 97% 86% Zion Adventure Co. – 36 Lion Blvd 9 11% 56% 56% Zion Park Parking – 50 Lion Blvd 84 12% 12% 18% Town Hall/Med. Center – 118 Lion Blvd 28 0% 0% 0% Library/Community Center – 126 Lion Blvd 51 4% 8% 22% Town Park/Playground – 126 Lion Blvd. 10 0% 130% 120%

36

For comparison, the following three images show the Sunday off-street occupancy at the Garage Location Lot (this is the location that will later be developed into a parking structure).

Image 6. Garage Location Lot Sunday at 7:34am

Image 7. Garage Location Lot Sunday at 12:14pm

Image 8. Garage Location Lot Sunday at 3:50pm

37

Tuesday Off-Street On Tuesday, the off-street occupancy rates were significantly lower than on Sunday. The Park & Ride lot in the Entrance only peaked at 11% on Tuesday. The highest occupancy rate observed was 41% during the evening in the Downtown zone. The Lower and Upper SR-9 zones also peaked during the evening data collection period.

Figure 9. Tuesday Off-Street Occupancy by Zone by Time of Day

100%

80%

60%

41% 38% 40% 35% 36% 35% 34% 32% 29% 31% 24% 20% 11%11% 12% 7% 0% 0% Entrance Lower SR-9 Downtown Upper SR-9 Lion Blvd Zone

Morning Mid-Day Evening

A complete summary of the Tuesday off-street occupancy by lot is below in Table 6. In the morning, there were only four off-street lots with an occupancy rate of at or above 85%, and during the mid-day and evening there were five. Overall, the majority of the parking lots on Tuesday had ample available parking.

Table 6. Tuesday Off-Street Occupancy by Lot

Occupancy Rate Lot Inventory Morning Mid-Day Evening ZNP Park & Ride Lot – 2381 Zion Blvd 35 0% 11% 11% Majestic View Lodge – 2400 Zion Blvd 120 33% 19% 38% Majestic View Ext – 2230 Zion Blvd 17 24% 6% 29% The Park House Cafe – 1880 Zion Blvd 12 83% 0% 0% Silver Bear – 1865 Zion Blvd 6 0% 100% 33% River Park – 1751 Zion Blvd 14 0% 57% 43% Chevron – 1593 Zion Blvd 8 25% 25% 13% Driftwood Lodge – 1515 Zion Blvd 98 29% 18% 27%

38

LDS Church – 1584 Zion Blvd 112 0% 2% 2% Quality Inn Montclair – 1516 Zion Blvd 39 51% 31% 38% Zion Rock & Mtn Guides – 1458 Zion Blvd 9 22% 44% 67% Zion Rock and Gem – 1416 Zion Blvd 5 40% 60% 100% LaFave Gallery – 1214 Zion Blvd 9 44% 44% 33% Holiday Inn – 1215 Zion Blvd 130 34% 31% 41% Switch Back Grill/Jacks – 1149 Zion Blvd 65 11% 29% 26% Bit and Spur – 1212 Zion Blvd 24 17% 13% 63% Zion Visitor Center – 1101 Zion Blvd 22 32% 55% 55% Hampton Inn – 1127 Zion Blvd 119 40% 24% 32% Springhill Suites - 1207 Canyon Springs Dr. 134 43% 30% 31% DeZion Gallery – 1051 Zion Blvd 6 33% 50% 33% Terrace Brook Lodge – 990 Zion Blvd 28 54% 36% 39% Red Rock Inn – 998 Zion Blvd 9 22% 33% 44% Under Eaves – 980 Zion Blvd 8 38% 25% 25% Sol Foods – 995 Zion Blvd 32 31% 31% 41% Zion Vacation Home – 90 Juniper Ln 10 30% 10% 40% Flying Monkey – 961 Zion Blvd 35 40% 34% 37% Shell – 962 Gifford Park Dr. 4 50% 50% 0% Lazy Lizard – 948 Zion Blvd 5 60% 100% 100% Oscars Café – 948 Zion Blvd 36 56% 89% 53% Joy Craft – 932 Zion Blvd 1 0% 0% 100% Zion Guide Hub – 932 Zion Blvd 1 100% 100% 0% Deep Creek – 932 Zion Blvd 2 50% 0% 0% Zion Canyon Offerings – 933 Zion Blvd 4 25% 0% 25% Zions Bank – 921 Zion Blvd 7 29% 29% 29% Bumbleberry Campus – 97 Bumbleberry Ln 107 42% 38% 51% Springdale Elementary School – 898 Zion Blvd 15 60% 53% 7% Zion Park Motel – 865 Zion Blvd 32 34% 13% 25% Zion Park Laundry – 894 Zion Blvd 8 13% 25% 38% Zion Pizza Noodle – 868 Zion Blvd 60 28% 40% 47% Novel House – 73 Paradise Dr. 12 50% 25% 17% Zion Park Gift and Deli – 866 Zion Blvd 6 17% 17% 33% Historic Pioneer Lodge – 838 Zion Blvd 44 64% 50% 64% Amigos Complex – 805 Zion Blvd 43 14% 19% 19% Worthington Gallery – 789 Zion Blvd 12 8% 25% 33% La Quinta – 792 Zion Blvd 126 61% 37% 45% Blondies Diner – 736 Zion Blvd 10 0% 60% 40% 9 East Lot – 715 Zion Blvd 19 42% 37% 58%

