Operating Protocal for Unreserved Parking RampsMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Operating Protocol for Unreserved Parking Ramps
DATE: April 28, 2011
Dubuque
Intitil
AO- America City
2007
Parking Division Supervisor Tim Horsfield is recommending changing the operation of
the Iowa Street Ramp from a person leasing an individually identified parking space to a
person leasing a space that the location on a given day would be on a first -come first -
serve basis. The 4 Street Parking Ramp, the 5 Street Parking Ramp and the new 9th
Street Parking Ramp all operate in this manner. This change would provide a
significant benefit to downtown businesses, property owners, employees and the City.
The Iowa Street Ramp has 618 spaces. Now with reserved stalls, many spaces in the
Iowa Street Ramp go unused every day, because some people travel for work, some
call in sick, some are on vacation, and because of employee turnover a space leased by
a company goes unused. Since every monthly lease customer does not use the
parking ramp every day, this change allows the City to oversell the lot by between 10 %-
20%.
This will assist downtown employees by creating more opportunities for them to park
closer to work. It will help businesses by providing parking to employees and by
eliminating the need of larger employers that pay for their employee parking to lease
more spaces than they actually need. This will assist the City by maximizing this public
asset and maximizing revenue. This will assist property owners by supporting their
ability to lease their vacant space with the increase in parking supply.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Micyhael C. Van Milligen
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Tim Horsfield, Parking Division Supervisor
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
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All4me ica 0 N
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2007
April 28, 2011
To: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
From: Tim Horsfield, Parking Division Supervisor
Subject: Operating Protocol for Unreserved Parking Ramps
Parking Division
830 Bluff Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
563- 589.4267
www.cityofdubuque.org /parking
Introduction
This memo will provide information regarding our previous discussions and recommendation
related to unreserving the Iowa Street Parking Ramp and also a revised policy regarding the
operation of the other unreserved parking ramps.
Background
In the past several months, there have been meetings with business owners and City staff
regarding the operation of the parking ramps in an unreserved manner and how this change
could potentially assist downtown businesses and also have the potential to increase revenue
within the Parking Division. One of the issues brought to light was the fact that the larger
businesses lease several more spaces than they actually need due to rotating staff, meaning
that many of them are on the road traveling on some days and only here in Dubuque a day or
two a week, but still have to lease a full time space for them.
Discussion
As you recall, after those meetings, our internal group met and the attached protocol was the
final recommendation following those meetings. The major operational change of course is
with the Iowa Street Ramp. It currently operates as a reserved ramp in which everyone is
assigned their own numbered space. Currently in the Iowa Ramp, there 475 reserved
spaces and 143 hourly spaces.
This adjustment may be a concern to some of the current customers as people do get used
to their own parking space. I also believe that many of our customers will be very pleased
with the change. Most if not likely all of the hourly parking will now be on the roof level. This
adjustment does have benefits for everyone. First of all, it is intended to be a tool to hopefully
minimize increases in the monthly cost of parking by allowing us to oversell the spaces in the
ramp, most of the monthly customers will now be able to park in covered parking areas, large
quantity customers will be able reduce some of their costs and subsequently open up
availability of parking they now hold onto but only use on an occasional basis.
Operating Protocol for Unreserved Parking Ramps
April 28, 2011
Page II
With adjusting to the unreserved protocol, we will be able to oversell the ramp by a minimum
of 47 spaces. (Industry standards range from 10% to 20% oversell depending on the ramp
customer make up.)
Regarding the monthly fees for the ramps operating under this protocol, the 4 Street Ramp
is $45.00 per month, the 5 Street Ramp is $52.00 per month and the current revenue
requirement for the Iowa Ramp will require a monthly rate of $56.00 per month. Currently the
Iowa Ramp is $48.00 per month for rooftop spaces (approx. 200 spaces) and $60.00 for
covered reserved (approx. 271 spaces). Considering the proximity and demand for this ramp
and calculating the required revenue as approved in the annual budget, the proposed $56.00
per month is I believe appropriate and reasonable. Some customers will see a $4.00 per
month decrease and others will see a $8.00 per month increase.
Earlier in this memo I mentioned the concern of some of the businesses having a relatively
transient workforce in which much of the time they are renting spaces in the ramp that are
rarely used. Mainly this is the case with sales staff and staff from outlying offices coming into
the main office on certain days. With the new protocol, employers leasing 200 or more
spaces in one ramp will be given a number of cards equal to 110% of the spaces leased. So,
at any time, the number of cards equaling the number of spaces rented will work. When the
first card above that number tries to enter the ramp, if there is space available, the card will
be accepted, but the time in the ramp will be billed on an hourly basis until one of the other
cards assigned to them leaves the ramp. This is all handled by the parking control equipment
that was installed a couple of years ago. This allows us to obtain a much better use of our
available parking assets and will help with parking needs in the area.
The discussion on making this adjustment has been had several times over the past 10 years
of which I am aware. During that time, this adjustment has received the support of many
large and small business owners in the downtown area. I have also had contact with Dan
LoBianco of Dubuque Main Street and he has given the support of his organization as well.
The largest benefit to this adjustment is the number of additional spaces that would be
provided in the downtown area by the oversell, as many as 50 or more as we develop history
of usage under this protocol. Many of these business people park in this ramp and would be
affected by any changes we would make, were aware of the impact it would have on them
and still they supported this adjustment.
I am recommending this policy change as reserving individual spaces has become virtually
unheard of in the parking industry. It for the most part makes for very poor use of parking
facilities. It also dramatically simplifies the operation of each ramp and customers do not
have to read a litany of directions as they enter the ramps. Simply put, find a space and park
in it. In order to make this policy adjustment, there is no ordinance change required.
Operating Protocol for Unreserved Parking Ramps
April 28, 2011
Page II
I am requesting your approval and subsequent recommendation to the City Council to
approve this adjustment in the operational protocol for the Iowa Street Parking Ramp.
cc: Dave Heiar, Economic Development Director
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
bikVil
All- AmdlcaClty
I i'
2007
Parking Division
830 Bluff Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
563 - 589.4267
www.cityofdubuque.org /parking
Non - Reserved Parking Ramp
Operating Protocol
The following parking facilities will operate using the protocol outlined in this
document. The Iowa Street Ramp, 5 Street Ramp, 4 Street Ramp, 975 Central
Avenue Ramp.
1. These ramps will operate on a non - reserved basis. Individuals renting space in these
facilities will occupy parking spaces on a first come first served basis. There will be no
distinction between covered parking and rooftop parking.
2. The only designated spaces in any of these facilities will be for disabled parking as
established by either State of Iowa or the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances.
3. Individual rates for the ramps will be evaluated and established by the City Council
each year by way of the annual budget process.
4. Individuals leasing space will be issued an access control card for ingress and egress.
5. Businesses leasing more than 200 spaces in a single ramp, not cumulatively in the
parking system, are eligible to receive upon request, an additional number of cards
equal to 10% of the number of spaces. However, they will be limited to usage of the
actual number of spaces rented. For example, Company A leases 220 spaces. They
are eligible to receive 22 additional cards for a total of 242 cards. However, only 220
of those cards are valid at any one time. If the 221 card and any others above that
number are used, they will be invoiced on an hourly basis for additional time in the
ramp at the current established rate for hourly parking.
6. The Parking Division will monitor daily usage in determining the amount of oversell
that ramps operated in this manner will accommodate. (Industry standard in the 10%
to 15% range.)