Downtown Parking Management Strategy Saint Paul, Mn

DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY SAINT PAUL, MN

APRIL 2015

INTRODUCTION

Downtown Saint Paul is an historic regional center that has experienced significant regeneration over the past decade. Targeted investments in a new convention center, ABOUT THE PROJECT ballpark, regional medical center and light rail transit have helped foster additional central district- developments in business, residential and entertainment uses. As Saint Paul’s traditionally stable downtown business environment evolves into a vibrant mixed use location, this economic boon also puts a strain on the existing parking supply.

The downtown area has more than 28,000 parking spaces, which serve a wide variety of users. Employees place peak daily demands on the parking supply. Even with growing transportation options, many downtown residents still maintain a vehicle. An emerging nightlife and restaurant scene, a bustling events calendar, new sporting events, and a regional farmers market all draw visitors in growing numbers at non-traditional travel peaks. Each unique user adds to downtown’s vibrancy, but also presents new challenges in terms of balancing urban revitalization with the need for parking. STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS The Downtown Parking Management Strategy provides an accurate view of • Use information and technology parking activity and issues in Downtown to create smart policies and Saint Paul in order to ensure appropri- effectively manage parking. ate parking availability for current and future users. • Coordinate and integrate city parking management with overall This document is a summary of three economic development and technical memoranda that detail the transportation goals. analysis supporting the Downtown Park- ing Management Strategy, summarized • Manage on-street parking using a within: market-based approach to better »» Technical Memorandum #1: Existing utilize parking supply. Conditions • Create off-street parking policies »» Technical Memorandum #2: Land Use, Zoning, and Future Demand in the context of a multimodal »» Technical Memorandum #3: Parking system. Management Strategies • Integrate access and transportation demand management to become a downtown with attractive travel options. • Invest in placemaking to support downtown growth. • Update the parking portion of the Zoning Code to support responsible economic development.

1 DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PROJECT PROCESS The Downtown Saint Paul Parking Management Strategy is a six-month effort that documents current parking activities, examines expected future parking, and recommends a series of PROCESS strategies to achieve City goals. In order to establish a baseline of the current state of SUMMARY on-street, off-street, public and private parking assets, the study began with a parking inventory and utilization study. After developing an inventory based on a combination of existing data and stakeholder input, the team collected parking utilization information: on-street data were collected by field visits; off-street data were collected through a combination of surveys, field visits, and traffic cameras. To understand the context of the governance and enforcement of these spaces, multiple in-person interviews were conducted with stakeholders (listed below). The team then analyzed the City’s parking data in the context of growth models for future scenarios and reviewed how this growth is shaped by the parking-related elements of the Zoning Code. All of this was then taken into consideration to develop strategies to improve the downtown parking system. SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MARCH TASK 1 TASK 2 TASK 3

Baseline Parking Supply/ Land Use Initial Final Conditions Utilization Demand and Future Strategies Strategy Counts Analysis Scenario Plan Analysis Project Timeline

PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP & PROJECT GOALS STAKEHOLDERS • Develop a market-based parking • CapitolRiver Council system. • City staff/departments • Integrate parking with • Council members pedestrians, light rail, buses, and inter-city rail. • Greater Saint Paul Building Owners and Managers Association • Define existing parking utilization (BOMA) of all downtown stakeholders. • Parking Ramp Managers • Quantify anticipated future demand for parking. • Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC) • Identify national best practices. • St. Paul Smart Trips • Suggest ways in which the City can integrate its parking management functions.

2 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA PARKING INVENTORY An inventory of existing parking spaces and regulations was developed based on City and St. Paul Smart Trips data and adjusted by stakeholder input and field observations. This PARKING inventory found that: INVENTORY »» There are 28,638 parking spaces in downtown Saint Paul.

»» 94% of all spaces in the study area are off-street.

»» Almost all on-street parking is priced and has varied rates and time limits.

»» The majority of the off-street supply is privately-owned (65%).