39

Reserved 9 East – 715 Zion Blvd 14 14% 21% 7% Prospector’s Rock Shop – 694 Zion Blvd 8 13% 25% 50% Desert Pearl – 707 Zion Blvd 67 66% 57% 79% Post Office – 625 Zion Blvd 14 43% 21% 14% Harvest House B&B – 29 Canyon View Dr 2 100% 50% 100% Zion Canyon B&B – 101 Kokopelli Cir. 10 60% 60% 50% Quality Inn RV Campground – 479 Zion Blvd 41 93% 66% 73% Hoodoos Market – 35 Lion Blvd. 17 0% 18% 65% Whiptail Grill – 445 Zion Blvd 20 0% 10% 15% Flannigan’s Inn – 450 Zion Blvd 45 80% 58% 89% Flannigan’s Villas – 425 Zion Blvd 4 0% 0% 0% Spotted Dog Café – 428 Zion Blvd 7 29% 0% 14% Garage Location – 359 Zion Blvd 28 0% 0% 43% Janet Mika Lot – 145 Zion Blvd 50 0% 20% 16% Tribal Art Gallery – 291 Zion Blvd. 9 33% 33% 33% Cliff Rose – 281 Zion Blvd 58 86% 79% 67% Thai Spa – 198 Zion Blvd 19 0% 0% 26% Café Soleil – 205 Zion Blvd 44 20% 36% 14% Subway – 180 Zion Blvd 22 18% 32% 27% Zion Canyon Village – 147 Zion Blvd 189 40% 58% 58% Park Entrance lot – 179 Zion Blvd 29 0% 90% 52% Zion Adventure Co. – 36 Lion Blvd 9 11% 33% 11% Zion Park Parking – 50 Lion Blvd 84 11% 11% 13% Town Hall/Med. Center – 118 Lion Blvd 28 4% 25% 21% Library/Community Center – 126 Lion Blvd 51 2% 25% 16% Town Park/Playground – 126 Lion Blvd. 10 10% 60% 0%

40

Previous Studies The Town of Springdale previously conducted occupancy counts that may be used to assess ongoing occupancy trends. A summary of findings is below:

In 2007, parking occupancy data was collected at 10:00am, 1:00pm, 4:00pm, and 7:00pm on:  Saturday April 7  Tuesday May 22  Saturday May 26  Tuesday July 3  Wednesday July 25.

