TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1

PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ...................................................................... 1 Parking Pricing ........................................................................................................... 1 Shared Parking .......................................................................................................... 3 Parking Regulations ................................................................................................... 4 Parking Standards ..................................................................................................... 4 Peripheral Parking ..................................................................................................... 6 Parking Information Systems ..................................................................................... 6 Educational Programs & Signage .............................................................................. 7 Walkability .................................................................................................................. 7 Capacity & Management Improvements of Existing Parking Facilities ....................... 7 Spillover & Overflow Parking Management ................................................................ 9 Co-Benefit Techniques .............................................................................................. 9 Regulatory and Zoning Changes ............................................................................. 10 Multimodal Transportation ....................................................................................... 11

LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Parking Rate Summary for Parking Meters & Pay Stations ......................................... 3

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INTRODUCTION The City of Laguna Beach seeks to maximize the effectiveness of the existing public parking and existing publicly accessible parking space in the Downtown Specific Plan Area and Laguna Canyon Road by implementation of a Parking Management Plan which contains a toolbox of various parking management strategies. This technical memorandum documents various parking management strategies which may be implemented in the Downtown Specific Plan Area and Laguna Canyon Road.

PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES This section identifies a set of strategic parking considerations to guide planning efforts for near-term, mid-term, and long-term implementation. The parking strategies are not intended to be utilized as stand-alone techniques; rather the strategies can be implemented in combination as complimentary strategies. Exhibit 3 includes a matrix of various parking management techniques that can be implemented in the short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

Parking Pricing Parking pricing provides some key benefits that will help minimize challenges to parking management and supply within the Downtown and Canyon study area. While some business owners may have concerns that adjusting pricing will discourage customer visits, or that it is simply a way for the city to collect additional revenue, it is important to note that parking pricing improves convenience (by making the most convenient spaces more frequently available) and produces revenue that can be reinvested into the Parking and/or Transit Fund to pay for future parking supply, trolley expansion, taxi voucher program expansion, parking facility maintenance, etc. Many of the most successful downtown areas have instituted pricing while maintaining high business levels. Progressive cities such as San Francisco and Albany, New York are experimenting with dynamic parking pricing that varies the price to achieve a certain parking occupancy goal. The primary advantages of pricing include:

• Increases Available Parking Supply: Parking pricing at public parking areas increases parking turnover in the most desirable spaces, thereby increasing the number of customers who use the most convenient spaces. Pricing also provides an incentive for private property owners to make restricted off-street parking areas available for public use. This turns each parking space Downtown into a commodity. In the absence of parking pricing, private owners threaten to tow cars parked illegally on their property due to liability concerns. With parking pricing implemented, private owners may then charge at or below City rates with an opportunity for revenue which may offset liability concerns.

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Increasing the value of private spaces increases access to additional parking areas, in turn increasing public supply without costly financial spending use by the City.

• Generates Revenue: The revenue generated through parking pricing can be reinvested into the Parking and/or Transit Fund to pay for future parking supply, trolley expansion, taxi voucher program, parking facility maintenance, etc.

• Encourages Remote Parking: Parking pricing within a core area promotes parking at peripheral parking lots such as ACT V, rather than using existing parking supply within the Downtown.

The City of Laguna Beach currently has parking pricing systems within the Downtown Specific Plan area and Laguna Canyon Road. Within the Downtown study area, on-street parking meters include both coin and credit/debit card capabilities which have increased the overall convenience to users parking within the study area. Off-street parking lots within the Downtown either have a pay station machine or parking attendant present to collect fees. Within the Laguna Canyon Road study area, parking meters are coin operated (no credit/debit card capabilities) which requires visitors to have coins prior to parking since there are not any coin machines within close proximity. The off-street parking lots within the Canyon are primarily operated by a parking attendant who collects fees.