»» Although the majority of the off-street supply is privately-owned, 86% of all off-street parking spaces are publicly- accessible. DOWNTOWN SAINT PAUL PARKING STUDY

N K

ittson St ce St Willius St John St Spru Fort Rd

Park St Broadway St Aurora Ave N Wabasha St E 14th St US Hwy 10 Aurora Ave N Pine St 9th St E E 5th St Lafayette Rd Central Park E 8th St E State Hwy 5 N Neill St Constitution Ave

Rice St N John St E 7th St I- 35 9th St E E 8th St I- 94 E 9th St US Hwy 12 Minnesota St I- 35 69 5 145 5 74 E 5th St John Ireland 3 US Hwy 10 E 13th St 32 7 7 10 5 9 6 E 9th St 6 5 69 Cedar St 60 7 8 30 11 E 4th St 11 9 US Hwy 52 8 8 2 25 US Hwy 12 40 7 11 N John St 5 23 Wall St 7 7 7 4 11 3 3 7 4 2 23 10 E 12th St E 11th St 10 88 John Ireland Blvd 636 8 199 8 4 E 10th St 5 3 St Anthony Ave 12th St W Wabasha St N 6 2 300 10 11 2 8 9 2 127 10 11 7 E Kellogg Blvd 4 10 10 3 I- 94 300 11 7th St E St Peter St 5 5 8 14 62 1030 2 225 8 73 6 6 9 18 5 4 US Hwy 527 15 100 8 4 171 2 11 11 N Lafayette Rd 410 78 8 6 9 15 6 3 N Broadway St 3 11 27 7 3 21 7th Pl E 7 100 900 7 62 8 50 10 6 3 2 9 11 3 2 12 44 30 8 125 4 1 12 2 7 Fort Rd 6 21 2 255 K 2 1 5 1 1 1 2 ellogg Blvd W 2 6 11 E 9th St 1 7 4 6 11 3 John Ireland Blvd 480 10 28 580 4 450 11 2 7th Pl E 4 524 900 7 1 33 8 4 W 10th St 2 9 7 4 9 7 E 6th St 1 4 1170 9 10 829 1 2 5 E 7th St 6 4 6 9 88 1 3 18 28 6 8 N Minnesota St 8 US Hwy 52 Kellogg BlvdMulberry St 2 34 8 10 14 942 E 5th St Co Hwy 36 18 11 120 7 11 498 6 Robert St N 33 6 64 2 158 14 10 7th Pl 78 6 W Summit Ave 4 3 Warner Rd 24 2 150 4 105 Old Kellogg Blvd 3 2 7 402 6 3 7 186 6 7 Mulberry St 11 348 Jackson St 70 16 26 2 589 4 4 910 Lafayette Brg 7 67 6 Shepard Rd 5 5 451 4 W 7th Pl St Peter St 7 8 468 E 4th St 13 College Ave W 46 770 19 136 11 5 W 6th St N Sibley St 7 5 2 2 603 10 3 12 4 11 6 7th St W 3 Co Hwy 37 Thompson Ave 1 6 249 10 1070 10 Chester St 8 6 594 5 Smith Ave N 8 3 9 Old 6th St W 145 11 960 290 6 7 W 5th St 7 5 780 2 6 6 6 9 2 260 400 6 Saint Paul Parking 6 235

13 4 6 6 240 285 20 12 2 1 11 260 Hourly Parking Rates E Alabama St 3457 2 E 2nd St 75 11 11 2 5 Thompson St 23 10 1 37 4 S State St 427 2 1 $0.50/ 10-Hr Meter 1 4 14 24 Eagle St 6 6 Lafayette Fwy 40 8 13 5 10 14 3 7 $1.00/ 10-Hr E MeterFillmore Ave N Smith Ave W Kellogg Blvd 75 5 60 River Park Plz E Lafayette Fron N Chestnut St 140 $1.50/ Half Hour MeterW Lafayette Frontage Rd 1657 810 65 N Walnut St Lafayette Fwy

EaglePkwy $1.75/ 2-Hr Meter 146 Co Hwy 37 Sherman St $1.75/ 4-Hr Meter Chestnut St Livingston Ave E Fillmore Ave $2.00/ 2-Hr Meter tage Rd Lafayette R Exchange St S Wabasha St S

Co Hwy 37 S State St Grand Ave Sherman St City Owned Lots/Ramps

Irvine Park Levee Rd Starkey St Shepard Rd W Non-City Owned Lots/Ramps d S N Walnut St RampS Eva St Harriet Isla W Forbes Ave Elm St E Fairfield Ave Robert St S Spring St S Livingston Ave

