City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Parking and Traffic Safety Committee, 6 Oct 2022

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From YouTube: 10.6.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

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10.6.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

A

Okay uh good morning, portsmith I'd like to call the um october 6 2022 parking traffic.

B

And safety community meeting to order through the attendance mary, lou mcelwain.

C

Steve pesci here mark syracusa here here: harold whitehouse yeah, erica wyganik, deputy police chief.

C

Mike maloney here, fire chief bill mcquillen here public works director peter rice here.

C

City manager, karen conard, she will be joining us into the meeting chairman andrew bagley here.

B

Okay, if we could have the financial report.

D

D

I can get to accept this movement. I wonder why.

D

In a second second, I just made a motion to accept this presented: okay, all right and mark second.

B

To this, and I think we need a roll call, as um some members are in zoom, okay, mary lou, mcelwain.

C

Yes, steve pesci, yes mark syracusa present.

C

Harold whitehouse, yes erica, oh uh deputy police chief mike maloney, yes,.

C

Fire chief bill mcquillen, yes, public works director, peter rice, yes, chairman andrew bagley, yes,.

B

And now we're going to move on to public comment um on the agenda for parking traffic and safety.

B

We normally limit public comment to 15 minutes. We consistently go over that, but I am going to.

B

Ask I think there might be a lot of comment tonight for two asks, one that you try to keep.

B

Your comments to about five minutes and two, the neighborhood parking program is under old.

B

Business so I know some people are here to speak about some of the new business items.

B

So I asked that we let the people that are to speak to the new business items go first.

B

That would include taxi stands. If you want to speak, this would be the the appropriate time.

B

Let's just go up to the microphone and well I didn't expect to be first. um I guess you guys.

E

Need some taxi stands back, so I wasn't sure you thought there was six and I don't think there's.

E

That many and I think we should just keep one in front on pleasant street in front of the tuscan.

D

Steakhouse there, which is close to the clipper and close to the new stadium, it's out of the way of.

F

Other you know the buses and the coasts and stuff like that in the center of town or if they pull up.

D

There, mr chairman, if I make, could you say your name and scott dorado rockingham taxi, I'm the.

D

Only medallion taxi in portsmouth yep. Thank you very much. It's just for the record so that it's.

G

People understand who's speaking and that's it. Thank you great. Thank you. Shortening food.

B

uh Yeah just come up sure it's a non-agenda item. That's fine! Okay!.

H

uh Since it is a non-agenda item, all I'll keep it brief. My name is evan mullen resident of 82.

H

Austin street here in town, um I would like to bring some renewed awareness to our neighborhood.

H

uh Traffic safety concern on the summer street connector between islington and middle.

H

uh Back in the fall of 2019, I submitted an application uh right around the time that the.

H

Church was was getting ready to demo the school building and uh expressed my my concern at that.

H

Time and of course, we all know what happened after the fall of of 2019, so uh with my follow-ups were.

H

Met with a request to be patient, and so um we all know also that our our city continued to grow and.

H

Develop during that period between 2019 and now- and uh so I see you know it- increa increased.

H

Amount of traffic on that uh on that street in our neighborhood, and we also have some families.

H

Who've come into the neighborhood since that time, and so I will uh submit another application ahead.

H

Of next meeting and I'll include a petition which I did not include in the in the first.

H

Application so I'll include a mission with um outlining some of our concerns and quests.

H

And things like that for consideration ahead of next meeting great. Thank you.

B

Any other speakers, I think we can open it up now for a neighborhood parking program.

B

Speakers- and we should probably let the record show that erica is now here as well.

B

I

Good morning, uh I'm ken goldman 271 islington street and thank you for an opportunity to speak.

I

Once again on the islington creek input parking program, uh one of the reasons I bought my home.

I

Was the supply, printable and free parking on the adjacent streets, and I hope I can return.

I

To that situation, I dispute that the islington creek neighborhood as an inherent parking supply.

I

Versus demand issue, that is, the perception of several vocal resonance and is based on.

I

Anecdotal information, most of which predated the foundry place, parking garage and the employee.

I

Parking program, the parking department's data has consistently demonstrated that this is not true.

I

This has always seemed to be a solution in search of a problem.

I

This the mpp was supposed to be a six-month pilot program that lasted more than a year.

I

Programs are tests or feasibility studies and are not intended to be permanent. One option is.

I

Always to discontinue the program based on the results, the data consistently showed that the.

I

Program was neither necessary nor effective. I do not understand the reason why there is a proposal.

I

To replace it with needed parking, if there is no program, then there is no cost to the city. The.

I

Request that the program be ended and we go back to the way things were before it was implemented.

I

Reading uh the handouts, it is not clear if the parking department proposes meter parking for.

I

The entire neighborhood, or just a part of the neighborhood. It then flooded as problematic, I.e.

I

The area between rock street and bridge street, if the entire neighborhood I protest, strenuously.

I

Meter parking would be inconvenient and expensive for residents. People working at.

I

The houses, visitors, and especially overnight, visitors. I would like to ask the committee.

I

And the city uh some some of the questions I included in my recent letter to the city council.

I

Does islington creek have the most severe parking problem of all neighborhoods in.

I

The city of portsmouth, if not, why are you considering imposing the cost and continued.

I

Inconvenience of this program on the residents of this neighborhood is there any compelling reason.

I

Any reason at all to have a neighborhood parking program or muted parking in islington creek.

I

Why imposed immediate parking in islington creek, rather than in other neighborhoods that have.

I

More severe parking problems, and why are you continuing to single us out for a neighborhood.

I

Parking program and now metered parking, despite the data presented by the parking department.

I

Showing they are not necessary, my bottom line we try to pilot program. The data showed that it was.

I

Unnecessary and ineffective, and I respectfully request that the neighborhood parking program be.

I

Anded and the plan to impose meter parking not be implemented over the entire neighborhood. You can.

B

Come on up nope.

J

Good morning, michelle worth 439 hanover street is this. Like the fifth time I've talked about.

J

This you probably know my face um here. We are again so if you refer to the 2019 survey of.

J

The neighborhood, the majority of the neighbors, don't want it, I'm not making that up. You have a.

J

Survey, you took it in 2019. um during covid there's, you know a handful of well to do.

J

Families who like to park in front of their own house- and they don't like to have to to you, know.

J

Drive down the block to park, and that's all it is it's not the space. If you're in your house.

J

There's plenty of parking in our neighborhood. They just want to park in front of their house.

J

And they they got together to put together this program. I've been on 439 hanover street for 25.

J

Years this is the second time I've been through this whole procedure of of the parking program.

J

um The data clearly shows from this parking pilot that it doesn't work. It doesn't create.

J

A substantial new number of spaces- and I'm sure mr fletcher will present that again it doesn't.

J

Have any substantial effect on it and it's very expensive. So I hear people saying that you want.

J

To charge money for permits, rather than giving out permits well, my neighbors are all in the same.

J

Situation, I am, I have a, I have a driveway, it holds three cars, but there are four drivers in my house.

J

My two sons, each have a car. I have a car, my husband has a car. He has a sports car that a.

J

Friend gave him a 20 year old sports car and we have a you know: stinky old van, so we have six.

J

Vehicles we need to park, my sons are going to have to continue to park on state street like.

J

They've been doing for the last year and I'm going to take my old van and I'm going to park.

J

It on state street, I don't want to pay an extra fee, so what I'm saying is the bunch of neighbors.

J

Aren't going to buy these permits, so the city is going to pay for this program because in order to.

J

Have the neighbors pay for this program? The fee per permit would have to be like 800 nobody's.

J

Gonna do that the city is going to end up paying for this understand that, if you do this program,.

J

That being said, our neighborhood is full of apartment buildings. You know lots of guys. You.

J

Know three guys into apartment and stuff for a city that makes proclamations about equity.

J

And tolerance and inclusion what this program would do would charge new fees and taxes only.

J

On the poorest people in our neighborhood, the wealthy people have driveways. It is only the.

J

Poorer people that are sharing apartments that will have to pay this fee so much for tolerance.