During 2008 and 2009, the City of Laguna Beach installed IPS Meters (Model #132) within the Downtown area. These meters have the following capabilities which are currently utilized:

• Patented meter mechanism accepts payment by coins, credit/debit card, smart card and tokens;

• Wirelessly networked to a web-based management system – no additional communications infrastructure required;

• Retrofits into existing meter housing/poles, and maintains all current meter enforcement and collection processes; and

• Solar powered with rechargeable battery pack.

The parking meters also have the following capabilities which are not currently utilized:

• Vehicle detection which enables the City to track real-time parking demand which can then be downloaded by the public through a mobile phone application. Vehicle detection also enables the meters to reset once a vehicle leaves a parking stall which can generate more revenue per meter; and

• Pay-By-Cell technology which allows visitors to conveniently use their mobile phones to make a payment to the meter via credit card.

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Within the DTSP study area, the on-street parking meters rates are less than the off-street meter rates. This is not typically the case for most parking visitor prioritized pricing systems, nor is it desirable. Industry standards suggest charging a higher rate for the most desirable on-street parking locations and charging a lower rate for off-street parking lots. This incentivizes visitors to utilize the off-street parking lots first, which allows more capacity and turnover for the on-street more desirable parking spaces. Table 1 shows the parking rates for parking meters and pay stations at various locations within the study area.

Table 1 Parking Rate Summary for Parking Meters & Pay Stations

Parking Location Non-Summer Parking Rate

Summer Parking Rate Enforcement Hours Maximum

Time Limit

Downtown On-Street $1 Per Hour $1 Per Hour 8 AM to 7 PM Daily 3 Hours

Downtown Off-Street $2 Per Hour $2 Per Hour 8 AM to 7 PM Daily 3 Hours

Cliff Drive On-Street $1 Per Hour $1 Per Hour 8 AM to 7 PM Daily 10 Hours

Canyon On-Street $1 Per Hour $1 Per Hour 8 AM to 7 PM Daily 10 Hours

Dynamic Pricing

Dynamic pricing is a strategy that includes charging a rate to achieve a target occupancy rate on every block face or parking area, say 85%. This means that parking rates could vary depending on the season (higher in the summer than the winter), day of the week, and/or parking location. This typically results in more turnover at the most desirable locations which would have the highest parking rate, and the goal is to ensure that a few spaces are always available in those desirable locations. This incentivizes visitors, especially those wishing to park for a longer duration, to park in the peripheral and/or off-street parking locations where short-term parking rates are lower. The combination of higher turnover parking spaces in the most desirable locations and higher occupancy of the peripheral/off-street parking locations is attributable to vehicles circulating less to look for a parking space, thereby reducing traffic congestion. First time residents and those visiting for a short time are pleased to find parking available in the most desirable locations, albeit at a higher cost the peripheral locations.

Shared Parking Shared parking allows for better usage of parking spaces between complimentary uses. Natural shared parking opportunities exist within the Downtown where private parking lots are restricted in use to a specific business. Different businesses have varying times of peak parking demand, such as office uses that have peak occupancy during the day, while restaurants may peak in the evening. Residential parking demand is typically highest in the evening and on weekends. When a business or residence is built, it is required to park for the single use based on city code, ignoring any fluctuations in time and day. Shared parking moderates the peaks in parking demand.

Public parking lots within the Downtown were created for joint or shared use without exclusive use of a parking space. Some businesses don’t participate in

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the shared parking pool, resulting in exclusive parking spaces. This means that the public parking spaces are used only by the business, and may be vacant even when the business is closed and does not require the parking space. Business owners within the study area explained that liability is the main reason why they don’t make parking available to the public during off-peak hours. It is too large of a risk for business owners, even if they charge a parking fee to generate revenue, if someone hurts themselves on their private property.