The occupancy rates are summarized below in Tables 7 & 8:

Table 7. 2007 Off-Street Occupancy Rates

Day 10:00am 1:00pm 4:00pm 7:00pm Saturday, April 7 40% 41% 44% 38% Tuesday, May 22 25% 28% 29% 33% Saturday, May 26 43% 44% 56% 58% Tuesday, July 3 28% 32% 31% 32% Wednesday, July 25 24% 22% 25% 26%

Table 8. 2007 On-Street Occupancy Rates

Day 10:00am 1:00pm 4:00pm 7:00pm Saturday, April 7 31% 51% 31% 11% Tuesday, May 22 6% 15% 12% 37% Saturday, May 26 22% 52% 45% 40% Tuesday, July 3 5% 19% 16% 13% Wednesday, July 25 8% 6% 6% 4%

Because this data was collected 10 years ago, it is useful to compare the data collected from this study to show how occupancy rates have been changed over time (Figures 9 & 10). Though the space inventory has changed, the occupancy percentages still allow for comparison. There has been an increase in the off-street inventory since 2007, so the 2007 inventory was used to calculate the 2007 occupancy rate while the updated inventory was used to calculate the 2017 occupancy rates observed in the current study. In 2007, there were 1,740 off-street spaces included in the data collection, and in 2017 the total of number of spaces has increased to 2,518. This increase correlates to the significant increase in the number of visitors to Zion National Park. For the purposes of comparison, the average occupancy on Saturday April 7 and May 26, 2007 is compared to the Sunday April 16, 2017 data for off-street weekend occupancy. The average occupancy between May 22, July 3, and July 25 in 2007 was used for the 2007 weekday occupancy rate to compare to the Tuesday data collection in 2017. Additionally, 2017

41

morning, mid-day, and evening data collection times are compared to the 10:00am, 1:00pm, and 4:00pm collection rounds in 2007 for the closest match.

Figure 10. 2007 vs. 2017 Weekend Off-Street Occupancy

100%

80%

60% 50% 42% 42% 43% 43% 41% 40%

20%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

2007 2017

Figure 11. 2007 vs. 2017 Weekday Off-Street Occupancy

100%

80%

60%

38% 40% 34% 34% 26% 27% 28%

20%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

2007 2017

Despite the ten-year gap, the average off-street occupancy rates were the same during the morning and mid-day, and they only differed by 9% during the evening. This indicates that the increase in off-street parking supply has kept up with the increase in Park visitors. The evening occupancy rate observed in 2017 was the lower than the rate in 2007. While the number of park visitors has been increasing over the years, the off-street lots are not seeing a jump in occupancy on the weekends. On the other hand, the weekday off-street

42

occupancy rates have increased in 2017 during all three data collection times compared to 2007.

The following figures (Figure 11 & 12) compare the weekend and weekday on-street occupancy rates in 2007 to 2017 using the same methodology. The on-street inventory used is based on the 2017 Study estimates. The same inventory was applied to both years for an accurate comparison.

Figure 12. 2007 vs. 2017 Weekend On-Street Occupancy Counts

100%

80%

60% 51% 46% 38% 40% 33% 27%

20% 8%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

2007 2017

Figure 13. 2007 vs. 2017 Weekday On-Street Occupancy Counts

100%

80%

60%

40% 30% 26%

20% 11% 13% 11% 6%

0% Morning Mid-Day Evening

2007 2017

The average weekend on-street occupancy rates in 2007 were higher during the three data collection times compared to 2017. The significant difference in the morning column

43

could be attributed to the approximate 2-hour difference in start times. Meanwhile, the weekday occupancy counts in 2017 were higher than those in 2007 by a significant amount during the mid-day and evening times.

During the 2015 Memorial Day weekend (May 23), the Town counted the number of cars on-street and in various off-street lots between 1:00pm and 4:30pm. When discounting the lots with missing inventory data, the overall off-street occupancy was 65%. Compared to the most recent round of weekend data collection, the off-street average was 12% higher than the mid-day occupancy rate observed in 2017. Furthermore, 181 more cars were counted on-street in 2015 compared to the weekend count in 2017. These statistics highlight that the data collected on Sunday, April 16, 2017 is not necessarily representative of a peak occupancy day.

