La Mesa Community Parking Commission

LA MESA COMMUNITY PARKING COMMISSION AGENDA A Regular Meeting Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Location: City Manager's Conference Room, 8130 Allison Avenue La Mesa, California Commissioners: Commissioner Jonathan Baron Commissioner Jacqueline Bougie Commissioner Scott Favero Commissioner Melissa McCune Commissioner William Walton The public may view the meeting in-person or live using the following remote options: Teleconference Meeting Webinar https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88638540317 Telephone (Audio only) (669) 900-6833 or (253) 215-8782 Webinar ID: 886 3854 0317 Copy and paste the webinar link into your internet browser if the webinar link does not work directly from the agenda. PUBLIC COMMENTS • In-Person comments during the meeting: Join us for the Commission meeting at the time and location specified on this agenda to make your comments. Comments will be limited to three (3) minutes. • How to submit eComments: eComments are available once an agenda is published. Locate the meeting in "upcoming meetings" and click the comment bubble icon. Click on the item you wish to comment on. eComments can be submitted when the agenda is published and until 24 hours prior to the meeting. eComments are limited to 3700 characters (approximately 500 words). eComments may be viewed by the Commission  and members of the public following the close of the eComment submission period (24 hours prior to the meeting). Email your comment to cmoff@cityoflamesa.us if you have difficulty submitting an eComment. eComments will not be read aloud as a regular meeting item; however any member of the Commission or member of the public may do so during their respective comment time. PLEASE NOTE: Public Comment will be limited to 3 minutes per item. The timer begins when the participant begins speaking. Time cannot by combined or yielded to another speaker. Citizens who wish to make an audio/visual presentation pertaining to an item on the agenda, or during Public Comments, should contact the City Manager's Office at 619.667.1339, no later than 12:00 p.m., the business day prior to the meeting day. Advance notification will ensure compatibility with City equipment and allow Commission meeting presentations to progress smoothly and in a consistent and equitable manner. Please note that all presentations/digital materials are considered part of the maximum time limit provided to speakers. Agenda reports for items on this agenda are available for public review at the City Manager's Office, 8130 Allison Avenue, during normal business hours. Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Commission after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at the City Manager's Office, 8130 Allison Avenue, during normal business hours. ACCESSIBILITY: The City of La Mesa encourages the participation of disabled individuals in the services, activities and programs provided by the City. Individuals with disabilities, who require reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the Commission meetings, should contact the Administrative Services Department 48 hours prior to the meeting at 619.667.1175, fax 619.667.1163, or GSpaniol@cityoflamesa.us. Hearing assisted devices are available for the hearing impaired. A City staff member is available to provide these devices upon entry to City Council meetings, commission/board meetings or public hearings held in the City Council Chambers. A photo i.d. or signature will be required to secure a device for the meeting. Pages 1. CALL TO ORDER 1.1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 2. ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA Page 2 of 12 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS – (TOTAL TIME – 15 MINUTES) NOTE: In accordance with state law, an item not scheduled on the agenda may be brought forward by the general public for comment; however, the La Mesa Community Parking Commission will not be able to discuss or take any action on the item at this meeting. If appropriate, the item will be referred to Staff or placed on a future agenda. 4. CONFLICT DISCLOSURES 5. CURRENT BUSINESS 5.1 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE LA MESA COMMUNITY 4 PARKING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING HELD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2025 5.2 VILLAGE ENHANCEMENT FUND PROGRAM DISCUSSION 7 6. STAFF AND COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS 7. ADJOURNMENT Page 3 of 12  La Mesa Community Parking Commission Minutes of a Regular Meeting Date: April 23, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Location: City Manager's Conference Room, 8130 Allison Avenue La Mesa, California Present: Commissioner Jonathan Baron Commissioner Jacqueline Bougie Commissioner Scott Favero Commissioner Melissa McCune Commissioner William Walton Staff: Assistant to the City Manager Dedmon Assistant City Manager Amanda Lee Slawomir Stojanowski, Downtown Operations Assistant _____________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Baron called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. 1.1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 2. ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA There were no additions or deletions to the agenda. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS – (TOTAL TIME – 15 MINUTES) NOTE: In accordance with state law, an item not scheduled on the agenda may be brought forward by the general public for comment; however, the La Mesa Community Parking Commission will not be able to discuss or take any action on the item at this meeting. If appropriate, the item will be referred to Staff or placed on a future agenda. There were no public comments given. 4. CONFLICT DISCLOSURES 1 Page 4 of 12 5. CURRENT BUSINESS 5.1 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE LA MESA COMMUNITY PARKING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING HELD TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2025 The Minutes from the La Mesa Community Parking Commission Regular Meeting held Tuesday, March 18, 2025, were approved by a 5-0 vote. 5.2 INTRODUCTION OF PARKING COMMISSIONER JACQUELINE BOUGIE TO THE COMMUNITY PARKING COMMISSION New Parking Commissioner Jacqueline Bougie was introduced to the Parking Commission. 5.3 PARKING METER & PARKING PERMIT RATE ADJUSTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL At the March 18th Parking Commission meeting, the Commission voted 3- 0 to make the following recommendation to the City Council: 1. Adjust all parking meter rates in Parking District One to $1.50/hr. 2. Eliminate the Parking Permit Tiers and provide one Parking Permit for all seven parking areas at a cost of $80 per quarter or $288 annually. Update Section II "Permit Tiers and Pricing Options" in the Parking Permit Program Guidelines accordingly. 