However, based on observations, there are various types of shared parking occurring in the study area. Some businesses that have private parking will charge a parking fee for the public during summer conditions. While this provides parking to visitors willing to pay a fee, this may also deter patrons of the specific business to park because they may think they also have to pay a fee. Other businesses avoid this issue by charging a parking fee only when the business is closed. This works best at businesses that typically close earlier in the day or are closed on weekends (offices, banks, etc.). In general, the shared parking that is currently occurring in the study area helps alleviate the high parking demand at public parking facilities, especially during summer conditions. It is a natural solution to better use existing parking resources, reducing the need to devote additional land and capital to parking facilities.

Parking Regulations The City of Laguna Beach currently has designated short-term parking spaces adjacent to businesses that cater to service vehicles, deliveries, customers, distinct users, quick errands, and special needs. These short-term parking spaces increase the turnover which helps alleviate the parking demand at adjacent parking facilities.

Parking Standards The City of Laguna Beach Municipal Code includes parking standards that require a development project to provide a minimum number of off-street parking spaces based on the proposed land use and size. The following are notable special provisions that are provided within the Municipal Code:

• In-Lieu Parking Certificates. For areas designated by the City Council to be hardship areas and for which special districts are formed for the purpose of providing central or common parking facilities, the City Council may grant relief from the requirements to the extent that an individual property owner or lessee acquires an in-lieu parking certificate equivalent to the number of spaces required for his or her individual development, up to a maximum of three certificates for any one site, unless additional certificates are approved by the City Council as part of a public/private partnership project.

• Common Parking Areas. Common parking facilities may be provided to satisfy the on-site requirements contained herein if the sum of the spaces in the common facility equals the sum of the spaces required for the individual developments/uses.

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• Joint Use of Parking Spaces. Two or more uses with different hours of operation may utilize the same parking spaces to satisfy their respective parking requirements subject to the granting of a Conditional Use Permit.

• Shared Parking. A reduction from parking space requirements may be allowed for certain mixed use developments which have different peak hours of operation or intensity of use subject to the granting of a Conditional Use Permit.

• Valet Parking. Valet parking on a lot, whether proposed on-site to fulfill parking requirements, or off-site for non-required parking requirements, requires approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

• Spaces for Bicycles. The approval authority may require the provision of bicycle racks or bicycle parking facilities in any development submitted for development review.

• Incentives. The City Council may approve a Conditional Use Permit, upon recommendation by the approval authority, to reduce the parking standards required under this chapter where the proposed use provides for and promotes the use of alternative modes of transportation such as ride-sharing, carpools, vanpools, public transit, bicycles and walking; and where the reduced parking requirements will not adversely impact public access to beaches, parks, open spaces, and trails and one or more of the following conditions apply:

o The proposed use is a very low or low income, or disabled housing project.

o The proposed use is considered to be equal intensity or less intense than the previous use.

o The proposed use is a sidewalk café having outdoor seating available to the general public as well as restaurant customers, which contributes positively to the local pedestrian environment. The parking reduction may be granted on a temporary or seasonal basis and shall be limited to a maximum of three spaces.

• Off-Site Parking Spaces. Additional parking that is required for an intensification of nonresidential uses, not involving floor area additions to an existing building envelope, may be satisfied by providing off-site parking spaces subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

• Commercial Parking Lots. Any commercial parking lot (to mean and include a place maintained for parking of vehicles where such parking is permitted upon payment of a fee), including those that are part of a commercial development and/or center and charging a fee for use of required off-street parking, shall obtain approval of a Conditional Use Permit.

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• Compact, Motorcycle and Bicycle Spaces. In every parking area and garage containing six or more spaces, fifty percent of the spaces provided may be designed as compact spaces. Bicycle and motorcycle parking spaces are encouraged and will count towards required parking. To count toward required parking, eight bicycle spaces or two motorcycle spaces count for one standard size parking space, not to exceed ten percent of the required parking.

Peripheral Parking Peripheral parking is an essential parking component to most downtowns. The goal is to attract vehicles before entering the downtown core in order to alleviate the parking demand and reduce traffic congestion within the downtown. Most visitors desire to park as close to their destination as possible, so the peripheral parking concept works only when there is high parking occupancy in the core area, a differential in parking price, and convenient, high quality and frequent shuttle connections.