S LeechSt W Ryan Ave 0 500 1,000 Feet Plato Blvd Shepard Dr W

S S Wilkin St W Water St Co Hwy 40 McBoal St ill St M Data Source: City of Saint Paul, MN Parking Inventory & Regulations

PARKING NUMBER OF PUBLICLY RESTRICTED- CITY-OWNED NON-CITY LOCATION SPACES AVAILABLE USE/PRIVATE OWNED Off-Street 26,994 (94%) 23,346 (93%) 3,648 (100%) 9,507 (85%) 17,487 (100%) On-Street 1,644 (6%) 1,644 (7%) 0 (0%) 1,644 (15%) 0 (0%) Total 28,638 24,990 3,648 11,151 17,487

3 DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY DOWNTOWN SAINT PAUL PARKING STUDY

N e St Kittson St Willius St John St Spruc Fort Rd

WEEKDAYPark St MIDDAY PEAK Broadway St Aurora Ave N Wabasha St E 14th St US Hwy 10 Aurora Ave N Pine St 9th St E E 5th St Lafayette Rd Central Park E 8th St E State Hwy 5 N Neill St PARKING UTILIZATION Constitution Ave E 10th St Rice St N John St E 7th St I- 35 Olive St E 9th St Minnesota St I- 35 US Hwy 12 E 8th St US Hwy 10 E 5th St - WEEKDAY John Ireland I- 94 E 13th St N Sibley St Temperance St

Cedar St E 9th St

N Sibley St US Hwy 52 E 4th St »» Parking is never more N Broadway St N John St E 8th St

E 12th St US Hwy 12 John Ireland Blvd N Wacouta St St Anthony Ave 12th St W than 73% occupied, which 7th St E N MinnesotaE St10th St E Kellogg Blvd E 7th St Wall St I- 94 St Peter St E 9th St US Hwy 52 7th St E

means that 7,000 spaces are N Lafayette Rd E 11th St N Broadway St E 10th St 7th Pl E E Prince St Wabasha St N unoccupied at peak.* N Sibley St Ke Fort Rd llogg BlvdJohn W Ireland Blvd W 10th St E 5th St E 7th St 7th Pl E

Robert St N US Hwy 52 36 »»After 6pm, 18,000 Kellogg BlvdMulberry St Co Hwy W Exchange St Jackson St N Main St 7th Pl W Summit Ave Warner Rd St Peter St spaces go unused; Old Kellogg Blvd W 9th St St Joseph's Ln Mulberry St E 6th St Lafayette Brg Shepard Rd W 7th Pl most are off-street. College Ave W E 4th St

W 6th St N Market St 7th St W W 6th St Co Hwy 37 Thompson Ave

Chester St » Smith Ave N » Many garages in the area Old 6th St W W 5th St W 5th St

are over 80% full. N Washington St E Alabama St E 2nd St

Thompson St W 4th St Eagle St S State St

Lafayette Fwy N Chestnut St Saint Paul Parking »» Both City/HRA-owned and E Fillmore Ave N Smith Ave W Kellogg Blvd Occupied Vacant E Lafayet River Park PlzWeekday Midday W Lafayette Frontage Rd private ramps and lots have 100% Lafayette Fwy

EaglePkwy 6% - 60% N Walnut St 90% Co Hwy 37 7,036, 7,008 te Frontage Rd Sherman St 80% 61% - 80% Chestnut St Livingston Ave E Fillmore Ave similar utilization rates. Exchange St S 70% 18,334 81% - 90% 60% Lafa Wabasha St S

S State St Grand Ave Sherman St 50% 91% - 100% yette Rd S W Ryan Ave 40% Irvine Park Shepard Rd W 19,142 19,170Levee Rd Starkey St 101% + »» Monthly contract parking is 30% N Walnut St S Eva St 20% No Data Harriet Isla 7,845 W Forbes Ave 10% popular. A sample shows that Elm St E Fairfield Ave Robert St S Spring St 0% S Livingston Av S LeechSt W Ryan Ave 0 500 1,000 AM Midday PM Feet an average ramp has 56% Plato Blvd Shepard Dr W

