[MissoulaGov] Parking Kiosks

Fri Dec 18 10:09:20 MST 2009

It all sounds so practical, but I hate it -- i.e. parking structures --
 even though I've gradually learned to love (well, not exactly, but USE) the
St. Pat's parking.  Yes, I do actually have to drive and park very
occasionally, almost always in the winter when underground/inside is
appreciated.  Question:  are the current parking structures always full?
Leased spaces?  How about if any new parking facilities are underground?

On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 9:50 AM, Brent Campbell <BCampbell at wgmgroup.com>wrote:

>  Right on Scott.  Mature, vibrant downtowns have invested in structured
> parking increasing parking supply.  This in turn reduces the demand for
> surfacing parking lots which then turn into tall buildings.  Once the
> downtown densifies, transit becomes much more efficient.  Density drives
> transit efficiency on the origin and destination ends of the trip.
> Converting surface parking lots in downtown to residential housing
> eliminates the need for the trip in the first place and is the MOST GREEN
> THING YOU CAN DO.  If you do not have parking, development will not occur as
> is the case with the Riverfront Triangle.  Structured parking is the the
> critical element that makes the economics work for the private sector
> investment.  That is why TWO new structured parking lots in downtown is the
> critical first step to implementation of the downtown master plan.
>
> Please copy this email and resend this every couple of months as we seem to
> need to continually explain this to folks.
>
> *Brent Campbell, P.E.**
> President / CEO*
> WGM Group, Inc.
> *http://www.wgmgroup.com* <http://www.wgmgroup.com/>
>
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* Scott Sproull [mailto:scottsproull at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Friday, December 18, 2009 9:32 AM
> *To:* Geoff Badenoch
> *Cc:* pnooney at earthlink.net; Jordan Hess; Sally Brown;
> missoulagov at cmslists.com; Brent Campbell
>
> *Subject:* Re: [MissoulaGov] Parking Kiosks
>
>   I have worked with Geoff Badenoch on many important Downtown issues over
> the years and I would just like to say he's doing a great job of explaining
> how the Msla Downtown Assoc., the BID and the Missoula Parking
> Commission are working together to juggle and keep afloat a lot of similar
> and dis-similar Parking Demand Management Balls in the air all at once.  As
> a business owner and long-time Downtown Observer, it seems to me that the
> Owners, Workers, Employees and a bevy of Downtown Support Groups are doing a
> lot more with 'alternative - Downtown Friendly' transportation options than
> Downtown Customers are at this time.  No doubt, being good Customers, they
> often have arm-loads of clothing, books or even shoes to bring home with the
> help of a motorized vehicle.  I'm feeling pretty good that all the
> transportation groups associated with our Downtown are doing their best to
> 'encourage' alternative transportation methods, while also doing their best
> not to alienate customers who have not been 'enlightened' yet.  Thanks
> All!  Scott Sproull (below is the finale of my crazy idea for using new
> parking concepts to enhance the economic viability of specific, more
> economically blighted Downtown areas).
>
> ================================
>
>
> Part Two – What are the Amazing Benefits associated with replacing a few
> Antiquated Parking Meters in one small corridor of our Downtown with
> (Customer-Attracting, Customer-Convenient & Business Enhancing)
> ‘Two-Hour-FREE’ Parking spaces?
>
>
>
> This is the  ‘Rest of the Story’ on why I made the ‘seemingly’ crazy
> suggestion that the ELIMINATION of a small (token) number of Parking Meters
> (only 42 out of 1,100… or less than 4%)… and their replacement with
> ‘Two-Hour-Free-Parking’ spaces, on Higgins Avenue (specifically NORTH OF
> BROADWAY), has a HUGE number of potential benefits that would greatly
> improve the economic and cultural vitality of that part of our Downtown
> (North of Broadway, on Higgins, but also on streets adjacent to North
> Higgins) that is in so much need of some critical, ASAP Business & Economic
> Development help (which would also benefit much of the ‘Core’ and ‘Heart’ of
> our Downtown in the long-term as well!).