J

And equity and inclusion, I can't see that the city would want to add a new program that only charged.

J

A fee to our poorest neighbors, that's wrong. Here is the solution. At the end of my teaching career.

J

I was an assistant principal at my school in kingston for a short time. Not a week, went by.

J

But I didn't have a student or a parent or a teacher, come in and explain to me their.

J

Problem and the new rules and the new programs they wanted me to put in to solve their problem.

J

Understand their problem was very real to them. It was not their job to see the school as a.

J

Whole that was my job. Inevitably, the solution was already in a system or program. We already.

J

Had that had been overlooked or hadn't been enforced, and that's exactly what I see here.

J

20 years ago, when I went through this whole parking problem back, then the solution was to.

J

Write an ordinance, it is article 16, section 7.16, and that declares hanover street hanover street.

J

The only area that's really congested and has a problem, the rest of the neighborhood there's.

J

Nothing, it's only hanover street that that would be resident parking only, but it wasn't enforced.

J

It's our situation, where we've got again programs and laws that just aren't being enforced and.

J

So people run and they have to write a new law. No, you don't just enforce what we already have.

J

The existing 7.16 resident parking only on that hanover street leave the rest of the neighborhood.

J

Alone, no fees. We already have a system here in portsmouth that marks your car as a resident. You.

J

Can have a transfer station sticker, you can have a boat ramp sticker. You can print a new parking.

J

Stick or resident sticker, whatever people can have stickers. If mr fletcher wants to also put.

J

Parking meters on hanover street to make it more flexible for workers and tradesmen and guests.

J

To park there as well, that's fine on that street. The rest of the neighborhood is fine. Please don't.

J

Create a situation where we have equity problems, where you're charging only the poorest people.

J

In our city, more money than the wealthy people, let's not do that. Thank you. Thank you. Michelle.

K

uh I'm [ __ ] casler. I live at 265 islington and I read the proposal about the parking program.

K

And right off the bat it mentions that parking industry, best practices.

K

There's no reason to do mitigation measures unless occupancy is 85 or over.

K

And it also states right there in a report that for years, occupancy has not reached 75 percent.

K

So what reason would you have to deviate from best practices in the parking industry.

K

It really isn't a problem so so in in a program like this has a tendency to keep on going.

K

You don't have to continue this program and- and it's like ken said back here- it seems to be like.

K

A solution and searching for a problem: we don't need it and and definitely it, and it also says.

K

Only five spaces were gained and they would gain further away from the areas of the problem, so it.

K

Actually had no impact in the problem areas right so so it's like it's pointless. It doesn't solve.

K

Any problem, and- uh and I do think that the problem is limited more to hanover street, so that becomes.

K

An issue at something: that's portsmouth resonance, only that's that's fine, uh but but but to enforce.

K

This kind of needed parking or through the app on the residence when there's no need it's, it doesn't.

K

Make any sense and devious from best practices, so so they they. I can't conceive of any any possible.

K

Reason why that makes sense if you want to improve the parking, so that's it great. Thank you.

L

L

Hi, I'm I'm barbara sadik and I live at 271 islington ice.

L

L

We implement this pilot program. My background is in urban planning. I have.

L

A master's degree in urban planning from johns hopkins and I happen to have worked.

L

On one of the first neighborhood parking programs in the country in baltimore city,.

L

That parking program was needed. We had well in excess of 95 percent occupancy in a neighborhood.

L

And it was being parked in by people who happened to work for the state of maryland.

L

I spoke a year and a half ago saying: why are we not following the data? We have a parking.

L

Rate of under 80 percent, nobody needs a parking program under 80 percent, but I was told by some.

L

Members of the community who are really into this, oh it's just a pilot. We should try it out.

L

I was quiet and I said: okay, you know if if the city wants to spend money, trying something out.

L

That isn't needed, go for it, but now we've found that it isn't needed. It costs a lot of money.

L

And we're putting a burden on neighbors. Oh didn't want this in the first place. Yes, there was a.

L

Parking survey done of the neighborhood, and it was done before the employee program at the foundry.

L

And it didn't meet the criteria asked of this survey and the survey never ever said.

L

Are you willing to spend 125 dollars per car to have a parking program? Nobody ever responded.

L

To that, instead, we have this. This, as everybody keeps saying, a solution's looking for a problem.

L

And I strongly recommend and urge this committee.

L

To say, okay, we did the pilot, we found that the pilot did not have any meaningful effect.

L

Let's get rid of it and go back to our status quo entry. Thank you very much. Thank you.

D

Good morning,.

M

Right that way- and I think I can do this right- hopefully I didn't give you my copy.

M

Good morning, elizabeth we're out of property owner 159, mcdonough street 342 cabot street.

M

Please take a minute well when you get them.

M

I colored on this. I did this all at seven o'clock this morning, so there's no guarantee in accuracy.

M

um So I just want you to take a minute to look at them. They're.

M

Showing that the npdp program is going to be 113, um 1500, wait, 90 or something.

M

That's when your day is running crazy, so that would be about.

M

1.8 percent of the entire budget for the parking division or 3.04 percent.

M

Of um the operations costs of the of the parking division, so I find that number seems to be a bit.

M

High considering what parking division spans, but that's just budget stuff, so.

M

Most of us in country is supposed to be monitored. Anyway, it has two-hour parking.

M

Or 15 minute parking that's supposed to be monitored on a regular basis. Just so.

M

To swing down through the npp zone, we probably add about 30 minutes, since they do that in a car.

M

um The printed out budget shows you that if you flip it, the dental expense for the.

M

General government is 141 393., the natural gas is budgeted for 2022 for 132 500. The gasoline is 150.

M

000, I'm thinking, maybe I printed out the wrong report, but it's not to debate the cost of the.

M

Program, it's just to point out that there is a cost, but not necessarily as high as it's being.

M

Presented the most important thing to remember is that there were actually goals to the program.

M

Every program that you design every pilot program, everything that you run in a city has goals.

M

So the three goals that I remember was to provide parking relief, especially for the bookends of.

M

Islington creek, but the whole neighborhood as itself to not cause rollover into other.

M

Neighborhoods or within the islington creek neighborhood, and to encourage the use of the.

M

Foundry garage instead of the neighborhood, all of those goals were achieved by this program.

M

The reduced parking program, which was offered when the npp was first announced before it was even put.

M

Into place, mr fletcher started that program right up and he got a lot of people signed up for that.

M

Program there was actually a real increase in participation, because the cost was made much.

M

More reasonable after the npp started, only a few people joined that foundry garage program because.

M

Perhaps they didn't read the paper and didn't know npp was coming and then they got a ticket.

M

There was no increase in the use of the goodwin park neighborhood because they.

M

Are already full, there is no parking over there, except for at night time.

M

So islington creek people who parked in islington creek and we're using it as a parking lot had to.

M

Review their options either stay for two hours or park somewhere else for a longer period of times.

M

There was definitely more availability for neighbors to park closer to their homes or.

M

Sometimes, next to them, it is true that the lower part of hanover street may have experienced the.

M

Same amount of cars parking on the street but as far as I can tell by what I've read.

M

No one, not a single person, went down on all of these streets and checked.

M

Whether the people using the parking now had a sticker, or they were other people.

M

Nor did they compare business use versus residential use. Those were brought up at.

M

The beginning that the suggestion made was having different color passes, so people could actually.

M

Track who is now using this neighborhood once the cars moved out into the garage.

M

Those are all important questions as far as I'm concerned, because if more people who live.

M

On hanover street are able to park on hanover street and more people who live on mcdonough.

M

Street are now able to park on mcdonough street. There may be the same amount of cars. There may.

M

Only be five more spaces, but it's the people who live there, who may be parking there now.

M

I know on the corner of cavity mcdonough street. On that end we have safeway storage down there.

M

They have two parking lots. They don't use by limiting the businesses to three passes.

M

It allowed for all those businesses down there to park down there. There was one down there that.

M

Used to have 25 vehicles, you limited them to three. They had to find someplace else to put.