S S Wilkin St W Water St Co Hwy 40 McBoal St ill St e monthly contract parkers, M Occupied Vacant Data Source: City of Saint Paul, MN 100% 90% Parking Utilization - Weekday Midday (Peak) 17% hourly/daily, and 27% *An unknown portion of the unoccupied supply is set80% aside for monthly contract parkers. Further information and 70% 17,022 16,878 unused. 60% 18,693 analysis to quantify this set aside is essential for future50%% parking planning. 40% 30% 20% 8,287 DOWNTOWN SAINT PAUL PARKING STUDY 10% 7,666 5,470

0% N e St Kittson St Willius St John St AMSpruc Midday PM Fort Rd

Park St Broadway St WEEKENDAurora Ave N Wabasha St PM PEAK E 14th St US Hwy 10 Aurora Ave N Pine St 9th St E E 5th St Lafayette Rd Central Park E 8th St E State Hwy 5 N Neill St Constitution Ave E 10th St PARKING UTILIZATION Rice St N John St E 7th St I- 35 Olive St E 9th St Minnesota St I- 35 US Hwy 12 E 8th St US Hwy 10 E 5th St John Ireland I- 94 - WEEKEND E 13th St N Sibley St Temperance St

Cedar St E 9th St

N Sibley St US Hwy 52 E 4th St

N Broadway St N John St »»Parking is 34% E 8th St E 12th St US Hwy 12 John Ireland Blvd N Wacouta St St Anthony Ave 12th St W 7th St E N MinnesotaE St10th St E Kellogg Blvd E 7th St Wall St occupied at the I- 94 E 9th St St Peter St US Hwy 52 7th St E

N Lafayette Rd

E 11th St N Broadway St busiest time, meaning E 10th St 7th Pl E E Prince St Wabasha St N Ke Fort Rd N Sibley St llogg BlvdJohn W Ireland Blvd more than 14,000 W 10th St E 5th St E 7th St 7th Pl E

Robert St N Occupied Vacant US Hwy 52 parking spaces are Kellogg BlvdMulberry St Co Hwy 36 W Exchange St 100% Jackson St N Main St 7th Pl 90% empty. W Summit Ave 7,036, 7,008 Warner Rd St Peter St Old Kellogg Blvd W 9th St St Joseph's Ln 80% Mulberry St 70%E 6th St Lafayette Brg 18,334 Shepard Rd W 7th Pl College Ave W 60% E 4th St »» Peak parking demand for 50% W 6th St N Market St 40% 7th St W W 6th St 19,142 19,170 Co Hwy 37 Thompson Ave 30% Chester St the weekend is in the evening: Smith Ave N 20% Old 6th St W 7,845 W 5th St W 5th St 10% on-street is nearly 80% full. 0% N Washington St

AM Midday PM E Alabama St E 2nd St

Thompson St W 4th St Eagle St S State St

Lafayette Fwy »» Off-street parking is never N Chestnut St Occupied Vacant Saint Paul Parking E Fillmore Ave N Smith Ave W Kellogg Blvd100%

River Park Plz E Lafayette Fronta 90% Weekend PM W Lafayette Frontage Rd more than about 30% full, 80% Lafayette Fwy

EaglePkwy 0% - 60% N Walnut St Co Hwy 37 70% Sherman St 17,022 16,878 61% - 80% regardless of the time of day. Chestnut St 60% 18,693 Livingston Ave E Fillmore Ave Exchange St S 50%% 81% - 90% ge Rd Lafayette Rd S 40% Wabasha St S S State St Grand Ave Sherman St 91% - 100% W Ryan Ave 30% »» On-street parking is busy, Irvine Park Shepard Rd W 20% Levee Rd Starkey St 101% + N Walnut St 7,666 8,287 S Eva St 10% 5,470 No Data Harriet Isla particularly in the evenings W Forbes Ave 0% Elm St E Fairfield Ave Robert St S Spring St AM Midday PM S Livingston Ave S LeechSt W Ryan Ave 0 500 1,000 when it is nearly 80% full. Feet Plato Blvd Shepard Dr W

