Parking Commission.

411 West First Street City of Duluth Duluth, Minnesota 55802 Minutes Parking Commission. Friday, March 3, 2023 7:30 AM Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, City Hall ROLL CALL Members Present • Noland Makowsky, President • Mike Mayou • Branden Robinson • Robert Woods • Mark Bauer, Ex Officio Members Absent • Linda Krug • Karin Swor Guests Present • Carl Crawford, Human Rights Officer – City of Duluth • Ari Eilola, Duluth Operations Manager – Interstate Parking Company • Joanne McDonald – Twin Ports Area Intergroup • Henry Stein, Chairperson – Twin Ports Area Intergroup APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of January and February 2023 meeting minutes City of Duluth Parking Services Manager Mark Bauer presented the January 2023 and February 2023 Duluth Parking Commission meeting minutes for review and approval. Commissioner Robert Woods motioned that the January 2023 minutes be approved as presented. Commissioner Branden Robinson seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Woods motioned that the February 2023 minutes be approved as presented. Commissioner Mike Mayou seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. ON-STREET ACCESSIBLE PARKING ZONE REQUESTS On-street accessible parking zone requests Mr. Bauer presented two on-street accessible parking zone requests for approval. He stated that he had reviewed the request for a zone at 1532 East 8th Street and recommended approval. He stated that the request was for one set of accessible parking zone signs directly adjacent to the address on the even side of 8th Street and another set of signs on the odd side of 16th Avenue East, also adjacent to address. He stated that this signage configuration would meet the intent of the City’s provision to “mirror” signage on alternate side parking routes to ensure residents are served at all times. Commissioner Mayou motioned that the zone request be approved. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion, which was City of Duluth Page 1 Parking Commission. Minutes March 3, 2023 approved 4-0. Mr. Bauer presented a request for an accessible parking zone at 3813 West 2nd Street. He stated that he had visited the property and talked with the applicant regarding several parking stalls off the alley on the north side of the property in which inoperative or stored vehicles were parked. He also noted that there was one parking stall available off the alley that was cleared of snow and seemingly available for use. Mr. Bauer stated that he had consulted with the City of Duluth Commission on Disabilities and that he and that group both recommended denial of the application. Commissioner Robinson motioned that the accessible parking zone request be denied. Commissioner Woods seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. PROPOSAL TO CONVERT TWO METERED STALLS AT 309 WEST 1ST STREET TO ADA ACCESSIBLE STALLS Creation of a two-stall accessible parking zone at 309 West 1st Street Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to convert two single meter stalls adjacent to 309 West 1st Street to a two-stall accessible parking zone. He stated that the request had been generated by the management of Lighthouse Center for Vital Living, who were in the process of moving into the building. Mr. Bauer stated that he had met onsite with representatives of the Lighthouse and of the building’s management team and that both were in agreement on the request. Commissioner Woods inquired whether the proposal was for a time-limited or non-time-limited zone. Mr. Bauer stated that he recommended that the zone be non-time-limited to begin with but that it be monitored after implementation for the possible future need to implement a time limit. City of Duluth Human Rights Officer Carl Crawford stated that the Commission on Disabilities and Parking Commission operate hand-in-hand with one another for the benefit of the city’s disabled community. Commissioner Robinson motioned that the proposal be approved. Commissioner Mayou seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. PROPOSAL TO CREATE A ONE-STALL DROP-OFF ZONE AT 2301 WEST SUPERIOR STREET Creation of a drop-off zone at 2301 West Superior Street Mr. Bauer presented a proposal to create a one-stall ten-minute drop-off zone at 2301 West Superior Street. He stated that the owner of the business at that location was concerned about losing parking availability for his customers in relation to the opening of a new public gymnasium adjacent to his building. Commissioner Woods inquired into the differences between a loading zone and a drop-off zone. Mr. Bauer stated that a loading zone must be used for active loading and unloading, while a drop-off zone was more applicable for short-term stays such as pickups and drop-offs. Commissioner Woods motioned that the proposal be approved. Commissioner Mayou seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION REGARDING PARKING FACILITY SAFETY AND PARKING FUND Parking budget and public safety discussion Mr. Bauer updated the Commission on the status of the questions regarding the City of Duluth Page 2 Parking Commission. Minutes March 3, 2023 annual transfer from the Parking Fund to the City’s General Fund which had been requested by City Chief Administrative Officer Noah Schuchman for communication with the City’s Finance Department. He stated that five questions had been transmitted: 1. What is the formula used to determine the dollar amounts of annual transfers to the City’s General Fund from the City’s enterprise funds? 2. How often are the General Fund transfer amounts from City’s enterprise funds reviewed and changes recommended? 3. What are the process and criteria for making changes to annual General Fund transfers from City enterprise funds? 4. Who determines the dollar amounts of the annual General Fund transfers, and who has the authority to make changes to these amounts? 5. What strategies could be implemented in order to reduce the General Fund's dependence upon receiving such a large transfer from the Parking enterprise fund, perhaps as part of a five-year fund recovery plan? Mr. Bauer stated that he had not yet received a response to the questions but would communicate a response to the Commission in-session once one was received. Commissioner Robinson suggested that a revised Parking Services Division five-year plan be created once the current Parking Fund status was reevaluated following receipt of the answers. ANNUAL ELECTION OF PARKING COMMISSION OFFICERS Annual election of Duluth Parking Commission officers Mr. Bauer introduced the topic of annual elections of Parking Commission officers. Commissioner Robinson motioned that Commissioner Woods be elected President of the Commission. Commissioner Mayou seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. Commissioner Makowsky motioned that Commissioner Robinson be elected Vice President of the Commission. Commissioner Woods seconded the motion, which was approved 4-0. OFF-STREET PARKING UPDATE Off-street parking update Interstate Parking Company Duluth Operations Manager Ari Eilola stated he had heard a significant amount of positive feedback from the community regarding the implementation of enhanced security staffing at Technology Village Ramp. He stated that the security staff would focus on Hart District Ramp next. Mr. Bauer added that he had heard similar comments from the public. Commissioner Makowsky stated that it would be interesting to hear a report in a future meeting from the contracted security firm on what they are seeing in the facilities and what their efforts have been. ON-STREET PARKING UPDATE On-street parking update Mr. Bauer stated that there were no significant updates regarding on-street parking. PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comments City of Duluth Page 3 Parking Commission. Minutes March 3, 2023 Two representatives of the Twin Ports Area Intergroup, Joanne McDonald and Chairperson Henry Stein, presented the group’s concerns with parking availability in the area of their organization at 320 East 2nd Street. They indicated that the current on-street parking configuration did not serve their current needs and that they had limited off-street parking options. Mr. Bauer stated that the area was, indeed, in need of a new review and possible reconfiguration. He stated that he would work directly with the organization to develop a configuration recommendation and would present the resultant proposal to the Commission in a future meeting. City of Duluth Page 4