M

Those other 22 cars during the day people go to work and the businesses who have business.

M

Passes come down there and park the differences. Is they don't take up all the spaces? They are.

M

Now evenly divided, so you can park down there during the day. There's one or two spaces down.

M

There that you can share the people who are going to the businesses can get into the businesses the.

M

People who are going home can stay there, and the people who ran to the grocery store came.

M

Back came back, come back and get there I'm down there almost every day, two or three times a day.

M

um And I don't have a pass, but I'm able to park. Sometimes I have to park way down by dover street.

M

But on most days I can park closer to my my billings to me. This is a sign of successful.

M

Program because it is now a true shared parking program, that's what we try to do in portsmouth.

M

We want to have shared parking, we want to have residents using the parking when they need it.

M

And business is using it when they are not there. That's how it should work. The negatives to the.

M

Program are very inconvenient neighbors who it has started. Neighbors and many businesses to.

M

Think about parking in general, which is something we need to talk about in portsmouth, is parking.

M

If you have more than one contra, if you.

M

So the other inconvenience to having to get the permits is that if you have more than one.

M

Contractor you have to go to the foundry garage if you have more than one guest who's going to.

M

Stay for more than two hours or is going to come or or wants to come after or wants to come before.

M

6 15 or after 9 45 a.m, they're going to have to get a pass all the time you have to make a trip.

M

To the foundry garage, I've been down there a lot they're starting to get tired of seeing me.

M

Everyone in this city wants to park for free. Sadly, the poor management of parking by the city.

M

Of portsmouth many boards has left neighborhoods close to downtown impacted greatly by this mess.

M

Due to the mass, the parking should be free for all residents in the npp zone. There is currently.

M

A business that is starting its way through the boards, and the first thing they've proposed, is.

M

Adding an addition on the back which we'll get rid of all of their parking for their employees.

M

They don't care. Why should they care? Because they're going to park in the neighborhood.

M

Businesses, some businesses have complained about parking because they're only allowed free permits.

M

And they have no place for their employees to park. But that's what the foundry garage is for.

M

Please continue the npp, but please remove all the negatives by allowing all registered vehicles to.

M

A home to have npp parking permits for free. Please continue. Please consider a minimal.

M

Charge for business similar to the employee parking fee at the foundry garage and limit.

M

The amount of spaces they can have, please do charge for contractors. I thought I would have.

M

To pay for contractors when I went down there the last few weeks, but I didn't because the parking.

M

Program is free right now, but I would have been willing to pay as much as five dollars a day for.

M

Each contractor- the first thing I said to my contractors is: I want you to carpool, because.

M

I have to get a permit for every one of your cars anybody anybody who doesn't want to get into that.

M

List can go get a ticket because that's how I look at it if you're not willing to carpool and.

M

Construction takes up a lot of time. You, if you have your siding done. You have five cars that.

M

Come down into the neighborhood, that's a lot of spaces, so I would encourage you to charge.

M

For contractors this encourages carpooling and it encourage them to to use bring less vehicles into.

M

In regards to park mobile, I think that would be an invisible program. It would be signs and.

M

That's it, I would caution you to charge more for it, because you don't want to encourage.

M

People to park in the neighborhood, I would be caught cautious about whether you allow.

M

More than two three hours, because you want to prevent what happened before and that's.

M

Creating the islington street the islington creek parking lot. Thank you for your time. Thank you.

B

B

Do we have anybody on zoom? Oh, yes, we do liza hewitt.

D

Go ahead for me, yes, go ahead; okay! Thank you. My name is liza hewitt um and I own property.

N

Mixed lenses at 167, 169 mckenna street. um You know I have real mixed feelings about this.

N

um I can certainly understand the folks down in that hanover street area being concerned about.

N

Parking uh it's been like that forever and, and I sympathize with that, I'm faced with a.

N

Situation where I own a duplex, I typically have four cars because they're two bedroom duplexes.

N

Connected to the to each of those apartments, uh there are four cars all together. We have no off.

N

Street parking, none zippo, it's not that we don't choose to park off street. We just don't have any.

N

Or any option for off street parking, so you know my husband and I tried extremely hard to keep the.

N

Cost down for our tenants, we understand the high cost of living in portsmouth and we've.

N

Always come in way below where we should, but this is going to force us to raise the rents.

N

Because I've got to cover these costs somehow, and I think what that woman said um before is true.

N

That you know it, it's not. You know. People have chosen to get a parking permit, even though they.

N

Have a driveway just because they can for free, um I think, that's probably inflated the numbers.

N

um And and probably you know, the data on on where you're placing 125 dollar on the permit proposal.

N

um I'm concerned about, what's going to happen when you realize that people aren't willing to pay.

N

um And the cost is going to skyrocket for those of us that have to. We require our tenants and have.

N

To require residents to park on the street and get a parking permit, because there is no choice.

N

I would like, if you're going, to go, go ahead with this. um You know I do have the same kinds.

N

Of concerns that liz does about that warehouse and the amount of parking that's generated. The.

N

Need for the fact that the owner does have a parking area on site that he was previously.

N

Charging his residence course, of course, they're going to park on the street because it's free.

N

um Maybe reaching out to him and seeing if he will open up his parking lots for his.

N

um Businesses would be helpful and then another couple of things um is there any possibility.

N

That, if you do go forth with this, you could um you could narrow the hours to maybe being.

N

um Eight to five so that people, when they the residents who come home there in the evening most.

N

Of the business people will have moved on out and they won't have to charge for, for instance, their.

N

Visitors, if they're coming, you know after after work hours to visit from eight to five, would make.

N

More sense, another thing which is a pretty small thing, but if you're going to go forth with it, I.

N

Just want to make sure I put it out there um will this parking permit include the cost for residents.

N

To park down in the garage during snow removal, because I think it would be pretty lousy for you.

N

To charge them 125 dollars for a parking pass and then double hit them when they have to take.

N

The cars off the street and pay more money to park down in the garage because, while the snow removal.

N

Is occurring, I I think you need to consider that and put that in if you are going to continue.

N

So um good luck in your decision. As I said, I I kind of tore one way.

N

Or the other, but I think there are some supportive things that you need to pick.

N

um And also the fact that nobody's buddies come up and spoken for here at this meeting.

N

Thank you. Thank you. Eliza. Do we have any other zoom colors? That's all I'm gonna close the public.

B

Comment and we're gonna move on to new business. uh A taxi stands request for a report back on.

B

The removal of taxi only parking spots downtown and across the city by city council, sample motion.

B

Move to request to report back from staff on impacts of removing taxi stands citywide, so moved.

B

Second, second, uh any discussion. Second right here: oh yeah, any discussion, harold or.

H

If there's do you want to talk about the taxi stand, yeah we're talking about the taxes? No, no, no.

H

Yes, I I just would like to mention about the taxis. Can I mention about the taxes absolutely yeah.

A

um Years ago there was one location for taxi fans and it included a lot of employees at.

A

The important neighborhood in downtown at the certain businesses downtown, and it was.

A

Located right on the condo of fleet street in congress- and there was about areas of.

A

About eight us ten taxis, I was wondering if that has been considered one location.

A

Fleet street in congress, so so in the city of portsmouth, we have a taxi medallion program.

B

Yeah we have exactly one medallion, and that was the gentleman who spoke earlier today.

B

um And I might propose normally we do a report back, but uh speaking with the gentleman and his.

B

Comments and public comment uh he would prefer if we got rid of the taxi, stands that we retain the.

B

One in front of tuscan market, um since there's only one taxi, it doesn't seem to make a lot of.

B

Sense to have more than one taxi stand because he can't be in more than one place at a time and.

B

Since his preference is for the taxi stand in front of uh I'm sorry, tuscan steakhouse.

B

I we couldn't uh make a motion to uh help move to withdraw my initial motion.

G

The second is summer yeah, so so, if somebody wanted to make a motion to.

B

To to eliminate the taxi stands with the exception of the one in front of tuscan, steakhouse.

A

Peter you want okay. Well, no! I don't want to make that motion. No I'll.