>
>
>
> * Please note:  This ‘how to provide new customer-friendly parking
> management concepts and technology’ discussion amongst dozens of readers of
> the missoulagov blog has been specifically focused on the North Higgins
> Project, which is located on Higgins Avenue, NORTH of Broadway, and all the
> way North to the old train depot.  We all continue to repeat this location
> information because in the past, and again just yesterday, I and others are
> too-often horribly misquoted in the media (see an independent newspaper
> nearest you) where it says that, Scott Sproull… “ believes two-hour free
> parking IN FRONT OF HIS HIGGINS AVENUE STOREFRONT [my emphasis] would make
> an immediate impact on his business.”  If the reader doesn’t know, my 37
> year old business (Hide & Sole)… (1) has NEVER been North of Broadway, where
> the North Higgins Improvements Project is taking place… (2) has had very
> steady, healthy, organic, above-average growth for dozens of years,
> including the last two years… (3)  does not need the extra economic
> stimulus that other businesses might need in our Downtown… (4) and I have no
> idea why this obviously unsaid and untrue statement about wanting
> ‘two-hour-free’ parking spaces in front of my store was written into the
> misguided article, since the reporter and I were talking about how
> “Businesses North of Broadway” could really use some Economic Development
> help (which new parking management concepts can play a helpful and positive
> role).
>
>
>
> ============
>
>
>
> The quote below from Missoula’s Master Plan Consultant and Parking Guru
> (Dennis Burns) sums up why Downtown Associations, Downtown Businesses,
> Downtown Stakeholders and Parking Commissions don’t always have the same
> Big-Picture Economic Development Ideas and Visions as each other.
>
>
>
> *"Downtown associations are driven by efforts to revitalize downtown areas
> and see parking costs as one element that places them at a competitive
> disadvantage (compared to the perception of "free parking" at the
> malls/suburbs).  Parking system managers are being pushed, usually by
> municipal governments, to generate revenues.  The bottom line is they lack a
> shared vision and therefore are pulling in opposite directions."*
>
>
> The Question Begs:  Are the proposed parking controls within the North
> Higgins Improvement District going to be a real benefit to the economic
> vitality of the (many suffering and blighted) businesses in that area, or is
> the parking commission’s need for revenue and efficiency enhancements going
> to get top priority???  I think THAT should be the real question for
> ‘evaluating’ and ‘modifying’ the parking controls in the North Higgins
> Improvement District – Yes?
>
>
> No doubt, to financially justify a limited number of ‘Two-Hour-Free’
> Parking Spaces in the Improvement District, some of the other ‘hopefully
> non-customer-related’ parking revenue (like employer & employee lease rates)
> can and should be ‘enhanced’ to pay for the customers increased support of
> our Downtown.
>
>
>
>
>
> Now on to some ‘Alternative & Crazy Parking Options” for the Economic
> Enhancement of the Businesses - North of Broadway (and including those
> Businesses on and adjacent to Higgins)!
>
>
>
> *Problem*: Some people reading this blog find it very inconvenient and a
> pain when they don’t always have their ‘meter coins’ with them to pay the
> ‘antiquated’ mechanical parking meters that are definitely not as convenient
> as the more-modern, electronic, single-space meters (or multi-space machines
> which conveniently take coins, credit cards or debit cards).
>
>
>
> *Alternative Solutions:* ‘Two-Hour-Free’ Parking does not require coins,
> credit cards or payments.  In fact, the Parking is FREE, to the customer
> and visitor, but for a limited time of two-hours or less (which is plenty of
> time for a lunch, shopping or stroll through the Downtown.  Parking
> Enforcement Officers (PEO’s) aka ‘Meter Maids,’ are just as essential to the
> success of ‘Two-Hour-Free’ Parking Programs as with Meters, so that Business
> Owners and Downtown Workers do not attempt to hog parking spaces for long
> periods of time (or compete for vital parking with their own and Business
> neighbors customers).
>
>
>
> Missoula currently has short-term FREE Parking in high-demand locations
> like City Hall and the Post Office, but few have thought about the Economic
> Development Potential of changing a few meters in the N. Higgins Improvement
> District to ‘Two-Hour-Free,’ Customer-Friendly, Business-Enhancing, Parking.
