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