G

Move to make that motion a second second um discussion, any discussion.

A

This is on a trial period right uh well, it would have to be approved by the city council. I see.

B

um But the situation we're in is we we only have one authorized. User of taxi stands. Okay, so.

B

You know if the situation changes in a few years and we have lots of taxis again. We could always.

B

Revisit it, but at the current situation, we're losing parking inventory downtown that can't.

B

Be used because there's nobody eligible to use it, so I think this motion makes a lot of sense.

B

And you know if it if we need to revisit it in the future, we certainly could do that.

B

Steve yeah, I I support the motion and one concern I have is: uh if we remove.

E

All the spaces for the taxis- and I realize the whole mobility markets changed we're.

E

Finding, increasingly that, I think vehicles are pulling over into the bus, pull outs and.

E

Then the buses are not able to access that, so it's backing up into traffic. So I support the.

E

Motion, I think we just monitor it and see how things go with the new system.

B

I think we could monitor that see if there's any unintended consequences once we implement this. I.

O

Mean we can it's it's difficult to monitor all the spaces at one. You know we could select some.

O

Areas to monitor okay, all right, I guess uh mary lou. Do you have any comments? I can't see here.

D

I'm having a good audio, I'm using my ipad and there's a lot of um echo, so I'm.

D

I'm trying to get the gist of everything, you're saying I don't have any comment.

D

On the taxi static step to say, we don't see any taxis around portsmouth.

B

Okay, I guess with that we could take a roll call vote. Mary lou, mcelwain.

C

Mark syracusa, yes, harold, whitehouse, yes, erica wagonik, do I vote today. Yes,.

C

uh Deputy police chief mike maloney, yes, fire chief bill mcquillen, yes, public works director.

C

Peter rice, yes, chairman andrew bagley, yes, okay, um moving on morning street.

B

Request to restrict parking at woodbury avenue intersection by resident a sample motion would.

B

Be moved to install no parking here till corner signs 30 feet from woodbury avenue.

O

Chairman there's, the uh this request came to us from a resident of woodbury avenue who.

O

When they use morning street to access their home in this one-way section of woodbury ave.

O

And there's been vehicles parked on morning street. That makes it difficult for vehicles to get in and.

O

Out of morning, street makes it a one-lane road, so they've requested that we put up signs that.

O

Would be in compliance with state law and city ordinances that prohibits parking within 30 feet.

O

Of the intersection I passed out flyers to the resident to about this section of morning, street.

O

So they're aware of this possible restriction. Okay, if I could get somebody to make that motion yeah.

B

Yeah, mr chairman, yes I I moved to uh to install the no parking here to connor on.

A

A 30 feet from the woodbury avenue area in a second and any discussion.

B

I think this one's pretty straightforward if we could get a roll call vote, please.

C

Mary lou mcelwain, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark syracusa, yes, harold whitehouse, yes, erica wagonik,.

C

Yes, deputy police chief mike maloney, yes, fire chief bill mcquillen, yes, public works director.

C

Peter rice, yes, chairman andrew bagley, yes, should I include karen, I think, for the next one. Thank you.

B

And I guess we should let the record show that city manager, karen canard, is here now as well.

B

um Item c marriott drive, request for speed study by resident and.

B

The sample motion is moved to refer to staff for study and a report back.

H

Look motion to move to reverse staff, who are study and report back.

D

I'll second, that motion all right all right. Any discussion.

O

This request came to us from a neighborhood meeting we had on the sidewalk project in.

O

In maple haven, so we were following up on some requests from that committee. From that meeting.

O

A roll call vote on that. Please mary lou mcelwain, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark.

C

Syracusa, yes, harold white house, yes erica wagonik, don't think I vote now.

B

Oh, I'm sorry, okay uh to do police deputy police chief mike maloney, yes, fire chief.

C

Bill mcquillen, yes, public works director, peter rice, yes, city manager, karen connor, yes,.

C

Chairman andrew bagley, yes, an nmd, maple haven request for stop sign evaluations at several.

B

Locations by resident and the sample motion is moved to refer to staff for study and report back.

H

You want a second or you want to make the motion and then we'll get a okay make a motion.

D

I'll make the motion.

D

We'll mark seconded here who to refer to staff for study and report back, that's the motion. Second, and.

H

That's the same thing eric from the meeting that came from the meeting back in september.

H

Wasn't there a study on the uh one side of maple haven already the north and south.

O

Yes- and this is a request for some stop signs, so this is a separate study that we're going to do.

O

Take take a look and see if stop signs are needed. If you feel those intersections on suzanne drive.

O

Are confusing as to who has it right away there? The city gave a presentation of what they're.

H

Going to do for informational purposes, and this is just follow-up requests from the residents.

H

Is that correct, eric, yes, yeah.

B

All right there's no further discussion I'll ask for our vocal vote. Please mary lou mcelwain.

C

Yes, mark syracusa, yes, harold whitehouse, yes, deputy police chief, mike maloney.

C

Yes, fire chief bill mcquillen. Yes, public works director, peter rice, yes,.

C

City manager, karen conard, yes, chairman, andrew bagley, yes, moving on to old business, mma.

B

Neighborhood parking program, discussion and recommendation of the program fee.

B

To fee committee have a parking director ben fletcher here too explain what's in the packet.

F

Good morning, everybody thanks for the opportunity to come and speak this morning as you've all seen in the packet of some information at the uh council meeting.

F

On august 22nd, the parking division was tasked with developing a pricing strategy to assure.

F

That, if the program continued forward, any permanent program would remain cost neutral.

F

So parts of this neighborhood do have a supply and demand issue rock street to bridge street adjacent.

F

To the foundry garage is indeed over utilized due to large rental property, property populations and.

F

A short supply of on-street and private inventory, but the overhaul the overall neighborhood has.

F

Bounded in the current npp map is not experiencing occupancy figures to a degree that would normally.

F

Dictate demand reduction resolutions, the division performed an analysis of the 21 and 22 spring and.

F

Summer seasons using occupancy percentages from may to early august. The study indicated that the.

F

Neighborhood did enjoy a 1.98 reduction in demand that can be directly attributed to the pilot.

F

Effort equating to 4.96 spaces additional that were open neighborhood-wide. This does indicate.

F

A positive result: the states the space has gained, though, however, were not within the geographical.

F

Area most affected by high demand and short supply between rock and bridge, rather, the newly achieved.

F

Open spaces were primarily realized in the less populated lower demand areas west of cornwall.

F

So the policy recommendations coming from the parking division are always related to.

F

Behavior management, for example, the city has a stated goal of turning spaces over.

F

Every three hours in the central business district, therefore, pricing in the downtown.

F

Inventory accelerates after the third hour, providing an economic incentive for.

F

Users to choose to vacate or turn the space over at the city's desired third hour goal.

F

uh This leaves inventory open for the next user group, enabling support of local businesses.

F

By providing convenient parking options for users, unlike the city's high demand commercial.

F

Inventory there would not be any call to encourage users to turn spaces over at the.

F

Third hour in a residential neighborhood across the parking vision would not recommend pricing.

F

Mirroring the stay and pay model that we have in the downtown space, a flat hourly rate structure.

F

Resembling what is utilized each of the city's garages would make more sense for this application.

F

So to encourage continued use of the foundry garage, a price point of a dollar fifty per.

F

Hour would be recommended. This coincides with the current b zone rate of 1.50 for the first.

F

Three hours, but would not escalate in the fourth hour and beyond uh pricing in this.

F

Manner provides a natural incentive for visitors to the neighborhood to choose the foundry garage.

F

With its one dollar per hour price point, while employees of downtown portsmouth businesses.

F

Already take advantage of the downtown employee parking program which provides.

F

For 10-hour parking sessions at three dollars, a piece or 30 cents per hour at the foundry garage.

F

The application of metering technology for all non-p npp credentialed users allow us.

F

For simplification, you would no longer need guest passes, you wouldn't need event passes.

F

And contractor passes would not be necessary. All of these would be eliminated due to the fact.

F

That non-credentialed users would simply engage the meter system for the duration of their stay.