>
>
>
> With ‘Two-Hour-Free’ Parking… Customers & Visitors do not have to deal with
> broken mechanical and/or electronic meters, and they do not have to search
> up and down the block for a multi-space, electronic, (sometimes broken)
> machine… that actually might be in the opposite direction of where they want
> to go (these were serious concerns mentioned by some on the blog).
>
>
>
> BUT MORE SO… from a Business Development & Downtown Enhancing point of
> view, setting aside a few (token) short-term parking spaces, that are (very
> important here) FREE to customers and visitors (and paid for by owners and
> workers), would do a couple of other really positive and important things:
>
>
>
> A)    Create Customer Demand [Economic Driver], and no doubt customer
> competition for parking spaces that are FREE, but purposely placed on
> Higgins (North of Broadway), where there is a specific district where many
> of the under-developed Businesses would really appreciate some extra
> customers and economic incentives.
>
>
>
> B)     Create a FANTASTIC Customer BUZZ & Extra Customer Referrals to the
> Downtown!!!  This would be a Marketers Dream, since for the first time in
> decades, there really WOULD BE (just a few, but at least some) Free Parking
> Spaces for Customers in a very specific part of our Downtown.  In reality,
> you might only stumble across an open Free Parking Space on Higgins every
> once in a Blue Moon (rarely), but I suspect many Downtown Supporters would
> find themselves driving further up into the North Higgins Improvement
> District to see if they can WIN a Free Parking Space (like a Free Lottery).
>
>
>
>
> C)    Most business-people know that the best, cheapest, most effective
> Advertising is hard-earned ‘Word-of-Mouth’ excitement from customers who are
> super-happy about a product or service they received and want to tell their
> friends, (internet friends) and families about.  FREE-TWO-HOUR Parking is
> just the ticket to create a Downtown Economic Buzz that would quickly spread
> throughout the Missoula and regional community, and very much benefit the
> entire Downtown.
>
>
> D)    If we are going to test a new, revolutionary (small-scale &
> experimental) way to improve the parking controls and customer service in
> the North Higgins Improvements District, let’s put up a few, very simple,
> low maintenance, non-mechanical, non-electric ‘Two-Hour-Free’ Parking Signs
> and see what happens.  It can always be modified a little, or a lot later
> on.
>
> Test this Idea - Modify It - Other Input?
>
> Scott Sproull
> Hide & Sole
> Downtown Since 1972
>
>
>
> On 12/17/09, Geoff Badenoch <geoffb at ism.net> wrote:
>>
>>  There are too many variables in the cost of developing a parking
>> facility to nail down a figure that exactly.  Is land included?  Each space
>> must have a way to get to it with a car.  That is called circulation and
>> varies with the size and configuration of the structure.  Internal
>> utilities—lighting, water, security cameras, fire suppression, ventilation,
>> etc. all have costs that vary with each structure.  Architectural detail to
>> dress up the structure can vary depending how important aesthetics are to
>> the community.  Most professionals use a range that these days is generally
>> between $24K and $32K per space.
>>
>> Typically financing of municipal parking structures is done through use of
>> cash reserves of the parking authority, revenue bonds (fees for parking
>> retire the debt), or tax increment financing, or a combination of those
>> methods.  Some exploration of use of what are known as “new market tax
>> credits” for a potential new structure in Missoula has been done, but I
>> don’t believe any conclusions have been arrived at with regard to whether it
>> is a feasible or appropriate method.  Oftentimes, municipal parking can be
>> developed in conjunction with private partners, but it is very complicated.
>>
>> Our Missoula Parking Commission has been a good partner to transit and
>> made several significant cash contributions of parking revenues to subsidize
>> public transportation as a means of what is called “parking demand
>> management.” PDM is the philosophy that follows what Jordan was talking
>> about—reducing the demand for parking by giving people an alternative means
>> (not cars) to get to Downtown.  Are there other ways to devote parking
>> revenues (as opposed to tax supported payments) to transit?  Probably, but
>> it is all part of a development of a long-range strategy to accommodating
>> people’s travel to and from Downtown.
>>
>>
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-- 
"Apathy is a vice."  Oscar Wilde
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