Parking Advisory Board

City of Coral Gables 405 Biltmore Way Coral Gables, FL 33134 www.coralgables.com Meeting Minutes Parking Advisory Board Chairperson Javier Betancourt Vice Chair Gordon Sokoloff Board Member Ada Holian Board Member Vicky Rua Board Member Carlos Xiques Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:30 PM Public Safety Building Community Meeting Room 2151 Salzedo St. Coral Gables FL 33134 GUESTS REEF Parking Team: Edson Alfaro, Carlos Troncoso, Olga Farieta, Robert Beltran Village of Merrick Park Team: Rhett Robinson, Andrew Peach City of Coral Gables Asset Manager: Zeida Sardinas City of Coral Gables Night-Time Off-Street Operation Supervisor: Stefan Batic FPI Security Team: Jose Taveras, Peter Weimar CALL TO ORDER The PAB began at 05:33 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: 4 - Vice Chairperson Sokoloff,Board Member Holian,Board Member Rua and Board Member Xiques Excused: 1 - Chairperson Betancourt 1 PUBLIC COMMENTS •No Public Comments 2 APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 MEETING MINUTES •On a Motion by Member Rua, Seconded by Member Xiques, the PAB approved the September 22, 2021, Meeting Minutes. 3 REEF PARKING AND VILLAGE OF MERRICK PARK (GUESTS) •Parking Director Kinney introduce Mr. Andrew Peach, Sr. General Manager at the Shops of Merrick Park (SMP). •Mr. Peach introduced the team from REEF Parking, the company managing the parking at SMP. REEF was originally hired to manage the valet program but was later proposed to manage the parking garage as it City of Coral Gables Page 1 Parking Advisory Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2021 transitioned to a gateless system. The Miami based company was chosen because of their excellent customer service, responsiveness, professionalism, attention to detail, and market presence. •Parking Director Kinney asked REEF to review any difficulties they have encountered with the new gateless-parking-by-app system and how they are ensuring excellent customer service at the garage. •Mr. Edson Alfaro, Regional Vice President of Operations, provided background on the history of the company and relation with SMP. He said the major difficulty they have faced is trying to educate the public to pay for parking using a mobile app and understanding how gateless parking technology works. He described their operation in the garage involves state of the art gateless equipment, pay-by-app (Reef mobile app), cameras, license plate reader (LPR) and ambassador assistance. •Mr. Robert Beltran explained their attention to customer service is accomplished by stationing Ambassadors at specific high traffic areas and entrances; using QR codes to extend parking times when using the Reef mobile app; and offering the public a customer service phone number and email to send feedback. • Vice Chair Sokoloff asked if REEF finds using the app is a challenge for the public. Mr. Beltran responded they have received feedback and have sent it to the app developers to make the app more user friendly. The primary function of the Ambassadors is to teach customers how to use the parking app and to assist them with any questions or concerns. •Vice Chair Sokoloff asked if there will be Citations issued to the non-payers. Mr. Beltran responded there will be a citation asset in the future, but their current objective is to educate the public on the new technology. However, they will be vigilant with monthly parking permit patrons. •Vice Chair Sokoloff asked if the city has any plans to implement this type of system in municipal garages. Parking Director Kinney said this is a system the city is interested in monitoring as there are plans to install a similar system at the future Minorca Garage. •Member Holian asked if the gateless system facilitates traffic flow. Mr. Alfaro responded he believes it will. •Member Rua asked if the goal is to make money off parking. Mr. Peach responded that is the eventual goal; however, they are currently absorbing parking cost as their policy changes to be more approachable, customer friendly, and improve the shopping experience altogether. •Vice Chair Sokoloff said flyers and signage are important and thanked Mr. Peach and the Shops of Merrick Park for giving back to the community 4 QUARTERLY REVIEW OF PARKING SERVICES (STEFAN BATIC, OFF-STREET SUPER.) •Parking Director Kinney asked Mr. Batic to give the PAB an update on Off-Street Operation. •Mr. Batic said the city had a good start for the new fiscal year with 55,000 City of Coral Gables Page 2 Parking Advisory Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2021 vehicles parking in the garages last month. He reviewed the following statistics: oFriday and Saturday garages are reaching 70% capacity between 2pm - 8pm, oHighlighted a comparison of three Fridays in October; and oMentioned there were nine hundred (900) vehicles parked in the city garages on 10/30/21 at the Halloween event--closing Garage 1 and 4 at times after reaching capacity. 