F

The anticipated revenue from on-street visitor parking could be expected to offset a good.

F

Portion of the costs associated with extending this program, so a flat fee for passes could be.

F

Applied for year, one the division is recommending 125 dollars per pass annually for up to three.

F

Passes per household, each of which would need to be associated with a specific vehicle, as in.

F

The program now the 125 annual credential fee would help offset administrative costs labor.

F

And materials for processing applications and maintaining the city's npp database. What fees.

F

Collected through the metering system would help offset the cost of enforcement and, at the.

F

Conclusion of year, one revenues could be assessed against ongoing costs and the annual permit fees.

F

Could be adjusted at that time. So, finally, rather than install kiosks or individual meters for each.

F

Space, the division would recommend if we move to meter the area that we do it through. The.

F

Use of the park mobile app there would be minimal additional signage necessary if any, there wouldn't.

F

Be any crowding of sidewalks with meters or or kiosks. It's paperless and the app already provides.

F

Some popular features such as text notifications, when you're when you're running short of time, the.

F

Avail, the ability to extend your session if you desire and the resident discount would already.

F

Would already apply for residents of portsmouth that don't live in the neighborhood, where they.

F

Wouldn't be paying the 35 fee and they'd have a 50 cent reduction in their costs. So again the the.

F

Division was tasked with understanding or trying to help us understand. You know how to offset.

F

These costs, if we were to continue the program, so the discussion really should be. You know whether.

F

Or not to continue it at all and then and then how to go best. Go about mitigating those costs.

B

Thank you, director, fletcher. Is there any questions for ben.

A

One question: yes: maybe I addressed the city manager. um The fee committee only meets when.

A

It's necessary to meet, it doesn't have a standard monthly meeting. It does not meet.

D

Monthly, it definitely meets in in advance of setting budget parameters, but if I may clarify.

G

Two on-street fees are ordinance driven they're, not fee committee driven, so they're parking lots.

G

And garages, our fee committee, on-street parking, is uh as an ordinance survey. That's per state, so.

A

Will this issue go to this fee committee this it could go to the fee committee, but it was.

G

It's ultimately the council's decision related to it's. It's an ordinance driven, it's not a it's, not.

G

A fee committee per se, okay, thank you. um I've got two questions. uh Director, fletcher um enforcement.

B

Only happens during the hours of nine uh in the morning till 8 pm correct. So so, uh if somebody.

B

Was to spend the night in the neighborhood that wasn't part of that neighborhood. They wouldn't.

B

Have to pay after the hours of eight, just as if they parked in any street downtown okay and then.

B

The other question that came up in public comment was uh different enforcement hours of, for instance,.

B

Say eight to five: is that feasible in your opinion, or do you think the parking department.

F

I mean that's that would actually shorten the amount of time we're spending out there so, but.

B

It would start an hour earlier than oh well yeah. I am sorry I wasn't paying close enough.

F

Attention to that, but uh yeah I mean we don't we're not staffed at that hour. So we would. We.

F

Would have to change our staffing to accommodate that that one group yeah.

B

Erica, um I mean, I think nine to five would probably be as effective as eight to five.

P

In terms of it sounded like the neighbor's concern was that they want those people, people who've, come.

P

In during the day to leave by the time they get home from work was my impression of the comments.

P

um So the neighborhood passes would only be available for residents now. Businesses wouldn't.

P

Have an option because they would just use the meters. Is that the idea? I would suggest that that.

F

The businesses would have the same three that they have now. Okay, you know they're limited to.

F

That so this has three per household, but it's three per household or business, correct, yeah,.

P

And the residents would have 50 cents off the per hour rate, so it would only.

P

Be a dollar for them to park on the street. The app is already programmed that way. Yes,.

P

P

Curious about, um why is it that we don't want to enforce the three-hour like why.

P

Don't we want to nudge people to leave after three hours in this location? Well, the primary.

F

Reason we do that in downtown is to turn the space over so that the businesses can.

F

Enjoy continual influx of open space nearby, it's just a different dynamic.

F

The residential people, when you're visiting a residence you're the the object is not.

F

Necessarily to to move people along it's, you know why there you're, watching a football game.

F

Or you're visiting your nana or what have you it's a totally different um situation, but it could be.

P

All-Day parking for business, then, if they pay the meter all day for sure but again at a dollar. Fifty.

F

An hour there would be far more advantage to go to the foundry garage at a dollar an hour right.

P

And the reason that we would do it in the whole neighborhood and not just the area that you've.

P

Mentioned as being the over utilized areas out of concern that it's going to just push people.

P

To park the next block over where they don't have to pay so in a nutshell, yeah. So originally the.

F

Mapping was was much smaller than it was expanded, as in 2019 2018. When we had these discussions.

F

Initially uh that people were worried about spilling over into the next street over and then.

F

They would want it and then it would go to the next street over that's how uh the the original.

F

Map was drawn up or how it became to be the way it is, and islington uh gave a natural border of.

F

To our management anyway and bridge street same thing and that's monetized and then the railroad.

F

Tracks to the north, and it was just basically how far west we wanted to go with it, and it turned out.

F

That the neighborhood decided at the time that all the way to dover was appropriate. Would it be.

P

Possible for us to constrain the geography back to that area now or are we kind of? Is this a binary.

P

Either we do the mirror of barking or we don't do it at all. I guess that's it. I don't I'm not really.

D

Excited is like what are we being asked to comment on here today, so let me give my perspective on it.

B

um I received um quite a few emails and phone calls and texts. I would say both in support for.

B

It and indifferent, I would say more, people were against it, but it's a relatively small sample size.

B

The goals of the pilot program- I believe originally was the south end in this.

B

Neighborhood but the south end elected not to be part of it, and then you know it was a pilot.

B

Program, it was a study, it was, let's gather some data. um You can see where the data leads us.

B

The council uh asked for director fletcher to come up with a pricing uh scheme where it would be.

B

Relatively revenue neutral- and so you know through crunching the numbers we figured this. You know.

B

It might be able to pay for itself, so to speak, that we won't know until we actually implement.

B

If we do implement, something we might be over might be under might be right on the the mark, so.

B

Hearing the feedback of the program looking at the data, ultimately, it's going to be a council.

B

Decision, but we are in a position where, if we wanted to, we could make a recommendation and one.

B

Recommendation, I might throw out there for the committee to consider.

B

Is that we now have a pricing structure that we can go to the neighborhoods of the city and.

B

Say this is if you want a neighborhood parking program. This is what it's going to look like this.

B

Is what it's going to cost? Are you interested or not? Now, in our city ordinances, we have a.

B

Policy where, if you can get, I believe, 75 percent of the residents of single-family.

B

Homes to sign up, if they want to be part of the program, we would implement the program.

B

So what we could do is we now have a structure for our program. We could end the pilot and now leave.

B

It up to the residents in the neighborhoods if they want to have a neighborhood parking program.

B

In their area and if if two streets come forward and say that they want it, and you know 75 percent.

B

Of the people that live on those streets want it, then you know we could recommend that we implement.

B

It and if, if uh nobody comes forward, we don't have one if every neighborhood in the city comes.

B

Forward then we have them throughout the city, but this is taking the the data that we collected and.

B

Then giving it to the residents to decide if they they want a program such as this, because what I'm.

B

Hearing is there's no clear consensus. Some people think it's the you know it's the greatest thing.

B

Ever and other people think it's it's horrible and a great many people just don't seem to have.

B

Any opinion one way or the other, but I think once we start charging money that may change so.

B

We're gonna on the agenda we're going to recommend to the fee committee that they consider.

B

This program and we could send it with a recommendation that you know the the program.

B

We've got enough data, we can end the pilot and the fee committee can set the the fees.

B

And then I can go to council and council can say: okay if you want a neighborhood parking program.

B

This is what you, the residents need to do to go about getting one chair. Yes, so.

H

The agenda is discussion, recommendation of a program fee to the fee committee, so you wanna.

H

As a group, do we have to decide to move forward with that or do something different well director.