S S Wilkin St W Water St Co Hwy 40 McBoal St ill St M Data Source: City of Saint Paul, MN Parking Utilization - Weekend PM (Peak)

4 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA PARKING MANAGEMENT Parkers behave in response to how parking is governed and managed: whether or not a sign is readable, what the regulation is, how parking is priced, when parking rules are MANAGEMENT & enforced, etc. GOVERNANCE Today in Saint Paul, the responsibility for parking is split among various departments and decision-making bodies within the City and via other partners. Parking policy-making, budget planning, regulation enforcement, ticketing processing, and collections are handled by a various entities, which often makes coordination difficult. There is no central department that manages or oversees all parking management activity, and without formal communication or an overall policy, decisions affecting parking and all the aspects it touches can be made without understanding the full impacts and consequences. The lack of a centralized management body may make the parking management system confusing from the user perspective, and it allows for inefficiencies in management.

Parking functions are divided among multiple departments: for example, on-street parking is managed by Public Works/Traffic, and off-street parking is managed by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). Meanwhile, the City Council sets on-street rates, while the HRA sets off-street rates and negotiates leases.

There is a legal distinction between the HRA and the City of Saint Paul. The HRA is a distinct public entity charged with undertaking housing, commercial, and business activities. The HRA has a separate bonding authority for development purposes. The HRA’s accounting and financial reporting requirements are separate from the City’s.

In terms of off-street parking management, the HRA manages its off-street facilities but contracts out operations on a facility-by-facility basis. The HRA sets the rates. For off-street parking management for privately-owned facilities, the HRA and City do not have authority to regulate private rates or operations/management. However, the City does have authority over the Zoning Code, which could impact the amount of parking that gets built and how it may be used.

Saint Paul Parking Management Organizational Chart

Zoning Operations/ Planning Private Sector Non-Profit Sector Policy Enforcement Transportation Management Planning Planning & Building Owners Housing & Police Department Saint Paul Smart Commission/ Economic & Managers Redevelopment Trips Board of Zoning HRA Parking Capitol River Development Association Authority Appeals Manager Council City Clerk Employer/workplace Synthesizes programs Approves regulatory Public Works Advisory Traffic Engineer neighborhood goals Chamber of changes, i.e. parking Commerce District Courts variances Ramp/Lot/ City Council TDM plan assistance Garage Owners Oversees Issues Tickets comprehensive plan Economic TDM plan compliance Sets on-street rates Integration with overall development and transportation system PW or SPPD neighborhood impacts Collects revenues Traffic Sets lease rates and Operations off-street rates

On-line ticket payment (Minnesota Judicial Branch) Daily operations & maintenance

NOTE: Not fully hierarchical

DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 5 ZONING & FUTURE GROWTH Saint Paul has already adopted a progressive approach to parking requirements in downtown, exempting all uses from minimum parking requirements. This is often ZONING appropriate in a downtown setting, where other transportation options exist, as well as opportunities to share parking among uses. The Zoning Code is designed to support many downtown Saint Paul goals, but there are additional opportunities for the Code to be used as a smart tool for responsible development. Key findings: »» Saint Paul has no minimum or maximum »» There are no requirements for unbun- parking requirements. dling the cost of parking from residential development. »» In downtown, there is still an opportunity to require shared parking when parking is »» There are no carshare or bikeshare provided. requirements.

»» The Zoning Code includes TDM and »» There are no regulations in downtown bicycle parking requirements, but they that prevent single-use parking structures could be stronger. or surface lots.

FUTURE GROWTH + 394 Spaces The City and project team + 1,007 identified and established Spaces six primary activity areas in downtown. These areas were + 140 + 701 identified based on their Spaces Spaces predominant character and + 896 the walking distance if one Spaces were to park and walk to the opposite end of the area. Based + 1,195 on these boundaries, the Spaces peak existing demand does not exceed the existing supply, even with a 10% buffer, for any of the activity areas. Today’s Parking Supply Based on Observed Demand Building off the existing conditions, the team used models to estimate the + 394 expected parking supply Spaces and demand when six + 1,007 development projects come Spaces online in downtown: Custom + 140 + 1,495 House, 7 Corners/Gateway, 7 Corners Hardware, Ramsey Spaces Spaces County West, Macy’s, + 799 and CHS Field (ballpark). This Spaces analysis shows that, although these developments will add + 2,093 new parking demand into Spaces the system, overall, there is parking supply to support the new parking demand.