There was also data collected last year in 2016. During the 2016 Memorial Day weekend (May 28-30), on-street occupancy counts were collected. The on-street counts were divided up between SR-9 and Lion Boulevard. During this Study’s on-street inventory count, it was estimated that there was a total of 524 on-street spaces. On May 28 and 29, 2017 the total number of cars parked on-street exceeded the estimated inventory amount of 524. This is likely a result of illegal parking. At the same time, the parking lots did not reach close to capacity.

The Town validated occupancy again on Friday, July 1, 2016 between 12:00pm and 2:30pm. The off-street space inventory recorded was 1,904 spaces with 836 off-street occupied spaces, which makes the overall off-street occupancy rate 45%. This is a similar rate to that observed on Sunday, April 16, 2017. Additionally, 278 cars were counted on- street, which is just 37 more than counted on April 16, 2017. Compared to Tuesday, April 18, 2017, the overall occupancy rates from July 2016 were even higher.

44

Appendix A: Recommendations Summary

Parking Supply & Remote Parking  Establish a remote parking location with a circulating shuttle route for access into the Town and the Zion National Park entrance before the SR-9 project commences.  Collaborate with neighboring communities to identify locations for remote parking.  Evaluate properties within the Town and their financial viability for a self- sustaining parking location.  Proceed with the current plan to construct a parking garage in the Town.  Advocate for a hotel transportation county tax that directly funds mass transit.  Consider a private paid shuttle service to transport visitors from neighboring community hotels.

Parking Lot Development  Standardize policies regulating private parking lot development and required improvements.

Oversized Vehicles  Initiate oversized vehicle on-street parking limitations.  Designate available location for oversized vehicle parking.

Enforcement and Citation  Dedicated parking enforcement staff is required during current peak season (March – October).  Implement handheld parking enforcement equipment and an automated citation processing management system, including noticing and collections.  Establish a formalized towing program to address parking and traffic hazards.

Shared Parking  Explore potential shared parking agreements with local businesses and land owners.

Wayfinding  Develop a comprehensive wayfinding signage system with a unified and consistent parking brand.  Utilize integrated digital messaging signage to direct visitors to available parking.  Promote parking information via all website opportunities.

FLAP Grant  Consider the following options for the FLAP Grant monies: o Develop a remote parking solution (i.e. 2381 Zion Park Blvd and/or O.C. Tanner Amphitheater). o Install integrated digital messaging wayfinding signage.

45

o Fund the parking enforcement staff positions required to monitor and regulate existing conditions. o Test the use of vehicle occupancy detection equipment.

Paid Parking – On-Street  Implement paid parking along SR-9 and Lion Boulevard with credit card and mobile payment options.  Utilize pay stations with a pay and display configuration.  Ensure pay station accessibility at all installation locations.  Develop a rate model that supports longer term parking outside of the downtown area and implement 2-hour time limits throughout downtown (near the restaurants and businesses) to promote vehicle turnover.  Identify Town staff resources to support a paid parking operation, including pay station maintenance and revenue reconciliation.  Do not allow parking in unmarked dirt spaces.

Permit Parking  Implement residential permit parking zones to prevent spillover parking.  Consider utilizing an online customer portal for applications.  Ensure adequate signage is posted to enforce the residential permit parking.  Establish an affordable downtown employee parking location.

46

Appendix B: Summary - Current Parking Policies

Resolution 2015-09 establishes “No Parking” areas along SR-9 within 30 feet of an intersection or driveway, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, around the fire station, and wherever there isn’t at least 20 feet between no parking zones. Additionally, parking is prohibited where the street width is not adequate to support parking as defined in Section 10-25-12 of the Town code. For minor, local or collector street with on-street parking there must be an additional 8.5 feet of width to support parking. On-street parking must be parallel parking only.