B

Rice, could you clarify, should we send this to the fee committee? Is that a mistake or is.

B

That correct! Well, you know it's really for it'd, be a uh referral as a wreck as a informational.

G

um To the fee committee, because technically street fees do not street parking.

G

Fees don't go they're, not a fee they're, a parking.

G

It's in a state law, it's regulated by ordinance, so it's not necessarily a fee that you can just.

G

Put in that gets adopted by a budget and then gets published, so it's it's a you know. You have to have.

G

It in the ordinance to be able to charge it on the street. I mean, I guess you know just no reason.

G

You I'm sorry, there's no reason you can't send it to the fee committee and I think the thought.

G

Was given the interest of the fee committee relative to revenues that it would be appropriate.

G

At least for informational purposes, to refer to the feed committee, that was the intent okay,.

B

With that being said, do you still feel like that's the the right to put you on the spot, the right or.

B

Do you think we should just go directly to the council? I you know not being elected official.

G

um I would defer to, however, you know that you would use a chair and, as an.

G

Elected official would like to go. I don't see necessarily the need to go to the fee committee.

G

um But given uh you know uh a feeling of prerogative, um it might be an appropriate.

G

One-Step approach it'll give people a little bit long. You know more time to digest the program.

G

But at the same time you know if a decision needs to be made, it's truly a policy decision.

G

um You know the city staff will implement whatever the council ends up deciding.

G

um You know, I think today's discussion is more, you know, do we do we feel that the approach in.

G

Terms of the structure of of these fees and how we go about doing it is appropriate. Do we need to.

G

Tweak it you know, I personally think it's it's a well thought out approach. I think simplifying it.

G

By making um the parking on street, um you know having a parking rate that you pay if you're.

G

Going to be there, you don't have to go get passes, makes a lot easier on the residents as well as.

G

You know as well as the opera. You know the operation of the program.

G

um So if the decision is to go ahead with the program, I think this approach is appropriate.

G

um But that is the whether they move, whether they move forward or not, is really a policy decision.

G

By council, okay, thank you, um mr chairman, in my brief history here. It is not typical for.

D

The fee committee to take up matters for which they do not have jurisdiction and a.

D

Vote right, they're not typically used in an advisory or in india recommendation to.

G

Council could it could serve in that to take that recommendation role, but so could the.

D

Parking and traffic safety committee- okay, erica- um I just want to restate what I think I heard.

P

We're doing or could do to make sure that I understand it and to get clarification.

P

So I think our goal today is to discuss what a neighborhood parking program could look like in.

P

Its in terms of the structure of it, what we're recommending the structure of a neighborhood.

P

Parking program would look like not to decide if there should be a neighborhood parking program.

P

Yeah and those are two different two different things. One is if there was a neighborhood parking.

P

Program, how would it be implemented and one is should there and if so, where- and we are.

P

Do not need to take up the if so, where we're just focused on the. What would what should a.

P

Structure of a neighborhood parking program look like. Is that correct? I think that's correct, so.

B

um You know the pilot program's gone on for a considerable amount of time and it hasn't always.

B

Been clear because we've voted to continue the pilot program, so we could get more data. I think.

B

At some point, it's ultimately a council decision, so what we should do as a as a board, because we've.

B

Heard from all the the speakers- and you know more comments than maybe most people on the.

B

Council have is say, okay, this is what we've heard. This is what the data says. This is what we're.

B

Suggesting if you want to implement a neighborhood parking program, these might be the parameters.

B

um To peter's point what we could do is say these are the numbers that, and you know if we wanted.

B

To we could change the the numbers, the 125 or whatever new discussion, but I think they're good.

B

Numbers, but we could also recommend to the council if, if you're not comfortable with this aspect,.

B

Maybe reference the fee committee, but I think sending it to the council sooner.

B

Rather than later makes sense, because, ultimately, this is really a political.

B

um Decision, it's you know we're not talking about you, know, fires or schools or police.

B

Here things that we absolutely have to have this, this would go under a.

B

Things that we might desire to have and and things that we don't have to have things that are desires.

B

Are typically, you know political decisions, so I think we should try and craft something today.

B

That is is um clear and concise as it can be and present it to the council and then let the.

B

Council decide what they want to do with that data, steve and then mark counselor. I think you're you.

E

Laid out a good summary of the history of this, and I I I want to acknowledge that the parking.

E

Staff have spent a lot of time over the past year plus on this trying to develop a system to test.

E

See what benefits were see what the costs were? I think ben you've done a great job, laying that out.

E

I view it as a good experiment. I do think it's up to the council to decide whether the net benefits.

E

uh Are there for the community, but I agree with erica's assessment that we we now have.

E

A framework laid out- maybe maybe the pilot- needs to end the new framework. Is there as an option if.

E

The council uh wants to lay that on the table for neighborhoods to choose to opt in under a.

E

New system, so I think in the end, this pilot has worked. I'm sensitive to a lot of the speakers.

E

That have said it's, it's not necessary, et cetera. Well, that's that's a decision to be made, but I do.

E

Think we have a framework laid on the table. That seems rational and logical. We know what some of.

E

The costs are, uh uh I think that the council should review it and consider it, but the pilot.

E

Probably, should you know, the free pilot that we've been under should probably come to an end.

H

uh Mark you know I'm just going back to the old business discussion, recognition of a program fee to the.

H

Fee committee, I'm going to motion to table that language or can I motion table that language and.

H

We move on to some other motion options, but we're just having a discussion yeah. I guess we're just.

B

Having discussion so what I would suggest is that maybe we we recommend something to council um and.

B

And along those lines, I think it's probably time, for you know it's up to the council, but I think.

B

You know the pilot program's going on for quite some time now. There's probably not great benefit.

B

In continuing the pilot, so we would recommend we and the pilot. We would recommend that we.

B

Set the parameters as the the parking department has suggested, um which the council can change if.

B

They wish us to um and that if somebody, a neighborhood wants a parking program.

B

Everything kind of starts fresh, so there may not be a parking program in islington.

B

Creek or there may be a parking program in half of islington creek or there may not be.

B

One in that area of the city, but um pan away manor decides that they want a parking program.

B

And they can have one so chair. What's the best language for us at this moment to make a motion.

B

I would suggest uh asking staff a manager, peter I'm just it's a general question to.

H

Staff and the chair, as committee members, um how would you proceed with emotion.

H

At this time, because we're discussing, but it seems like, does anybody want to step forward, and I can't.

H

Formulate emotion in my head, I wish I had his. I feel, like my background, probably suggest it.

E

I, like the framework of what you've just laid out, that the the pilot program should be sunset, that.

E

We present to the council of framework for a new optional neighborhood parking program with costs.

E

And develop, develop a method for a neighborhood to opt into that should they wish to.

E

um It's like three points to that. I guess that's how I kind of would do it. So if we get a mr, if.

G

I, if I could just speak to this point, I mean it's this: a la carte approach to neighborhood.

G

By neighborhood throughout the city um is going to be problematic when it comes to costing out.

G

And manning the enforcement, you know, if maple haven decides, they want a parking program that.

G

Would entail our staff having to be down there on a regular basis, um not that they aren't deserving.

G

And not that we wouldn't adjust to do that, but it's just that. It's not a one-size-fits-all.

G

It would be an escalating impact on costs associated with the operations, um so it's.

G

The the you know the we've made this committee has acknowledged the political aspects of this program.

G

In the past, if you look at the data, the data does not support the program. There are aspects that.

G

Benefit certain residents that we understand this, you know it's an improved quality of life and and.

G

That's because that is why it is a political decision, not a a purely technical decision.

G

um I would I would not recommend opening it up to the the entire city. I would. I would focus it on.

G

um You know areas that are that are known to be challenging, which really are the the denser urban.

G

Portions of the city- um and you know whether you could look at the the downtown business district.

G

As kind of the the starting point um to and don't expand it beyond that at this point.

G

um You know it it in and of itself is almost a pilot as well where you're you're you we've come.

G

Up with a framework we've showed it can work in terms of operations. However, it's expensive and the.