5 STAFF AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH (JOSE TAVERAS-FPI SECURITY GUARD) •Mr. Batic introduced FPI (Florida Patrol Investigators) Security Team Mr. Jose Taveras and Mr. Peter Weimar. •Mr. Weimar thanks the city for the opportunity to work here and said they are happy to be out in the garages patrolling and assisting customers. •Parking Director Kinney mentioned that it is great to have security visible in the garages and is impressed with their service and appreciates their team. Mr. Kinney presented Mr. Taveras with a gift card and Certificate of Appreciation. •Parking Director Kinney said FPI schedule is every day from 11am - 3am with four (4) guards on schedule patrolling the garages. In the future it is likely there will be a guard stationed at the Mobility Hub. 6 2022 FREEBEE SERVICE PROPOSAL AND RECOMMENDATION •Parking Director Kinney discussed the October Freebee Service Report and highlighted there were 4900 passengers transported reaching pre-pandemic ridership numbers. He explained as a grant requirement, the pilot project (based on the map) had a route traveling along Ponce de Leon Boulevard to Douglas Metrorail Station to reduce congestion in the central business area. The pilot project will terminate January 2022 and since the services will not operate off the grant, Freebee will have a say on the area parameter. Freebee has been asked to cover a larger area while maintaining the same acceptable level of service (maximum ten-minute wait) within the current budget. •Member Rua asked how much is in the budget to pay for Freebee. Parking Director Kinney responded there are $450K. •Parking Director Kinney mentioned City Manager Peter Iglesias approved a band along the bottom of the side that reads “Point to Point service provided by City of Coral Gables” and the branding for the rest of the vehicle could be sold for advertising •Member Xiques asked if there are other competitors who offer this type of service. Parking Director Kinney said not many companies are doing this and Freebee controls the current market in Miami. •Parking Director Kinney asked the PAB to approve the proposed coverage map the primary (orange) zone is wide open-any travel within City of Coral Gables Page 3 Parking Advisory Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2021 area; and travel from secondary (green) zone is only allowed into the primary zone. •The PAB unanimously approved the service area but agreed they would like the Youth Center and the Miami Dade Public Library to be a primary pick up point and use advertising revenue to help continue and expand services. 7 TROLLEY – PROMOTION OF SATURDAY AND EXTENDED SERVICE •Parking Director Kinney said the service extended hours will be kept until after the new year and shared ridership information: On Saturday October 2, 2021, there were 533 passengers, last Saturday November 13, 2021, there were 998 passengers. He has been working with Martha Pantin, Public Relations Manager, who has been advertising extended hours and Saturday service via newsletter and other marketing tools. New schedule is posted inside the Trolleys and believes extended service will continue growing. Last month the extended and Saturday service announcement was included all Miami-Dade County public transit service documentation. City is still looking to promote it with others such as the BID, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, and other Communities. Lastly, he mentioned on Tuesday November 7, 2021, at Commission Meeting the plan for additional mechanic staff was approved to support the extended evening hours and Saturday service. •Member Rua asked if there is a schedule. Parking Director Kinney said there is a ten-minute headway and recommended downloading the Coral Gables App which can be used to monitor real time Trolley stops and Trolley location to make it easier to catch. 