Parking Supply Surplus Based on Expected Growth Land Use Model

6 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA PARKING CHALLENGES Parking constraints make attracting office tenants challenging. In some cases, prospective tenants expect to lease large blocks of parking that is nearby.

Existing residents are crowded out from parking spaces. Commercial, retail, and residential development is occurring, replacing as surface parking (and in some cases) increasing parking demand.

Neighborhood pressure may prevent some downtown growth. Developers are reluctant to invest due to neighborhood pressure to retain parking.

People go to on-street parking first. DOn-street parking is cheaper and easier to access. Therefore, it fills mup quicker, leading to short-term parking frustrations. .

Directional, information, and regulatory signage is confusing. It is hard for drivers to understand where (and where not) to park due to a variety of signage types.

Parking isn’t managed as a comprehensive system. On- and off-street cost, regulations, operations, and management are not coordinated, leading to user confusion and inconvenience.

Parking is frustrating when the system is perceived as “full.” DSometimes, parking facilities are signed as “full,” but there are unused spaces in ramps and lots that are “locked up” for monthly contract parking. Vacant spaces are not truly available to daily parkers.

Complete online parking information doesn’t exist. Online parking information is not intuitive, and is scattered among multiple websites in various formats.

Zoning requirements don’t fully support a livable downtown. For example, the Zoning Code permits stand-alone, single-use parking structures, which deaden the downtown environment.

7 DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY STRATEGIES

This section outlines parking strategies based on the findings from the parking supply and demand analysis, background review, build out analysis, and A PLAN FOR stakeholder meetings. Many of the specific strategies are interrelated and should be con- PARKING sidered in tandem. They include items not obviously parking-specific - such as pedestrian MANAGEMENT improvements - that have a important impact on behavior and parking in Saint Paul. Strategies are organized into seven categories and are ordered from highest to lowest impact. More detail on each strategy is included in Technical Memorandum #3.

8 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA 1. INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY 2. CITY PARKING MANAGEMENT Use Information and Technology to Create Smart Coordinate and Integrate City Parking Management Policies and Effectively Manage Parking With Overall Economic Development and Downtown Saint Paul would benefit from enhanced parking informa- Transportation Goals tion and integrated technology. The parking system can be more Parking is often managed by multiple departments and decision- efficiently utilized with web- and app- based platforms that provide making bodies. This makes parking difficult to consistently coordinate parking and transportation access options, consistent downtown among various groups. This is true in Saint Paul, where there is no wayfinding signage that identifies major parking locations, readable central staff person or department that spearheads or oversees and clear regulatory and rate signage on-street and at each off-street parking management in the context of larger City goals. This set of facility, and signage that links multiple modes of transportation. strategies identifies opportunities to integrate parking functions in the Supporting strategies include technology improvements that would short, medium, and long-terms. These strategies also recommend the integrate on- and off-street facilities to help with parker convenience City becomes more equipped to be responsive to parking supply and for both daily employees and the occasional visitor, including a single demand changes through data reporting. pay-by-cell payment system, real-time information for off-street facilities, and more. 2.1 Create a mobility authority that includes parking management and transportation demand management. 1.1 Have a centralized and integrated transportation website and app. 2.2 Require utilization reporting for City, HRA, and private lots and ramps. 1.2 Coordinate and contract with a single vendor for pay-by-cell for on- and off-street public parking facilities. 2.3 Allow City/parking management staff to have authority to change rates and time limits without Council or HRA 1.3 Incentivize private ramps/lots to also use the same pay-by- approval. cell vendor. 2.4 Agree on and document a single set of parking goals. 1.4 Coordinate real-time information for off-street public and private parking facilities and display via website and app. 2.5 Hold quarterly management meetings with key depart- Consider bulk purchase of real-time information signage for ments. facilities. 2.6 Train enforcement officers as downtown ambassadors. 1.5 Replace coin-operated meters with smart technology. 2.7 Provide educational parking information and resources on 1.6 Create branded downtown wayfinding signage program. parking citations.