G

Benefit isn't necessarily there that's, at least in in terms of the aggregate in terms of the the the.

G

Individual there are benefits to the individual and I I'm not saying that's not the case.

G

um However, you know we, as somebody mentioned, we have to think about the whole of the city.

G

And we have to think about the precedent, we're setting and we have to think about.

G

You know what what what are we saying you know to any resident that gets together with.

G

Five folks on one block: okay, that one block is now you know private parking and you you.

G

Know it becomes a very challenging thing. You know it's it's one section of lincoln avenue.

G

um You know it's now it that's a great point so so I I think we need to really focus on a more.

G

Defined program and the the unfortunate policy decision associated with it is is.

G

One of you know: how do you make a decision without upsetting a certain portion of the.

G

Residents and the other portion, as well as the other portion. So it's a it's a very difficult.

G

uh Challenge no matter yeah, yes, yeah, no matter what motion it's made, I won't approve or anything.

A

Unless it's referred to the city council in reference to the pilot program, that's that's.

A

They've referred a lot of issues to us. Yes, now I'm referring it. I think your point is yeah.

H

uh Mark, like can someone at this table, articulate emotion to move forward? I like steve's.

B

um I like harold's edition and then to director rice's point. um You know. As a politician, I I.

B

Don't like to carve out sections of the city yeah, what might be a good solution is that.

B

We have a minimum number of households, so your neighborhood 200 houses- I don't you know- maybe.

B

Somebody should come up with that number, but if, if we you know if the neighborhood contains at least.

B

Or spark parking spaces if the neighborhood has at least 100 parking spaces. The program can.

B

More or less financially support itself, and if you know if, if.

B

um Maple haven, which I don't anticipate that they would, but if, for some reason in the future, they.

B

Decided they needed a neighborhood parking program, because uh you know the situation.

B

Changed out there, if the program is truly uh cost neutral, we it wouldn't incur. You know the person.

B

uh Regularly in the parking out there would be out there every day in that particular area.

B

Is that correct, or is that not a so, mr chairman, if, if I could the so we create.

G

We've we've shown a kind of a path forward if a neighborhood's interested they petition the.

G

City council, to do a pilot which then validates the desire of you, know, validates the request.

G

That the essence needed- and it showed a benefit it identifies the costs associated with operating it.

G

So I think that would be the the the mechanism to initiate this. Instead of saying any any group.

G

That gets together can get a program. Any group that gets together can initiate a pilot effort.

G

Which would then validate the request and then so. It would have to repeat what was done.

G

And isn't in the area or the madonna area, and then it needs to go to council, for so we we've looked.

G

At that we've done the we've done the pilot effort in the in the area we've got the data we've shown.

G

That there's there's some benefit, but it's not necessary. It doesn't meet the industry standard.

G

And now it's a policy decision that has to come back to council, so the it's similar to the.

G

um Traffic calming approach where, just because a group of people come in and say they want a.

G

Traffic coming measure: first, they have to show that the support then there's.

G

This data collected then this then there's um it's reported to us and we review it and.

G

Then, if it's, if it's supported with the data supported by the residents, it can move forward.

G

So I would say that we create that kind of mechanism that it's not a just a blanket.

G

Everybody can get their own parking, however, they want. It has to be a formulaic approach where you.

G

This is how you move forward and then the final decision you know for for the parking traffic and.

G

Safety stuff is, is ours, and in this case it's it's. It goes to council for a recommendation.

G

um You know, and so that's I'm gonna go on a list so erica and then mark.

G

um uh I had a couple of, I guess, comments and questions to various things that have come up.

P

One point of concern I had was there was a mention that the current ordinance is 75 percent of.

P

Owners of single-family homes are, is that the case, probably that's an ordinance okay, I would. It seems.

P

I I don't understand why single-family homes would have precedence over residents and other.

P

Housing types- and I I feel like especially the places that we're having the most capacity issues.

P

Are places that aren't necessarily dominated by single-family homes, by definition, there's more.

P

Space on the street for a single family home than if you've got more units, so.

P

That's something I would feel, I think pretty strongly about making sure was part of the.

P

You know people who get to vote on this. Maybe the idea is they apartments turn over more often, but.

P

Someone else is going to be in that apartment and they're going to have similar problems.

P

um I feel like I would be hesitant to do a pilot every single time. That seems like it's a lot of.

P

Administrative burden, but I think that there's room for us to have thresholds or standards or.

P

You know there aren't warrants per se for requiring any neighborhood parking program.

P

But there's nothing to say: we can't come up with you know. You have to exceed 85 percent.

P

Capacity on your road or you know the area, I think I think it's reasonable for us to say you have to.

P

Have a parking problem to come to be able to ask for it, because I think what we don't want. Is it.

P

To become effectively a gated community, where you know you could see a neighborhood of 100 people.

P

Coming together and being like, we don't want anyone else parking in our neighborhood, so we want.

P

A parking program, even though there's no parking problem right, and so I think there needs to be.

P

There needs to be a demonstrated problem and some sort of minimum number of people involved so that.

P

It can pay, you know somehow work out financially. I think the overall structure of what's proposed.

P

Makes sense in terms of on-street parking charging front street parking instead of having all the.

P

Guest pass business, I think that got really complicated um and I think, having a fee to.

P

Get your pass makes sense. Just you have to have a buy-in, I think, but I don't know if we need to.

P

Decide on the details of what the fee is and what the details of the on-street parking charges would.

P

Be because I I think that could vary in different areas. I I'm I'm not 100 convinced that the hanover.

P

Street area, where we have the biggest congestion parking congestion that not having that graduated.

P

Three-Hour cap would make sense. You know I would advocate for maybe having more incentive to have.

P

Some turnover there, maybe it's not three hours, maybe it's five hours, but I don't know if we want.

P

People camping there all day, but I could see that varying by location and so.

P

I guess I would advocate for the structure of having a fee and having on-street parking charging.

P

For on-street parking, but maybe those things are are situational and, depending on you know how how.

P

Much does it cost to serve that area? What is the overall character of the users of the area? What.

P

What do we want for turnover rates? What do we want for the fees, the parking fees so mark and then.

D

Peter no go ahead, peter I want to hear a few years. No, no! I I acknowledge what you're saying you know.

G

And I appreciate what you're saying of relatives and not wanting to do a pilot but you're. The final.

G

Portion of your what you were saying: really kind of reinforce. Why you do that? Because you need to.

G

Figure out what it's going to cost, you got to figure out what how you're going to staff it.

G

um The the challenge right now is that you know demonstrated problem. You know how we we need to.

G

Define there's a lot of things that need to be defined if we're going to create a program that.

G

Is more consistently applied throughout the city and the the task we're given right now? Is this.

G

Specific thing that we have studied exhausted exhaustively over the last couple years so.

G

I I support what you're saying in terms of we need to come up with a more defined approach on how we.

G

Do this and I think that's something that similar to the speed uh throughout the city, I think it.

G

Would warrant some time to sit down and kind of really think about this as a as a subcommittee.

G

um Or somebody you know a group of people talking about it in more detail, working with ben to to.

G

Really drill down into the mechanisms of you know, you know: do we hold up that that 85 utilization.

G

Which is industry standard? um Do we do we require 75 of you know what kind of household you know.

G

And make those recommendations and then we, then we adopt those recommendations and move forward.

G

But that doesn't necessarily inform what we need to do right now on this particular situation. You.

G

Know we've, I feel the data we have on this shows what it shows in terms of utilization and benefit.

G

The the data that ben has relative to cost is real, so in order to cover the costs, if, if.

G

The if the council wants us to be cost neutral if they want to move forward with this program,.

G

This is what needs to be. Something needs to be done, and this is, I believe, is, is a.

G

Flexible approach on how to do it, I just saw mary lou's hand up on the screen.

B

Sorry marilyn, I I can't see the screen from where I'm sitting.

O

Mary lou go ahead. uh Yes, thank you. um I thought ben's report was simplifying this program and.

D

This conversation is complicated. I thought we were referring specifically to the islington.

