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RESOLUTION R-1819-60: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA ADOPTING THE PARKING STRATEGIC PLAN FINAL REPORT DATED DECEMBER 2018; AND APPOINTING TWO COUNCILMEMBERS TO SERVE AS LIAISONS, ALONG WITH A CLEVELAND COUNTY COMMISSIONER, TO A WORKING GROUP FOCUSED ON CREATION OF THE PARKING GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN AND RELATED AGREEMENTS.
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BACKGROUND: On January 28, 2003, City Council approved Contract K-0203-100 with Carter & Burgess, Inc. to provide engineering services for a comprehensive Downtown/Campus Corner Parking Study that evaluated parking supplies, parking demands (both existing and future), parking alternatives, and financial considerations. The study was completed in December of 2003 and included a recommendation to develop a new, public parking lot on Gray Street, which was constructed by the City of Norman and opened to the public in January 2007.
On November 13, 2012, City Council approved Contract K-1213-86 with Freese & Nichols for the development of the City’s first Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). The contract provided a framework for the development and implementation of an efficient and comprehensive transportation system within Norman and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. The plan was completed in the early spring of 2014 and was adopted by City Council on May 13, 2014. There are specific Action Items within the CTP dealing with the management of high demand on-street parking as well as with the creation of a Parking Management District for the Downtown and Campus Corner areas.
Prior to establishing a Parking Management District or Authority, the City Council and the Norman Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) determined that the original 2003 Norman Parking Study, completed by Carter & Burgess, Inc., should be updated. Doing so was anticipated to provide a more accurate framework for the establishment of a future Parking Management District.
On June 23, 2015, City Council approved contract K-1415-145 with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., to update the 2003 Parking Study of the Downtown and Campus Corner Areas. The $170,000 study was funded by the City of Norman ($120,000), Cleveland County ($40,000), the Norman Downtowners Association ($5,000) and the Campus Corner Merchants Association ($5,000).
On March 24, 2016, EDAB recommended that the 2016 Parking Study Update be accepted by the Norman City Council.
On May 16, 2016, the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners accepted the 2016 Parking Study Update, which included a recommendation to build a parking structure on the County-owned property directly north of the Courthouse.
On July 19, 2016, City Council met in Study Session and was presented with an overview of the study and a summary of its recommendations, and requested that formal acceptance of the study be scheduled by staff.
On August 9, 2016, City Council adopted Resolution R-1617-15 accepting the 2016 Downtown and Campus Corner Parking Study and its recommendation.
The 2016 Parking Study was not designed to provide a detailed analysis of the structure, governance or finances of a potential multi-jurisdictional parking authority. The City Legal Department was providing that information to EDAB in 2016 when Cleveland County officials indicated a desire for a third-party, independent study of a Parking Authority that will involve the City of Norman, Cleveland County and perhaps the University of Oklahoma. Cleveland County officials solicited the assistance of ADG, PC and Kimley-Horn and Associates to provide these services.
Cleveland County entered into the Cleveland County Parking Authority Study Consulting Agreement with ADG, PC and Kimley Horn and Associates on November 14, 2016 Cleveland County requested the City of Norman’s participation with the funding of a portion of the cost ($33,000) as an amendment to the previously referenced contract. The study was to continue the stakeholder engagement process and further explore the organizational structure of a multi-jurisdictional parking authority. Contract K-1617-140 was developed for this purpose and was approved by the Norman City Council on June 27, 2017.
On December 4, 2018, City Council met in Study Session to review the draft of the final report presented by Kimley Horn and directed staff to prepare a resolution for its formal acceptance.
DISCUSSION: The plan has a strong focus on program organizational options as well as identifying both short and long-term goals for the development of a forward-thinking and holistically-managed public parking system that will support the County and City’s larger economic and community development goals, today and in the future.
The primary goal of the plan is to provide guidance for decision makers on topics such as governance, technology, enforcement, as well as planning and parking asset development and management. Specific objectives include providing strategies and tools to:
• Identify governance and management structures that will work best for Cleveland County and the City of Norman and will contribute to the successful implementation of other recommendations
• Improve parking management and the public perceptions of downtown parking
• Position parking as a contributor to continued downtown redevelopment and economic expansion
• Provide recommendations on establishing positive and proactive customer service
• Explore the range of parking management strategies that can be used by County and City staff to encourage on-street parking turnover and promote increased downtown vitality without unduly penalizing infrequent violators
• Identify technologies that can improve customer services and convenience, while also controlling operating costs
• Position parking management within the larger “access management” context in a way that promotes a balanced system of parking and transportation alternatives.
• Understand the opportunities, challenges and potential synergies between the County/City and the University of Oklahoma (OU) parking and transportation programs.