1.7 Incentivize ramps to offer event parking, including free/ cheap at remote facilities.

7.8 Prioritize coin-operated meters to accept pay-by-cell.

1.9 Regulate information signage on all off-street facilities.

1.10 Install singage in skyway to identify multimodal access.

1.11 Integrate enforcement technology into payment technology.

1.12 Explore MnPass for off-street parking payment.

9 DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 3. ON-STREET PARKING 4. OFF-STREET PARKING Manage On-Street Parking Using a Market-Based Create Off-street Parking Policies in the Context of a Approach to Better Utilize Parking Supply Multimodal System Curbside parking is a highly-coveted resource in downtown Saint Some municipalities try to build their way out of a parking supply Paul, and parking utilization counts show little availability on-street. problem; others work to more efficiently manage the supply that In support of City goals of promoting local business and fostering a they have. As Saint Paul strives to be a more multimodal downtown strong economic climate downtown, the City should adopt several while attracting new employers, residents, and destinations, the City strategies to open up the areas that have the highest demand. The should create strong off-street parking policies that support its larger City can make a big impact in the perception - and realities - of the goals. One of the most challenging, but highest impact strategies is most congested parking areas by updating its approach to managing to require that monthly contract parking permit rates not have volume parking on-street. The opportunities range from setting goals and discounts, bringing the rate structure closer to hourly rates. adjusting pricing and time limits to achieve availability goals, phasing out placards, feasibility analysis to add more on-street parking supply, 4.1 Require monthly rates to be closer to daily and/or per hour creating a circulation and curbside management policy, and more. rates.

Adding more parking spaces on-street, whether using existing vehicu- 4.2 Increase parking availability in key areas in the evenings. lar right-of-way, angled parking, or other design, is a cost-effective 4.3 Create city “optimum occupancy” or availability goal for and quick strategy to substantially add to the parking supply without off-street. expensive construction. This type of effort should be considered, but engineering and traffic feasibility analysis will be needed. 4.4 Mandate rate structure closer to per hour rates. 4.5 Work with all lot and parking operators to disclose actual 3.1 Phase out placards. monthly lease rates.

3.2 Tie on-street pricing to first hour off-street rates. 4.6 Prioritize short-term parking on ground or skyway floor of ramps. 3.3 Create City “optimum occupancy” or availability goal for on-street parking. 4.7 Introduce a ramp rating system to incentivize green, improved lighting, and cosmetic facility improvements. 3.4 Adjust parking meter rates, time limits, and spans to achieve optimum occupancy.

3.5 Create a circulation plan and curbside management policy.

3.6 Explore the feasibility of adding off-peak on-street parking.

3.7 Establish event rates for on-street parking.

3.8 Monitor utilization data.

3.9 Pilot and evaluate progressive pricing.

3.10 Work with the state to update disabled parking laws.

3.11 Explore valet in select areas.

10 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA 5. ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION DEMAND 6. PLACEMAKING MANAGEMENT Invest in Placemaking to Support Downtown Growth Integrate Access and Transportation Demand Placemaking is about creating a public realm to maximize the Management to Become a Downtown with Attractive downtown’s activity, economy, and vibrancy. Placemaking works to Travel Options connect activities and spaces that connect to all types of people. This is inherently related to parking supply and demand: creating Parking is not just about parking: it is about getting from your car to great places to walk may reduce overall parking demand because your destination, about not driving when there are other transporta- drivers may be more likely to park a little farther than they would tion options, and about which parking lots are used based on easy have otherwise. Placemaking not only supports better utilization of and safe access. The City should use this detailed review of its park- the existing parking supply but also supports downtown’s economy ing supply and demand as a resource to impact travel to and from St. and activity.existing parking supply but also supports downtown’s Paul, particularly through transportation demand management (TDM) economy and activity. measures. Incentives and programs, for example free downtown transit and parking cash out, can have an impact on employee mode 6.1 Encourage an 18/7 downtown by incentivizing a mix of share and overall cost and parking implications for major employers daytime and evening uses. and developers. Even changing the behaviors of 5-10% of employees can have a profound impact on parking demand. 6.2 Invest in inviting walking environment (explore feasibility of adding on-street parking, minimize curb cuts, add activity on sidewalk level, re-time traffic signals, add pedestrian- 5.1 Introduce a commute management benefit to downtown scale signage, etc.) employers/ employees. 6.3 Prioritize investment at street-level along corridors such as 5.2 Explore conversion of one-way streets to two-way. 4thth Street and at Central Station.

