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Home My WebLink About07-30-20 Public Comment - Interneighborhood Council - Concerns about Ordinance 2033 Downtown Parking District and Parking Benefit Zones - 2nd readingFrom:KPowell & S Griswold To:Agenda; Jeff Mihelich Subject:Concerns about Ordinance 2033 Downtown Parking District and Parking Benefit Zones - 2nd reading Date:Thursday, July 30, 2020 1:23:43 PM Attachments:7-28-20 INC Recs PBenefit Zone to City Comm .docx To Mayor Chris Mehl, Deputy Mayor Cyndy Andrus, Commissioners I-Ho Pomeroy, TerryCunningham and Michael Wallner Jeff Mihelich, Bozeman City ManagerFrom: Inter-neighborhood Council INC) Communication is at the top of the City’s Strategic Plan and the City is clearly " walking-the-talk” of its strategic plan as it communicates information about the COVID-19 pandemic to Bozeman. Communication also needs to be in the forefront as the City Commission conducts the 2ndreading of Ordinance 2033, the Proposed Downtown Parking District and Parking Benefit Zones. (PBZone)The Inter-neighborhood Council (INC) has several concerns and comments relating to communication and "walking-the-talk” regarding any PBZone in neighborhoods downtown. During the 2nd reading of Ordinance 2033, the CIty Commission needs to:Direct the Parking Commission and Parking Services to better communicate and workout affordable parking permits in PBZones for: 1. Small businesses, especially if not owner occupied, who need parking permit flexibility2. Residents in older apartment buildings that have little or no on-site parking The City also needs to: Direct the Parking Commission and Parking Services to develop procedures in aPBZone that states how the following will be managed: handicapped resident parkingcommunity events school volunteers or parents Two items that need to be added to PBZone procedures: 1. Include that 60% of residents can sign a petition to initiate creation, modification or dissolution of a PBZone2. Definition of 85% occupancy (currently it is confusing). The attached letter presents more detail about INC’s concerns and includes commentsabout parts of the Ordinance that INC continues to support. Please review the "attached letter”. INC encourages the City Commission to ensure that communication and action address these concerns in PBZone Ordinance and procedures. Thank you for your consideration. Jennifer Rockne, INC ChairKathy Powell, Vice Chair Bob Wall, Secretary July 28, 2020 To: Bozeman City Commission Chris Mehl, Bozeman Mayor Cyndy Andrus, Deputy Mayor City Commissioners Terry Cunningham, I-Ho Pomeroy and Michael Wallner Jeff Milhelich, City Manager Brit Fontenot, City Economic Development Director Bozeman Parking Commission Ed Meece, City Parking Program Manager From: Inter Neighborhood Council (INC) RE: INC recommendations - 2nd Reading of Ordinance 2033 - Proposed Parking Benefit Zone As the City Commission conducts the 2nd reading of Ordinance 2033 for the Downtown Parking Management District and Parking Benefit Zones (PBZone), the Inter Neighborhood Council recommends the City Commission direct the Parking Commission to: • Ensure that parking needs of small businesses within any Parking Benefit Zone are addressed. This could be done by including Special Provisions in the Ordinance or in procedures created by the Parking Commission that allow for parking permit flexibility for small businesses such as Bed and Breakfasts, counselor/ therapists, etc. This is especially needed if the business owner does not live on-site. Under the current proposed Ordinance, these small businesses would only be allowed to purchase commuter parking permits, provided they are available. One approach could be to determine what small businesses are in any proposed Parking Benefit Zone, meet with them to discuss their parking needs, and allow them to purchase a certain number of resident and visitor parking permits. • Ensure that parking needs for residents in older apartment buildings built with little or no on-site parking are addressed. Residents with vehicles in the Blackmore, the HRDC residential building at Babcock and Tracy, the Evergreen and other older buildings primarily park on the street. The proposed Ordinance would only allow them to purchase commuter on-street permits or use time-limited parking. Some of these residents have limited incomes making it difficult to pay for commuter permits (which are limited in number and more expensive). Each dwelling unit in apartment buildings built before the city required on-site parking (a specific year?) should be eligible to purchase the allowed number of resident and possibly visitor parking permits in a Parking Benefit Zone. • Include Special Provisions in PBZone procedures for: o Handicapped resident parking by their residence o Community Events at Emerson Art and Cultural Center, Willson School and Bogert Farmer’s Market o School volunteers or parents that find no available on-site parking • Include in PBZone procedures: o That 60% of residents can sign a petition to initiate creation, modification or dissolution of a PBZone o Definition of 85% occupancy 2 • INC supports the Protest Option amendment added in the 1st reading of the Ordinance on March 3, 2020. This gives property owners and physical residences a way to object to the creation, modification or dissolution of a PBZone. When 60% or more of the total number of properties sign a petition objecting to the Parking Commission’s “resolution of intent”, it gives residents a way to say “No Thank You”. The Parking Commission could not then propose to act on the “resolution of intent” for 6 months. This would allow time to negotiate with property owners and residents about a PBZone changes or withdraw the “resolution of intent” all together. Increasing the number of days before a public hearing to mail a public meeting notice from 15 to 30 days gives residents more time to evaluate the “resolution of intent”. • INC continues to support: o High Density Residential Buildings (HDRB) not be eligible for resident or visitor parking permits if the HDRB is within a Parking Benefit Zone. o Number of resident parking permits available for purchase to be 2 per residence o Need for data and details to justify creating any PBZone o Working to create other tools NOW to reduce demand for on-street parking around downtown.  Circular bus route from fairgrounds for downtown employees  Park and Ride at edges of Bozeman in conjunction with available parking lots  Additional Streamline bus routes around the city going to downtown  Shared parking with business lots  Main Street changing to 3 lanes with angle parking  More bike lanes Making wise decisions for Ordinance 2033 can help protect neighborhood quality of life, recognize parking needs of small businesses and keep downtown vibrant. Thank you for your consideration of these recommendations. Inter-neighborhood Council Jennifer Rockne, Chair South Central Assoc of Neighbors (SCAN) Kathy Powell, Vice Chair University Neighbors Assoc. (UNA) Bob Wall, Secretary South East Neighborhood Assoc (SENA) Linda Semones/Alison Udall Bogert Park Neighborhood Assoc (BPNA) Cynthia Evans Bozeman Creek Neighborhood Assoc. (BCNA) David Steinmuller Knolls Neighborhood Assoc (KNA) Laurie McKinney MarWyn Lindley Neighborhood Assoc (MarLin) Suzanne Held Northeast Neighborhood Assoc (NENA) Joe Genovese New Hyalite View (NHVN) Members of INC Parking Working Group Linda Semones ( Paul House (NENA) Jon Wirth, Doug Clingner and Brandon Whitehead (SCAN) Susan Hinkins & Kathy Powell (UNA)