The City of Laguna Beach currently has three peripheral parking locations which cover the easterly, northerly, and southerly access to the Downtown area. The ACT V (easterly location) peripheral parking lot has a parking supply of 264 parking spaces, and is the only peripheral lot guaranteed to be available every summer for peripheral public parking. The Boat Canyon/Pavilions (northerly location) peripheral parking lot has 50 parking spaces and the Mission Hospital (southerly location) peripheral parking lot has 150 parking spaces reserved for public parking during the summer. Both the Boat Canyon/Pavilions lot and Mission Hospital lot are leased on an annual basis by the City.

Parking Information Systems Parking information systems provide electronic guidance and wayfinding for visitors searching for available parking spaces. Dynamic changeable message signs can provide specific directions to available parking within a parking garage and also provide general directions to parking garage locations within a business district. Static message signs display information that does not continuously change, which may include peripheral parking locations, beach parking locations, etc. Parking information systems help direct visitors to available parking locations which helps reduce the amount of time visitors are circulating the area looking for an available parking space.

The main concern from the community regarding parking information systems relates to the size and appearance of the message signs. While the community understands the value of directing motorists to available parking spaces, they are concerned that the signage may not fit aesthetically with the Laguna architecture and scale of the Downtown area. It is important to provide branding on parking facility signage that is consistent with that of the core business district.

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• Difficult/costly to move stackers during the off-season because it is very labor intensive.

• Require attendant if parking is available for use by general public. However, this can be avoided during non-peak parking conditions by lowering the platform and allowing the public to park their car and not raise the platform.

Spillover & Overflow Parking Management Parking spillover and overflow issues into residential areas occur during peak parking demand times when parking capacity is either at or near full occupancy. In Laguna Beach, this occurs during the summer festival season. To accommodate the parking needs of local residents living adjacent to the three art festivals along Laguna Canyon Road, the City issues two free residential parking permits to residents living on Canyon Acres Drive, Woodland Drive, Arroyo Drive, Lewis Lane, Lewellyn Drive, Fairywood Walk, Roosevelt Lane and Victory Walk. Anyone without a residential parking permit is prohibited from parking on the identified streets adjacent to the three art festivals during the summer. Expansion of the residential permit program to the residential streets surrounding the Downtown area may be a favorable solution among residents. However, the on-street parking capacity within the Downtown area would result in higher demand and occupancy.

While permit programs are a valuable tool to prevent intrusion of commercial parkers into residential area, it also makes public on-street parking resources “off limits”, so there must be a balancing of the interests of residents and the commercial district. Excessive use of residential permits may encourage residents to not use their own off-street parking or store non- operating vehicles on the street. Further, it decreases the total parking capacity for peak commercial events. While residents do not welcome shoppers or employees parking in their neighborhoods, a solution is to allow such parking, properly priced, and return some of all of the revenue back to the neighborhood for community improvements such as sidewalk repair, tree planting or trimming, lighting, or other improvements. In that way residents receive a benefit for allowing others to park in their neighborhoods.

Co-Benefit Techniques While parking management techniques can directly improve parking conditions within the study area, other co-benefits include environmental benefits, such as reduced traffic congestion, air pollutions, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions, improved community livability, walkability, and public health, and economic development.

For example, when various parking management techniques contained in this document are implemented within the City, traffic congestion within the Downtown and Canyon study area could potentially be reduced if a visitor is able to quickly find an available parking space. Well managed parking reduces “cruising” for parking, a situation in which parkers circle around looking for the best space. Cruising is encouraged by underpricing on-street parking, so the first step is to create on-street rates that are greater than off-street rates. Since there would be less vehicle miles traveled (VMT) associated with searching for parking, a reduction of congestion, air pollution, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions would occur. Cruising drivers are also often distracted drivers, creating a hazard for pedestrians and cyclists.