D

Street neighborhood and it seems like we've, expanded this conversation and we're going.

D

Around and around so I'm wondering if we recorded andrew's initial recommendation if we can hop back.

D

Five or seven minutes and look at what andrew has recommended that we bring forward to the city.

D

Council, I just think that we are complicating this by shooting into other neighborhoods by.

D

Talking about different trees, um I I don't think this program as such is sustainable financially.

D

And at the same time, I don't think that people are going to pay 125 dollars for people who rent.

D

In that neighborhood are renting there, because it's an affordable, neighborhood versus the rest.

D

Of portsmouth, so I uh can we hop back and your dear. I don't think we can do that. That's it's.

G

Recorded to the cloud- and it hasn't been done- we don't have access to the recording.

G

um It's not like a dvr setup, but I think steve has no good see yeah. Well, I I just think there.

E

Were three parts andrew correct me uh so in the neighborhood pilot program in islington.

B

I I think sun said it. I mean the council has to decide but yeah at some point. We have to end up.

E

Pilot program, because it's right, this is just our thoughts recommending to the council except the.

E

Framework that's been laid on the table and then to peter's point um request that staff develop.

E

A methodology for a neighborhood, a contiguous, practical neighborhood, to opt in to the framework.

H

Is that three parts I like steve's, can we get a second? Is that a motion sure? Okay, that's a motion.

H

I I second his motion. All right go ahead mark no, I just seconded his motion. Oh it's just the.

H

Can leela, can you read back his motion? We do have it on video. We can do that. I'm sorry! I'm.

C

Sorry, okay: I try to go ahead motion to recommend to the cat city council to end the pilot program.

C

And he said, except I'm thinking present the cost framework that ben has laid out yes and to develop.

C

A framework for other neighborhoods to potentially opt into a parking group yeah requested staff.

E

Develop a framework I you know if I, if I could, mr, I would say, drop that last one and have that.

G

As a separate um thing, don't don't co-mingle them? I accept a friendly suggestion, friendly amendment.

H

That's the first friendly amendment does the second agree to that friendly amendment.

D

Yes, second, that's the first one we got ten more. I think that motion is too long. A man.

A

It's too long for me, you know, let's refer to the council in reference to the pilot program period,.

A

That's how I feel well so harold. The motion now says would be just simply to end the pilot.

E

Program and to accept the framework presented by the parking staff for the consideration by.

A

The council, let the council decide on the pilot program, yeah, okay. So now I feel recommending the.

J

Program is that what you're saying no people? Yes, sorry excuse me. No, you can't speak um erica.

P

The red was except the cost framework, but I've to me it's more the management framework, less the.

P

Cost framework explicitly like the management of the program, is there's a fee to get a pass.

P

And there's on street parking fees, maybe maybe that's semantics? Yes, I don't agrees with me on.

P

That, but that's it's that structure, it's not the cost themselves. I think what we're recommending.

B

And this is open for discussion is that we end the pilot program yeah and the islington pilot.

E

Program, yes, we end the pilot program, the part and then the second part of the motion is we now.

B

Have a structure for potentially a future pilot program right well or if you implement the. If.

G

You implement, if the count, if you eliminate the pilot in the council, says it's going to be we're.

G

Going to make this a real parking program, here's the structure that you would use. If you did that.

G

You're not saying they're doing it or not right if yeah, if, if conditionally, if they want to, they.

G

Choose to move forward. This is our recommendation. That's how I okay go ahead mark, so you know we're.

H

A recommendation body so we're going to move forward with a recommendation. Leela. Can you.

H

Is it yeah a motion to recommend that the city council and the pilot program and present.

C

Our parking director's recommendation for the the framework.

C

Of the program, okay, I'll support that, if, if a program, if a program is.

C

Okay, yes approved; okay, that's the language of the motion, unfriendly motion.

H

Now I just wanted to state to the public that this is a recommendation of the city.

H

Council, which is going to go to politicians to decide it could end up back here at some point.

J

Right now, if this committee took no action, the the conversation we had back in, I believe august.

D

Was to extend the pilot through december 4th. So what we're saying and bringing this motion back.

D

To council, through you at an upcoming meeting, would be the pts committee is recommending.

D

Terminating the pilot now or on this, or as as planned on december, 4th right and and.

D

Presenting the framework, if the council so chooses to establish a permanent program with parameters.

D

Set forth here correct, so is that a friendly amendment leela? I don't think it's amendment.

D

I think we're done yeah, no, because I can, when I present this to the council, I can say you know.

B

It's the council's decision. We could end it at that meeting or the following monday or december.

B

4Th or for heaven forbid, we could extend it for a year and refer back to parking traffic and safety.

B

So I mean it's going to be up to the council. We just want to make sure that, because we've.

B

Lived this a little closer than maybe some of the council members have, um but I know some council.

B

Members are paying very close attention. um We want to present the findings of facts so that they can.

B

Make an informed decision correct, so I I think what we're saying is is you know the pilot has.

B

Gone on long enough, so we're going to we recommend that you end it and two. We think director fletcher.

B

Has come up with a good framework if there was to be a neighborhood parking program, yeah and.

B

Then three is is going to be up to the council to decide. You know what to do with that information.

A

Yeah, but so this is a lot of people have a lot of time invested in this, so I want.

B

To make sure we get it well said: let's move on jesus yeah, so we have to vote.

E

On that motion yeah, so could we have a roll call vote? Please mary lou mcelwain.

P

She wasn't ready.

D

And I would say yes: do you see yes, mark syracusa? Yes, harold whitehouse? Yes, yes,.

C

Deputy police chief mike maloney, yes, fire chief bill mcmillan, yes, public works director, peter rice.

C

Yes, city manager, karen conard, yes, chairman, andrew bagley, yes, hey, um thank you for everybody for all.

B

That discussion and now we're moving on to the monthly accident report from the police department.

D

Thank you, mr chair. First, we have um 81 reported total uh total crashes for the month of august.

H

48 of those were considered reportable and that there was excessive damage. There was one motor.

H

Vehicle accident involving a bicycle and one motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian.

H

Looking at those two instances there, I didn't see anything contributory for causation factors.

H

Relative to this committee of road design or anything that could be of improvement there so.

H

We've gone almost the entire year through august, without a bicycle collision with a motor vehicle.

H

But we did have one in august, but still still trending in the right direction. Great thank you. Do.

B

We accept those or do is that just informational, informational, okay and then um on to miscellaneous.

B

uh Mark got a email from a resident that reads when an event is held at the bridge street lot.

H

That's where they have metered parking etc. Does the city receive rent? So if there's a special.

H

Interest group or an event there does the event organizers pay rent, how much revenue is lost.

H

When that lot is, does the event holder pay for medicinal services, such as trash and police thanks.

H

Give that to mr chair, I'm sorry I would. I would say that it varies. um Events in the city.

B

For instance, not a lot of people know, but uh the halloween parade is actually paid for by primarily.

B

By a non-profit, it's not a city-run event. The city does a lot of work to make sure it happens.

B

But it's funded to a great extent by a non-profit. Conversely, the holiday parade is, I believe, a city.

B

Funded event, so uh I would say the same thing happens on the bridge street lot. Sometimes.

B

The city might get revenue or consideration, but many times the uh the city will not because it's a.

B

Council policy decision that we want to encourage events like this, so we don't charge a fee or we.

B

Charge a token fee, or um I don't think, there's a hard and fast answer to that question. Yeah.

H

It's just a public, I'm just reading that from an email and just sharing it with a with the group.

B

Is there any other miscellaneous? I received a letter this week it was after the packets.

O

Went out so we didn't make it to the agenda, but there's a request from a resident of broad street to take a look at the intersection of south and broad. As far.

O

As parking close to the intersection creating conflicts getting in and out.

O

Of broad street from south street, so that will be on the agenda for next month. Okay,.

B

All right, I guess that will move it move to adjourn over here. All.

A

Right, okay, do we need to vote on that or I think we can just be adjourned? I think.

D

Administratively can adjourn all right, so the meeting's adjourned. Thank you. Everyone.