Article E. Section 10-13E of the Town Code establishes the Parking Structure Overlay Zone (PSOZ). The purpose of the PSOZ is to allow for parking structures that are designed to preserve the Town’s character and protect scenic views. The use of the PSOZ is limited to cases where the Town Council determine that there is a significant need for additional parking supply in the Town. This section sets various design standards for height, setbacks, size, landscaping, and list of other requirements and considerations.

Section 10-23 of the Town Code establishes off-street parking requirements and standards including the off-street parking ratios. Some of the common employee parking requirements is outlined below in Table X:

Table X. Sample of Base and Employee Parking Requirements in Springdale Base Parking Employee Parking Use Requirement Requirement 2 spaces for the first 2,000 1 space per 600 square ft. Grocery Store or Market square ft., 1 for each 1 space for truck deliveries additional 1,000 square ft. Office 1 space per 600 square ft. None Single-Family Residential 2 spaces per unit None Multi-Family Residential 1.5 spaces per unit None 1 space per 200 square ft. 2 spaces for the first 2,000 Restaurant of dining space (includes square ft., 1 for each outdoor dining area) additional 1,000 square ft. 2 spaces for the first 2,000 Retail 1 space per 600 square ft. square ft., 1 for each additional 1,000 square ft. 2 parking space for the first Transient Lodging 1 space per guestroom or 40 guestrooms or units, 1 Facilities lodging unit additional space for each 20 units

Section 10-23-8 allows for two commercial establishments on the same property to share parking spaces with the approval of the planning commission. Shared parking is only approved in cases where there are distinctly different peak hours of parking demand for the two establishments.

47

Appendix C: Stakeholder Acknowledgement

We would like to thank and acknowledge those who participated in stakeholder meetings, interviews and public forum discussions throughout this evaluation and assessment process.

Name Affiliation Allan Staker Springdale Planning Commission Alma Young Business Owner - Zion Park Motel Beau Davis Future Parking Garage Betina Lindsay Springdale Resident Britt Ballard Town of Springdale Police Department Cathy Cortez Springdale Resident Chris Hall UDOT Chuck Passek Springdale Resident Cindy Purcell ZNP Cornelia Kallerud Springdale Resident Darci Carlson Town Clerk Dave and Kim Watts Business Owners - Springdale Candy Company Frank Austin Shuttle Service Manager Frank Clay Business Owner - Simply Birkenstock Gene Gerstner Springdale Resident Greg McDonald Springdale Resident Jack Archer Springdale Resident Jack Burns ZNP, Springdale Planning Commission Janet Mika Parking Lot Owner Jeff Bradybaugh ZNP - Superintendent Jen Thompson Town of Springdale Police Department Jim Butterfus ZNP Joe Barker Town of Springdale Public Works Kathy Cortez Springdale Resident Laura Doty Business Owner - Zion Canyon Offerings Lisa Zumpft Town Council Luke Wilson Future Parking Garage Mark Chambers Town Council Max Gregoric Business Owner - Sol Foods, Hoodoo's Market, Bike Advocate Melanie Madsen Parking Lot Owner Mike Alltucker Town Council Nick Betts Lochner Engineering - Project Engineer for UDOT SR-9 project Randy Taylor Planning Commission Rick Wixom Town of Springdale, Town Manager 48

Robby Totten Town of Springdale Public Works Robert George Town of Springdale Streets Department Robert Torres Springdale Resident Rod Perry Potential Parking Lot Owner Scott Taylor Planning Commission Stan Smith (Mayor) Town of Springdale, Mayor Stew Ferber Business Owner - La Quinta, Quality Inn Tom Dansie Town of Springdale Community Development Department Toni Benevento Town of Springdale Community Development Department Travis Barney Parking Lot Owner Zach Gregoric Springdale Resident Zelda Gerstner Springdale Resident

49