The plan identified the following nine key elements as critical in the development of Norman’s emerging parking:
1. A sense of purpose and direction relative to parking and transportation policy - This strategic plan should provide that missing element.
2. A strong and capable program leader - The recruitment and hiring of a new parking manager is seen as a vital initial step to creating an effective and sustainable parking management program.
3. Establish parking as a separate fund and dedicate all parking related revenue streams to support the fund. This recommendation is made with a goal of creating a program that can potentially be self-funding in the long-term.
4. A strong customer service orientation - One of the key leadership elements that needs to be infused into the program from the beginning is a strong customer service focus. This applies not only to staff training but also to facilities maintenance and investments in new technologies. Parking can play a key role in improving the perception and the experience of downtown overall. Collaboration and partnerships between the County and the City as well as other key groups such as the Norman Downtowners Association and the Campus Corner Merchant’s Association, etc. will be an important component of this initiative.
5. A focus on “mastering the fundamentals” of parking management - While related to the training and staff development element, this focus area is really about gaining an in-depth understanding of the many complex and challenging aspects that are somewhat unique to parking. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of this report introduces a recommended parking management framework built around the 20 specific program categories in Kimley Horn’s “20 Characteristics of Effective Parking Management Programs” approach (see Appendix #1). This document provides a framework that can form the basis for a comprehensive and strategic program development approach.
6. Investment in new technology - Leveraging new technology will be a critical element in achieving many of the stated goals of this project including:
a. Enhanced customer friendly programs and services
b. Improved operational efficiency
c. Enhanced system financial performance
d. Improved system management and planning
7. Development of a strong parking maintenance program with regularly scheduled facility condition appraisals, the creation of parking facility maintenance reserves and an effective facilities maintenance program are essential to creating a positive image of the parking program and downtown overall.
8. Development of an on-going and collaborative relationship with the University of Oklahoma (OU) and other local higher education organizations to enhance residential parking permit programs and improve neighborhood parking enforcement.
9. Over time, expand the parking program’s mission to adopt a broader more “mobility management” oriented perspective. Also work closely with County/City Planning to address parking requirements (zoning code) and ADA parking placard abuse reforms.
Chapter 5 of the final report also contains an extensive section on parking program operational methodologies and successful organizational models and recommends the adoption of a “hybrid” of several of the organizational models while addressing several key factors that are specific to the current and future conditions in Cleveland County and the City of Norman. This preferred organizational option merges two organizational models:
• The Professional Services/Out-Sourced Management Model
• The Parking District/Commission Model
Chapter 7 includes recommended primary action items. This section is essentially the report’s prioritized Implementation Plan. Below is a summary listing of these key recommendations:
Primary Action Item #1: Adopt new program vision and mission statements and recommended parking program guiding principles. Adopt the preferred parking management organizational framework. Hire a parking management professional and begin prioritizing and implementing parking management best practices.
Primary Action Item #2: Engage a private parking management firm and develop operational policies and procedures. Begin a process to evaluate investment in new on-street and off-street parking technology.
Primary Action Item #3: Leverage parking as a community and economic development strategy and develop a comprehensive parking planning function.
Primary Action Item #4: Develop a proactive facility maintenance program including regular facility condition appraisals, prioritized facility rehabilitation plans and the creation of parking facility maintenance reserves
Primary Action Item #5: Develop a new parking program brand and marketing program including significant on-going community outreach strategies.
Primary Action Item #6: Invest in training and staff development with a goal of mastering the fundamentals of parking system management and operations
Primary Action Item #7: Develop a detailed facility opening / operational plan for the planned County garage.
Primary Action Item #8: Critically assess the current parking enforcement program using the tools provided. Invest in mobile license plate recognition technology.
Primary Action Item #9: Establish the parking program as a separate fund and combine all parking related revenue streams into this fund.
Primary Action Item #10: Expand the scope of the parking program over time to be more supportive of alternative modes of transportation and embrace more of a “mobility management philosophy”.
Lastly, in order to advance the strategic parking plan and governance structure, both the City and the County will need to explore how to develop a mutually acceptable and beneficial agreement with direct input from elected officials from both bodies as well as their staffs. During the December 4, 2018 Study Session, Council indicated a desire to appoint two of its members to a working group with a representative of Cleveland County and their staffs to begin efforts toward implementation. Councilmembers Hickman and Clark agreed to serve on such working group.
Resolution R-1819-60 adopts the Parking Strategic Plan Final Report dated December 2018 and formally appoints Councilmembers Hickman and Clark to a working group focused on implementation of the parking Plan.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Resolution R-1819-60, adopting the Parking Strategic Plan Final report dated December 2018 with recommendations for a Parking Management Governance Structure.