[MissoulaGov] Parking Meters & the Big Downtown Economic Picture

[Scott Sproull]

Hello MissoulaGov Folks,

This is my first 'gov' post since signing up for this great service provided
by Bob Jaffe, and the various thoughtful contributors since a year ago.
Mine is not a short post (in fact it is very long and detailed), but I hope
it is also interesting, educational and thought-provoking (to those who can
actually get through this kind of boring parking stuff  :)


Having been a very active Downtown Resident, Retailer (Hide & Sole) and
Supporter for over 37 years, and having attended numerous parking commission
meetings for almost 30 of those years, and having attended the majority of
the parking commission meetings since the conception of the Downtown Mater
Plan, and having been President of the Msla Downtown Association (1986), I
think I've learned a few things from a variety of personal and professional
sources, and other communities, about how parking issues really do have a
HUGE affect on the the viability and vitality of a Downtown.  I stayed
involved with parking issues because they have the never-ending potential
to either enhance or harm my business and the Downtown.

Time to get to the meat of this 'meter' subject and maybe (?) dispel a few
common long-time myths about parking!


*QUESTION #1:* Are parking meters the only way to keep Downtown Employers,
Employees, Residents and Loitering Visitors from hogging all of the parking
spaces that Downtown Businesses, Services, Parks & Events need for their
(mostly) motorized customers?

*ANSWER #1:*  30 minute, 1-hour or 2-hour parking limit signs (which we
already have in our Downtown) will do just as good a job, are more
customer-friendly, are more weather-proof, and are far more simple than any
mechanical or electronic meter.   These parking time-limit signs are usually
placed with great care in low-demand, or customer-friendly, or
quick-trip parking areas.

Yes, it's sad to say that the multi-meter machines at Caras Park and Bank
Street Lot have had numerous failures and down time that has cost the
Missoula Parking Commission (MPC - who get their funding from parking fines
and fees) extra time, labor and (both investment & income) money.  But these
problems also made a lot of smart 'parking watchers' very happy on the days
that they didn't have to pay their hourly parking fees to a broken machine
 :)    I'd love to hear more about the University machines... pro & con via
this blog or personally at:  scottsproull at gmail.com

[A bit of Philosophy]  As in so many aspects of our lives, there are hidden
and powerful forces that, like sleight-of-hand magicians, find it is in
their best (often myopic financial) interest to keep our eyes, ears,
thoughts and concerns most focused on the one (seemingly obvious) hand,
and not so much on the other (often hidden) hand of optional
and creative possibilities.  Politicians understand this, Corporate Powers
understand this, Governments understand this, and so do people trying really
hard to maximize their situation.  Some say this is just the natural order
of things.  Many say... "just follow the money".  (see answer #2 for more)


Dennis Burns, the very experienced and knowledgeable Downtown Master Plan
Parking Consultant, who provided Missoulian's with three very thick and
enlightening (and very boring to most) parking studies and
suggestions, wrote about this conflict-of-parking-priorities between people,
businesses and government this way:

A) "Best in Class [parking] operations have adopted the philosophy of being
*customer focused not revenue or violator focused*"

B) "Successful parking programs understand that their *larger purpose is to*
*support the downtown and the businesses that create and sustain downtown
vitality*"

C) "The development or periodic reassessment of the parking system
vision/mission statement *should be an open and inclusive process involving
a wide range of downtown stakeholders."
*

NEEDLESS TO SAY... I LIKE THIS GUY AND HIS PRO-DOWNTOWN BUSINESS,
STAKEHOLDER & VITALITY APPROACH - YES?   :)


* This might be a good place to mention that data provided by a city council
person shows that 90% of those who get a parking ticket in Missoula's
Downtown, only get one parking ticket every three months (4 per year), while
just a few really do get over 100 tickets (very little current financial
disincentives in place to stop this - new tiered fine structure needed
soon!).  I don't know about you, but I don't think we should call the 90% of
our parking ticket recipient's who get one parking ticket every 90 days
'parking abusers', and I believe that I speak for many when I say that my
friends and I sometimes get a parking ticket while 'trying to beat the meter
maid system' while running about for a coffee or chai, or (more related to
this blog group maybe)... we get a ticket when attending a Downtown Related
Issues Meeting, that lasted longer than we expected... know what I mean  :)


** Dennis Burns, the MPC, the Downtown Association and the City Council all
know about this updated 'tiered' parking fine structure approach (that is
recommend by Dennis in his Parking Master Plan) and that will obviously
'modify' and reduce the parking abuse behavior of those who get 10, 20, 40,
80 or more parking tickets a year (with much higher per-ticket fine of $25
each, rather than a single parking ticket fine of $2, second ticket fine of
$5, third ticket fine of $10, fourth ticket fine of $15, fifth ticket fine
of $20 and everything over five ticket fine of $25 - or something close to
that type of tier structure).


