Parking Commission.

411 West First Street City of Duluth Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Minutes Parking Commission. Friday, December 4, 2020 7:30 AM Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, City Hall NOTICE: The Duluth Parking Commission will be holding its July 2020 meeting by other electronic means pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.021 in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Some members of the Commission will be participating through video conference. Due to the COVID-19 emergency and the closure of City facilities, public comment will not be taken in person. However, members of the public can monitor the meeting and provide public comment on agenda items through WebEx Events. Visit https://duluthmn.gov/live-meeting to access the meeting. The public is also encouraged to submit written comment to Parking Services Manager Mark Bauer at mbauer@duluthmn.gov prior to the meeting. Please include “Duluth Parking Commission July 2020 Agenda” in the subject line, and include your name and address and the agenda item you are speaking to. Please note that all public comment is considered Public Data. This was approved. ROLL CALL Members Present • Dennis Jensen • Linda Krug • Noland Makowsky • Jessica Sterle, President • Terese Tomanek • Em Westerlund • Mark Bauer, Ex Officio Members Absent • Karin Swor Guests Present • Carl Crawford, Human Rights Officer – City of Duluth • Jeff Aanenson, Duluth Operations Manager – Interstate Parking Company APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of November 2020 meeting minutes Commissioner Linda Krug motioned that the November 2020 parking commission meeting minutes be approved as presented. Commissioner Dennis Jensen seconded the motion, which was approved 5-0 (Commission Vice President Noland Makowsky had not yet arrived at the meeting). ON-STREET ADA ACCESSIBLE PARKING SIGNAGE REQUEST On-street accessible parking requests City of Duluth Page 1 Parking Commission. Minutes December 4, 2020 City of Duluth Parking Services Manager Mark Bauer presented one on-street ADA accessible parking zone request. He stated that an ADA zone had recently been removed at the address based on a request from the original resident associated with it but this removal had revealed that another party was also utilizing the zone and that it was still needed. Commissioner Krug motioned that the request, for 826 East 6th Street, be approved. Commissioner Jensen seconded the motion, which was approved 5-0. The Commission requested that the parking division provide information on the total number of ADA zones in the January meeting, to which Mr. Bauer agreed. PROPOSAL TO CONVERT NINE ON-STREET METERS TO A STANDING ZONE ON 4TH AVENUE EAST Proposal to convert nine on-street meters on 4th Avenue East to a drop-off zone Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to convert a bank of nine on-street meters on 4th Avenue East, adjacent to the Essentia Health Emergency Room, to a drop-off/standing zone. He stated that the request had been generated by Essentia and that the intent of the change was to allow Essentia to utilize the stalls as an emergency room intake waiting area, primarily to reduce potential COVID exposure by overcrowding the emergency room entrance. He stated that if the proposal was approved, Essentia would be allowed to place their own signage in place of the meters that would identify and number the stalls. Mr. Bauer stated that while the change would technically be temporary, the ongoing nature of the CIVID pandemic could mean that the need would extend for an undetermined long period of time. Commissioner Em Westerlund motioned that the proposal be approved. Commissioner Krug seconded the motion, which was approved 5-0. PROPOSAL TO RECONFIGURE ON-STREET PARKING AT 1026 EAST SUPERIOR STREET Proposal to reconfigure on-street parking on the 1000 block of East Superior Street Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to reconfigure parking on the south side of the 1000 block of East Superior Street, adjacent to the Duluth Running Company. He stated that the owner of the company had requested additional customer parking on-street and had agreed to the associated reduction in length of the existing loading zone to partly accommodate the proposed two new short-term 30-minute parking meters. Mr. Bauer stated that one of the adjacent 12-hour limit meters would be converted to a 30-minute meter and that this stall, combined with the one stall gained from the reduction in length of the loading zone, would result in two total 30-minute meters. He stated that though there was off-street parking near the rear of the building, there were accessibility challenges for customers entering the business from the area. Commissioner Terese Tomanek motioned that the proposal be approved. Commissioner Krug seconded the motion, which was approved 6-0 (Commissioner Makowsky had arrived by this point in the meeting). PROPOSAL TO APPROVE 2021 DULUTH PARKING COMMISSION MEETING DATES City of Duluth Page 2 Parking Commission. Minutes December 4, 2020 Establishment of 2021 Duluth Parking Commission meeting schedule Mr. Bauer presented proposed Duluth Parking Commission meeting dates for 2021, which generally scheduled meetings at 7:30 a.m. on the first Friday of each month. Commissioner Jensen motioned that the proposed schedule be approved. Commissioner Westerlund seconded the motion, which was approved 6-0. OFF-STREET PARKING UPDATE Off-street parking update Interstate Parking Company Duluth Operations Manager Jeff Aanenson provided an update on lots, ramps, and on-street collections operations. He stated that the Canal Park fee enforcement season had been concluded and that snow removal in the facilities had been proceeding smoothly thus far. He stated that the new parking payment kiosks had been installed along the new “phase three” section of Superior Street and that they were in the process of being configured. Commissioner Makowsky inquired whether the stalls along the new section of Superior Street would be lined with pavement markings. Mr. Bauer replied that he believed the new section would include lines once completed. Commission President Jessica Sterle inquired whether there had been an increase or decrease in recent on-street parking demand. Mr. Aanenson replied that there had been a small decrease. Commissioner Krug stated that concerns regarding vehicles consistently parking too near the driveway entrance accessing the Sheraton building condominiums from Superior Street remained, as the signage previously present, which reinforced the City’s 7’-from-driveway parking ordinance, had not been reinstalled following reconstruction of that portion of Superior Street. Mr. Bauer agreed with the safety concerns and that the signage should have been reinstalled. He stated that he had requested the signage reinstallation on several occasions but that the City’s engineering division did not approve the request. Mr. Bauer stated that the engineering division would be provided with the documented reintroduction of these concerns. ON-STREET PARKING UPDATE On-street parking update Mr. Bauer provided an update on on-street parking operations. He stated that brochures outlining the City’s enhanced snow removal procedures, which included parking information related to safety and snow removal, had been produced and distributed to the public by mail and physical distribution. Commissioners Jensen and Westerlund suggested that greater clarity regarding the year-round nature of the City’s alternate side parking configuration be included in future years’ brochures. Mr. Bauer agreed. PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comments There were no additional public comments. ADJOURNMENT City of Duluth Page 3