8 UPDATE ON PROPOSED BILTMORE WAY PERMITS •Parking Director Kinney said Biltmore Way has been a conversation for the last few years. Public Works (PW) has a proposal to change the Right-of-Way (ROW) and will be ready to go to a public meeting to show proposals to the residents on how the ROW will be changed after the new year. He said the PAB will participate at the public meeting and the city Parking Department will not sell any permits on Biltmore Way until after the public meeting. City Manager Peter Iglesias has endorsed having one large meeting to discuss all items. •Vice Chair Sokoloff asked about the workshop that was supposed to be scheduled in 2021 and believes it should still be done. He asked about setting up a method on how residents will be notified when the PAB is acts and who is invited to the meetings. •Parking Director Kinney said he agrees there should be some method to determine what kind of administrative action triggers what kind of notice. 9 PARKING CODE FINES •Parking Director Kinney said the city has previously considered taking City of Coral Gables Page 4 Parking Advisory Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2021 over the fines from the County for some time, but Commission decided to keep the system as is. Mayor Vince Lago has begun conversations with City Manager Peter Iglesias and City Attorney Miriam Ramos to reconsider whether parking enforcement should be taken completely in house. •Vice Chair Sokoloff passed the gavel to make a motion asking the City Commission to reconsider bringing the process inhouse and keep the funds received from citations within the city. No action was taken. •Parking Director Kinney suggested the PAB could reaffirm the resolution from two (2) years ago. •Vice Chair Sokoloff passed the gavel to move this item (Zoom video time 01:18:30). On a Motion by Vice Chair Sokoloff, Seconded by Member Rua the PAB unanimously voted to make a motion to reaffirm the resolution from two (2) years ago in support of bringing the administration and management of the Parking Citation System inhouse. 10 OPEN DISCUSSION •Vice Chair Sokoloff referred to the presentation on the Mobility Hub and said there are a few residents who are not comfortable with the architectural design. He wants to see the Hub have more of a Mediterranean look and asked who is in favor of the project by show of hands. Informally 2 out of 2 members were in favor. •Member Rua said she likes the modern look of the future Mobility Hub and does not think it will compete with Miracle Mile. •Parking Director Kinney said the City Commission has approved the general design but is asking the design team to review the exterior finishes, design concept and participate in a sunshine meeting to discuss these issues. The sunshine meeting to discuss the mobility hub will be on December 2, 2021, at 4:00 pm. •Vice Chair Sokoloff informed the PAB about the upcoming sunshine meeting on Tuesday 12/8/2021 regarding the parking medallion for board members. ADJOURNMENT The PAB adjourned at 07:08 P.M NOTE Members of the public may join the Parking Advisory Board meeting in person or via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88988422772. In addition, a dedicated phone line will be available to listen in the meeting by dialing: (305) 461-6769 Meeting ID: 88988422772. Any person who acts as a lobbyist pursuant to the City of Coral Gables Ordinance No. 2006-11, must register with the City Clerk, prior to engaging in lobbying activities before city staff, boards, committees and/or the City Commission. A copy of the Ordinance is available in the Office of the City City of Coral Gables Page 5 Parking Advisory Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2021 Clerk, City Hall. Any person, or persons, wishing to appeal any decision made by the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this meeting or hearing, will require a verbatim record of the proceeding upon which the appeal is based. Interested persons should, therefore, take the necessary steps to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which contains the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based. Any person making impertinent or slanderous remarks or who become boisterous while addressing the Commission, shall be barred from further audience before the Commission by the Chair, unless permission to continue or again address the Commission is granted by the majority vote of the Commission Members present. Clapping, applauding, heckling or verbal outbursts or any remarks in support or opposition to a speaker shall be prohibited. Signs or placards shall not be permitted in Commission Chambers. Any person with a disability requiring communication assistance (such as a sign language interpreter or other auxiliary aide or service) in order to attend or participate in the meeting should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator Raquel Elejabarrieta, Esq., Director of Labor Relations and Risk Management (E-mail : relejabarrieta@coralgables.com, Telephone: 305-722-8686, TTY/TDD: 305-442-1600), at least three (3) business days before the meeting. City of Coral Gables Page 6