*** Many of us long-term Downtown Business people have spent 20 - 30
years educating new parking stakeholders on why raising revenue via
increased parking meter fees and fines is not necessary, raises very little
extra money, and is so very detrimental to our business customers and
clients interest, attraction and desire to support Downtown Businesses,
Services and Events.   The typical parking commission can usually make a
ton more money via dozens of other streams-of-income, especially by charging
a much higher and more appropriate parking fee to those who bring motorized
vehicles to work in our Downtown, and in reality, have been paying far too
low and far too subsidized of a monthly leased parking fee for far too long
(though the MPC understands this and has been raising this monthly lease fee
for a number of years).  More about the leased fees below.


**** Many say that the price of a parking ticket in our Downtown hasn't
risen in over 20 years, but the price of milk, bread, homes and gas has
risen a lot (maybe not after inflation?), so what's the logic of keeping the
first parking ticket so low?  The logic is pretty basic Downtown Business
101... the FREE (to the customer) price of parking at any competitive
business location OUTSIDE of the the Downtown has never gone up (still
FREE), and is not expected to go up in the foreseeable future (I suspect it
will be FREE until Hell freezes over - or Glacial Lake Missoula returns).

The Downtown is NOT the #1 preferred shopping and services district in the
City of Missoula by the majority of residents.  We have tough, tough, tough
competition all over the city, and ESPECIALLY NOW, all over the Internet,
and we try to do our best to WOW enough 'special' customers with our unique
products and extra personal services to create a viable and profitable
business niche and Downtown.  It works for a lot of us (but is often
brutal to many others who don't figure it all out soon enough).

There are so many under-tapped MPC streams-of-revenue, that increasing
customer parking ticket fines should not even come up in a Downtown
Big-Picture Economic Development Discussion.  Dennis Burns very first
parking fine proposal actually promoted the concept that the very first
customer parking ticket should be a FREEBIE... called an OOPS Pass (used in
Colorado).  He felt, from a Downtown Economic Marketing point of view, that
the average customer would be thrilled to get a FREE OOPS Pass, and would
probably spread the word faster, to more current and potential
customers, than any advertising budget and plan could.  I know that there
are 'forces' who do not know, or want to understand the huge benefit and
positive Downtown power of a FREE OOPS Pass... instead of our customer
getting a $2 parking ticket and a slap on the wrist.



*QUESTION #2:*  Is it really the meters and/or parking time-limit signs 'in
and of themselves' that keep opportunistic parking loiterers and abusers
from overstaying their time at a parking space, as well as creating
motorized-vehicle turnover?

* Assuming that 'turnover' of a parking space is 'usually' more economically
beneficial to a Downtown if eight different people get a chance to park
at one specific spot throughout each day and spend money in our Downtown
from eight different wallets... as compared to the one person who takes up
the parking space all day long and makes Downtown purchases from only one
wallet... (unless of course, that one person who parks in a space all-day
long actually spends more time contributing to the vitality and economics of
our Downtown).  Not much is ever black and white... Good Food for Thought.

*ANSWER #2:*  The parking meters and signs would have no affect on parking
space abuse and motorized vehicle turnover if it were not for the 50+
years of perceived THREAT (and real threat) of getting hands slapped,
wallets emptied, and motorized vehicles booted (immobilized until excess
past parking fines are paid up) by very 'purposely visible', super-nice,
hard-working Parking Enforcement Officers (PEO's), whom, quite honestly, I
and many others in our Downtown feel we all should be extra thankful for
because, regardless of meter or sign (or leased lot), the PEO's are our
on-the-ground and in front of the customer hero's, and are there to protect
and keep our (badly needed) limited parking spaces clear of opportunistic
parking abusers.  PEO's can be (and often are) fantastic Downtown
Ambassadors & Community Resources as well!  I for one want MORE PEO's... but
that's a logic discussion for another day.

*SUMMARY OF #1 & #2:*  Meters and Signs in and of themselves do not have the
power to manage parkers and/or parking abusers without enforcement.  The
Parking Enforcement Officers (PEO's), Rules, Laws and Infrastructure provide
the real incentive to park appropriately!  The parking enforcement options
for any part of our Downtown, including North Higgins, are not limited to
Parking Meters alone, or a Consolidated Meter Kiosk ONLY.  Simple Signs with
printed time limits are always an option (but usually reserved and
recommended for much lower priority parking locations other than the
high-demand Higgins Avenue area).  I would very much encourage citizens (and
the powers that be) to open our minds to other very creative options and
choices for North Higgins and other locations in the Downtown as well.