5.3 Require employers to provide parking cash-out as an 6.4 Introduce parklets in select areas to boost street-level employee benefit. activity. 5.4 Parnter with City, County, and State to equalize commuter benefits for public employees.

5.5 Offer a free transit pass for downtown employees.

5.6 Incentivize remote vehicular and bike parking and shuttles with existing Metro Transit service.

5.7 Open up skyways at nights and on weekends.

5.8 Support a “park-once” district; use fewer parking spaces.

5.9 Create mobility hubs at Union Depot and Central Station.

5.10 Promote Metro Transit real-time information.

5.11 Monitor bike parking demand and identify where parking rack changes are needed.

11 DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY SHORT-TERM AND HIGH IMPACT STRATEGIES 7. PARKING-RELATED ZONING CODE Update the Parking-Related Zoning Code to Support Below are the strategies that are identified as being able to be implemented in the short-term that are also high impact, mean- Responsible Economic Development ing that they have the potential to have a substantial effect on The City can strategically use its zoning code to help shape a modern parking in downtown Saint Paul. After each of these strategies is parking system that matches the City’s increasingly dynamic down- a performance metric, so the City and its partners can measure town. The City has the authority, through its zoning code, to shape implementation progress. new development in downtown. These zoning recommendations 1.1 Have a centralized and integrated transportation website and would impact both design and policy, and they build off the already app. (METRIC: Have at least 12 major destinations link to site; progressive approach to parking requirements that exists today. have at least 5,000 app downloads)

7.1 Strengthen TDM ordinance by applying a simple, annual 1.2 Coordinate and contract with a single vendor for pay-by-cell regulation to employers (not developers.) for on- and off-street public parking facilities. (METRIC: Have all HRA/City ramps and all metered parking accept pay by cell) 7.2 Prohibit new free-standing single-use parking structures 1.3 Incentivize private ramps/lots to also use the same pay-by- (ramps must be wrapped with active uses and/or have cell vendor. (METRIC: Have at least five ramps sign on) active ground floor uses. 1.4 Coordinate real-time information for off-street public and 7.3 Prohibit surface lots, or charge a surcharge/tax for provid- private parking facilities and display via website and app. Consider ing surface parking. bulk purchase of real-time information signage for facilities. (METRIC: Have at least ten private ramps sign on) 7.4 Introduce a progressive in-lieu fee. 2.2 Require utilization reporting for City, HRA, and private lots and 7.5 Introduce parking maximums (and lower maximums within ramps. (METRIC: Regularly receive 70% reporting rate) ¼ mile of transit stations.) 2.4 Agree on and document a single set of parking goals. (METRIC: 7.6 Require unbundling of residential parking from units. Document and adopt goals.)

7.7 Require shared use parking. 3.1 Phase out placards. (METRIC: Document locations and prevalence of card use) 7.8 Establish design standards that encourage better ramp design, tailored to neighborhood context. 3.3 Create City “optimum occupancy” or availability goal for on-street parking. (METRIC: Document and adopt goals) 7.9 Monitor parking impacts of new development projects. 3.4 Adjust parking meter rates, time limits, and spans to achieve optimum occupancy. (METRIC: Adjust time span and enforcement 7.10 Require car share and bike share stations, based on size of hours) development. 3.7 Establish event rates for on-street parking. (METRIC: Pilot 7.11 Require bicycle parking tied to size of development. event rates near major destinations) 4.3 Create city “optimum occupancy” or availability goal for off-street. (METRIC: Document and adopt goal) 6.1 Encourage an 18/7 downtown by incentivizing a mix of daytime and evening uses. (METRIC: Five off-peak businesses open or extend hours) 6.3 Prioritize investment at street-level along key corridors. (METRIC: Pilot and evaluate business activity on 4th Street) 7.2 Prohibit new free-standing single-use parking structures. (ramps must be wrapped with active uses and/or have active ground floor uses (METRIC: Adopt code)

12 SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA