REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 9, 2016
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
BY: DEL ESTABROOKE, Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Manager
Development and Resource Management Department
SUBJECT
Title
Award a contract to Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc. in the amount of $35,000 to complete a Parking Rate Analysis for downtown Fresno.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends awarding a contract to Walter P. Moore and Associates, Inc. in the amount of $35,000 to complete a Parking Rate Analysis.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno currently operates five (5) parking garages, five (5) parking lots, and approximately 1,900 meters in downtown Fresno. Parking is available to the public as well as multiple federal, state, and local agencies and businesses at contracted rates. Due to the immediate needs for repairs to these parking facilities, staff is requesting a Parking Rate Analysis be completed by Walter P. Moore to determine the appropriate rates that the City should charge as good fiscal stewards in recovering actual costs in the lots, garages, and at parking meters.
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno currently has ten (10) parking contracts with various agencies ranging from $25 a space in one of the parking lots to $60 a space in one of the garages. Members of the public purchasing a monthly permit currently pay $75 a month for an uncovered space and $90 a month for a covered space as outlined in the Master Fee Schedule. A discount is applied when twelve (12) months is paid in advance or when purchasing permits in bulk, starting at twenty (20) vehicles. Currently, daily parking in the lots and garages is set at $3 for the first hour and $1 for each additional hour for a maximum charge of $9 a day. Meters are currently $0.75 an hour.
A facility assessment was completed in 2015 for all parking facilities. The findings of that assessment were presented to Council in a workshop on (include date). The assessment identified approximately $9.8 million worth of repairs needed over the next ten (10) years to the lots and garages. .
In order to ensure that adequate resources are available so that repairs are made in a timely matter, the amount of revenue generated from the lots and garages needs to be reevaluated and updates will need to be made to the various contracts and the Master Fee Schedule.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Staff has determined that the proposed Agreement is exempt under CEQA Guideline 15301 Class 1, which provides exemption for the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public structures and facilities, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The proposed Agreement is within the Class 1 exemption because it involves existing City parking structures and facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use.
The above exemption is not precluded by Guideline 15300.2, which prevents the use of categorical exemptions for projects where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances, or where a project may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. The proposed Agreement does not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances, nor does it cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, section 15300.2 apply to this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented, because Walter P. Moore is uniquely qualified to perform the parking rate analysis.
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional General Fund resources are required. The Parking Services Budget can absorb the cost of the study within the existing appropriations.
Attachment: Agreement with Walter P Moore and Associates