I feel that Jason Wiener was on much-higher thinking plain when he recently
wrote his blog comments (shown in blue color) and on which I  took the
liberty to elaborate on for educational purposes (in green color):


"When we look at parking policy downtown next year, we should be concerned
to *set up incentives with pricing of meters* (we need to create many more
options and opportunities for staying Downtown to attend events, wander,
eat, shop and play, far beyond the current
two-hour, anti-stay-and-enjoy Downtown parking meter limit.  So, expand the
time and hours that people can stay and enjoy our Downtown from a current
limit two-hours per meter, to 4, 6 & 8 hours... by having the parker pay a
higher and higher hourly meter fee (every two-hour block) for the
'super-convenience' of staying at one parking spot longer or all day, and
discouraging parking 'abusers' by charging up to $10 a day for all-day meter
parking convenience - $210 a month), *and leased spaces* (where those who
feel they 'NEED' to bring their dangerous [to bikers and walkers],
most-often inefficient, noisy and polluting vehicles to the Downtown, should
be paying a much-higher and TRUE cradle-to-grave, or
cradle-to-cradle cost to help finance and maintain our cities roads,
infrastructure and parking in our limited Downtown parking lots) *as well as
fines that encourage the uses we have just committed to in the downtown
master plan* (a Dennis Burns recommended a 'Tiered' fine structure that is
low-cost for Downtown supportive customers and people who get four or less
parking tickets a year... and high-cost for people who get 6, 20, 40 or more
parking tickets a year). **

**

*Parking is not a free resource* (it can easily appear free to the local
masses of motorized shoppers and customers who pay the same or lower cost
for the exact same Downtown goods, when shopping at Southgate Mall, North
Reserve, Walmart or Costco. How can these competing stores be at the same or
lower price, and still offer FREE PARKING???  Shopping Malls, Shopping
Centers and Box Stores have long discovered that the a FREE Parking Surface
Lot and it's perceived convenience will attract a much higher VOLUME of
shoppers and buyers, whose higher volume of spending will more than pay for
the (Retailers) extra cost of FREE parking.



Parking Meters do not exist in Missoula outside of the Downtown.  Downtown
stores (must) survive on much smaller, very unique, 'niche' products and
'personal' services).  The more unique, viable and 'niche' businesses the
Downtown attracts, the better ALL (or most) of the Downtown businesses will
be, *but we might want it to be free for some users*; (I suspect the
customers have the highest priority for some FREE parking in our Downtown -
yes?) *we might want other users to pay the full cost of supplying the
parking **(*those employers & employees who would prefer bringing their
motorized vehicles to our Downtown rather than find a way to use an
alternative method of transportation). "



*"Those are policy decisions that will shape user behavior, from whether to
stop at a downtown store* (please don't get my 1 - 4 parking ticket a year
customer angry about the Downtown and my Store) *to whether to take the bus
to work* (please DO put into place motorized disincentives so that my
employees and I will prefer to pursue alternative forms of transportation).
*We have preferences clearly expressed in the downtown plan and in other
policy documents on those things. We should be looking at parking technology
as a means to achieving those goals* (WELL SAID!!!)."

*"Mechanical coin-driven parking meters might not be a technology that
allows all that. Maybe they'll do it just fine.* (I suspect most of us will
want, and/or our customers will want, to have convenient options for paying
the hourly meter fees for any future MPC installed parking meter device,
whether solar-run, and/or a solar-wind-electric charger combination :)   *When
we have the discussion, I hope the bigger picture about how to manage the
circulation system downtown informs our decisions* (Thank You, Thank You,
Thank You Jason Wiener For Your Well Thought Out Questions, Observations and
Suggestions!!!)."

One more question from a 'gov' blogger answered below:


Re: Electronic and/or Multi-Meter Kiosk's



"But where exactly does the extra money come in?"



Good (hard to figure out with limited background information) Question!



I hope that I am answering your specific question, but if not, the answer
will still be enlightening!


For good or for bad (I'm thinking 'relatively' good), many of the 'newer'
electronic parking meters and kiosks reset any 'excess' parking minutes back
to zero once the meter or machine 'senses' that the paid vehicle has left
the parking spot (using sensors).  There is a good chance that future
Downtown visitors will not find any 'excess' parking minutes on any
'electronic' meters.  Thus, all new parkers must pay for all of the
minutes that they think they need (with no extra minutes from a previous
parker).  These newer 'creative' electronic meters are said to bring in more
revenue and income for parking commissions.  It's all relative right?  Maybe
some of us prefer this small 'meter revenue enhancer w/sensor
device' to dealing with other more painful choices like
increasing meter fees and meter fines beyond our customer's tolerance.



The MPC will continue to need increased revenue for many years to come to
provide future "Best of Class" parking programs and 'alternatives to
parking' programs, which others have already pointed out the MPC is involved
with as a financial and non-financial partner with many local 'alternative
transportation' groups.  I hope the 'needed revenue' will come from
'high-demand, employer/employee parking users'.



I hope someone out there found this parking information helpful, interesting
or enlightening.



I look forward to anyone's comments, suggestions and elaborations!



Scott Sproull

Hide & Sole
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