Parking Commission.

411 West First Street City of Duluth Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Minutes Parking Commission. Friday, September 3, 2021 7:30 AM Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, City Hall NOTICE: The Duluth Parking Commission will be holding its September 2021 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 September 2021 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. ROLL CALL Members Present • Noland Makowsky, Vice President • Jessica Sterle, President • Terese Tomanek • Em Westerlund • Mark Bauer, Ex Officio Members Absent • Linda Krug Guests Present • Jeff Aanenson, Duluth Operations Manager – Interstate Parking Company • Carl Crawford, Human Rights Officer – City of Duluth • John Ramos, Investigative Reporter – Duluth Monitor . APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of May and June 2021 meeting minutes Commissioner Terese Tomanek motioned that the May 2021 Duluth Parking Commission meeting minutes be approved as presented. Commission Vice President Noland Makowsky seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Makowsky motioned that the June 2021 Commission meeting minutes be approved as presented. Commissioner Tomanek seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. ON-STREET ACCESSIBLE PARKING ZONE REQUESTS City of Duluth Page 1 Parking Commission. Minutes September 3, 2021 On-street accessible parking zone requests City of Duluth Parking Services Manager Mark Bauer presented four on-street accessible parking zone requests for approval. He stated that he had reviewed the requests, visited the sites, consulted with the City of Duluth Commission on Disabilities, and recommended all four for approval. Commissioner Em Westerlund motioned that the request for 2706 Jefferson Street be approved. Commissioner Makowsky seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Westerlund motioned that the request for 3116 Vernon Street be approved. Commissioner Tomanek seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Tomanek motioned that the request for 602 West Skyline Parkway be approved. Commissioner Makowsky seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Makowsky motioned that the request for 319 North 62nd Avenue West be approved. Commissioner Westerlund seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. PROPOSAL TO ADD METERS TO THE ZERO BLOCK OF 21ST AVENUE WEST Proposal to reconfigure parking on a portion of 21st Avenue West Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to reconfigure parking on 21st Avenue West from Superior Street to 1st Street. He stated that a review of the area’s parking configuration had been prompted by a recent reconstruction of the western sidewalk on the avenue and that this review had revealed several needed updates to the configuration. He described the recommended revisions, which involved the addition of seven total new meters beyond the previously-existing seven. Commissioner Tomanek motioned that the proposal be approved as presented. Commissioner Westerlund seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. PROPOSAL TO PROHIBIT PARKING ON A PORTION OF NORTH 54TH AVENUE WEST AND ADD A SCHOOL BUS DROP-OFF ZONE Proposal to prohibit parking and create a new drop-off zone on a portion of 54th Avenue West Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to prohibit parking on a portion of 54th Avenue West, adjacent to Laura MacArthur Elementary School, and to implement a drop-off zone. He stated that the request had been generated by the Duluth Public School District and by the school’s principal, who had developed a plan to have school buses pick up and drop off students at the building access doors adjacent to the proposed zone. Mr. Bauer stated that all parties involved had agreed that the roadway in the area was too narrow to safely allow vehicles to pass while busses were parked there. He stated, per the proposal, parking would be prohibited on the east side of 54th Avenue West from the access driveway to the school to the southern terminus of 54th Avenue West and that a drop-off zone would be installed in the same area on the west side of the avenue. Commissioner Makowsky motioned that the proposal be approved. Commissioner Tomanek seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. City of Duluth Page 2 Parking Commission. Minutes September 3, 2021 OFF-STREET PARKING UPDATE Off-street parking update Interstate Parking Company Duluth Operations Manager Jeff Aanenson provided an update on off-street parking operations. He stated that routine structural maintenance repairs were underway at Hart District Ramp. He stated that the repair project involving the Canal Park Lakewalk was complete and that parking business in Canal Park had subsequently rebounded. Mr. Aanenson stated that business was slowly increasing in the downtown area but was still not at pre-COVID levels. He added that Interstate Parking had recently hired a new Customer Solutions Coordinator in their Duluth office. ON-STREET PARKING UPDATE On-street parking update Mr. Bauer provided an update on Park Duluth mobile payment application usage, stating that usage had increased steadily since the application was introduced and that usage continued to grow. He provided an update on the City’s enhanced Snow Emergency system, stating that new signage on Snow Emergency routes had been installed citywide and that Parking Services staff would be continuing to provide public education and proactive enforcement during the upcoming snow season. Mr. Bauer stated that the process of completing the Parking Services Division’s 2022 parking fund budget was underway and that the budget would be presented to the Commission at a later meeting. PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comments There were no additional public comments. ADJOURNMENT This was discussed. City of Duluth Page 3