Livability, walkability, and sustainability could also be co-benefits of improvements to alternative modes of transportation that may be implemented within the study area. Providing various

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options to access the Downtown and Canyon reduces the need to use a personal vehicle for every trip. Residents and visitors can walk, bike, or take public transportation to various destinations within the study area. This can increase physical activity, which is associated with reductions in obesity and health problems.

A well-managed parking system has economic development benefits, because it enables businesses to operate more efficiently, increases customer satisfaction with their visit, and reduces needed capital costs associated with new parking construction. In addition, the cost and regulatory burden of parking requirements can be lessened, which can help business retention, expansion, and the attraction of new businesses. For example, many communities that have implemented parking management have found that it allowed a better business mix to emerge and encouraged business investment.

Regulatory and Zoning Changes The existing parking requirements in Laguna Beach have been developed to address local goals and objectives over the years. Parking requirements are tied to parking management in a number of important ways. For example, excessive requirements make parking management less necessary, but they impose excessive costs on businesses, waste land, and hamper economic development. Also, excessive requirements make parking charges infeasible because there is no market for parking. On the other hand, low minimum parking requirements (or no requirements at all) do not guarantee that parking will be added when new development occurs. These approaches require active parking management to sort out which users get to use what parking, for what price. This represents a more market-driven approach to parking.

Parking requirements also affect land use and economic development. For example, a parking requirement of 1 space per 100 square for restaurants is likely to impede the development of restaurants in built up areas because it is so difficult to find enough land to meet requirements. Similarly, a requirement to provide code required parking on-site could impede the development of small parcels of land where on-site provision is difficult to achieve.

A full analysis of the City of Laguna Beach’s parking requirements is beyond the scope of this project, but the following summarizes areas of regulatory reform that could be considered in conjunction with parking management:

• Deregulating core area parking requirements, allowing markets to function to determine if and when parking is added. This would reduce the guarantee of parking space provision when development or renovation occurs, lead to higher market prices for parking, lower development costs, encourage alternative travel modes, and encourage the development of peripheral parking locations.

• Modifying the thresholds concerning remodeling and reconstruction of sites, regarding meeting current regulations, thresholds about the size of additions, and other factors. This might make it more feasible for additions and changes of use within the study area.

• Creating a blended parking requirement for all commercial uses. This would be one rate per 1,000 square feet rather than separate rates for retail, restaurants, bars, etc. It would incentivize restaurants and allow flexibility among the various types of commercial uses. It would reduce the guaranteed parking supply associated with new development.

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• Revising the in-lieu fee so that it makes a larger contribution to parking construction and operation, by eliminating or increasing the three parking space limit and/or increasing the in-lieu fee per parking space. This fee could be as an option to on-site provisions or a required as a replacement of on-site provision. In lieu fees function if minimum parking requirements are in effect.

As decisions are made on the parking management measures, a review of minimum parking requirements in the core area should be undertaken to determine if any of the above strategies should be adopted.

Multimodal Transportation Parking management can have the effect of improving alternative modes of transportation, such as pedestrian, cyclist, and transit rider travel modes. It can also help serve those who cannot drive, such as children, the elderly, and the disabled. The following illustrates how these mechanisms occur:

• Parking management that involves parking pricing creates an incentive for alternative modes such as walking, bicycling, and transit by making them less expensive in comparison with parking. Travelers consider the time and money cost of various travel modes in making decisions about how to travel.

• Greater use of walking, bicycling, and transit that may result from parking management leads in turn to improvements to service levels and facilities, which benefits those who cannot or chose not to drive.

Parking management can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This occurs in two ways: (1) by reducing the share of solo driver trips to the study area; and (2) reducing excessive driving (termed cruising) for drivers looking for a parking space. This later effect comes from the combination of parking information and guidance systems and pricing in directly guide visitors to available parking spaces.

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