3. Update the Parking Permit Program Guidelines to allow a five-permit maximum limit on the number of permits that can be purchased by a business. 4. Adjust all parking meter time limits to a 4-hour maximum. 5. Eliminate the parking placard and provide a parking sticker to be affixed to the windshield when a parking permit is purchased and displayed. At this Special Meeting, staff asked the Commission to revisit recommendation numbers 4 and 5 after research and feedback indicated that adjusting all parking meter time limits to a 4-hour maximum and replacing the parking placards with windshield stickers would be problematic. After some discussion, the Commission voted 5-0 to eliminate recommendation numbers 4 and 5. The Commission's modified recommendation is as follows: 1. Adjust all parking meter rates in Parking District One to $1.50/hr. 2 Page 5 of 12  2. Eliminate the Parking Permit Tiers and provide one Parking Permit for all seven parking areas at a cost of $80 per quarter or $288 annually. Update Section II "Permit Tiers and Pricing Options" in the Parking Permit Program Guidelines accordingly. 3. Update the Parking Permit Program Guidelines to allow a five-permit maximum limit on the number of permits that can be purchased by a business. 6. STAFF AND COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS There were no Staff or Commissioner announcements. 7. ADJOURNMENT Chair Baron adjourned the meeting at 6:26 p.m. 3 Page 6 of 12  LA MESA VILLAGE ENHANCEMENT FUND PROGRAM 1. PURPOSE It is the purpose of this policy to establish guidelines and criteria for allocation of Downtown Parking Fund revenue to the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program. 2. BACKGROUND At the July 9, 2019 City Council meeting, the La Mesa City Council adopted the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program to encourage ongoing investment in the Downtown Village, attract customers to businesses, and to create entertainment and community opportunities for residents and families. The program utilizes fifty percent (50%) of annual net revenue after ordinary expenses from Parking District Number One revenues in the Downtown Parking Fund to finance events, promotions, programs, and advertising for the public benefit of the business community in Parking District Number One in the City of La Mesa. Non-profit organizations and individual businesses can apply for funding via an online application form each annual funding cycle to utilize funds for activities that meet program requirements. Funding awarded through the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program shall not be used for any purposes prohibited by laws governing the use of public funds, including but not limited to, religious, political campaigning, or purely private purposes or activities. The following Program Guidelines establish the terms and conditions, criteria, method, and process for determining an award of funding for the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program. 3. PROGRAM GUIDELINES Terms & Conditions The La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program has been established for non-profit organizations and individual businesses to apply for funding to conduct events, promotions, programs, and advertising in Parking District Number One. The program’s main goal is to enhance the vibrancy of the Downtown Village and encourage more ongoing investment. To meet this goal, applications for funding must be able to demonstrate a public benefit to the business community in Parking District Number One. An example of a public benefit could be a well-advertised event or promotion that brings residents to the Downtown Village. The ability for an applicant to clearly demonstrate that a project includes a public benefit to Parking District Number One is an important factor in determining whether an application is awarded funding. The map below shows the boundaries of Parking District Number One. Page 7 of 12 La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program Page 2 Any event, promotion, program, or advertisement that qualifies for funding must take place within the boundaries of Parking District Number One. Non-profit organizations and individual businesses that are not located inside the district may apply for funding as long as a public benefit to the businesses in Parking District Number One can be determined by the City. The City Manager’s Office will administer the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program with the assistance of the City Clerk’s Office for the processing of all necessary special event permits. The Community Development Department, Public Works Department, La Mesa Police Department, and Heartland Fire & Rescue will participate in any necessary Application Meetings to verify compliance with City codes and standards, determine cost recovery associated with special events and promotions, ensure fire safety, clarify scope of work, and answer applicant questions. Events & Promotions Certain events and promotions require City support for services such as public safety, traffic control, placement of safety equipment, and fire inspection. Applicants applying for funding for events and promotions are required to attend an Application Meeting with City staff to determine if City support services will be required. If it is determined that City support is required for an event or promotion, staff will provide a cost recovery estimate for the application and the amount will be included in the applicant’s request for Enhancement Fund Program funds and may be considered for Enhancement Fund Program funding. Page 8 of 12 La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program Page 3 When applying for funding for events or promotions, applicants should take into consideration the dates and times of existing events when determining their event date(s). It is the responsibility of the applicant to choose event and promotion dates that do not conflict with other events. Applications for events or promotions that require the closing of streets or public right-of-way will require a Special Event Permit. The Applicant must apply for a Special Event Permit immediately following the award of funding to allow ample processing time before the event or promotion date. Applicants are responsible for ensuring the timing of their projects. Failure to follow the special event permit process will result in the disqualification of funds for events and promotions that include the closing of public right-of-way. Applicants should be aware that during review of the Special Event Permit, certain aspects of the event or promotion may be modified to meet City codes and standards. If a Special Event Permit is approved, it is the responsibility of the applicant to adhere to all conditions of approval of the Special Event Permit. In the event that the Special Event Permit is denied, the award of funding is withdrawn and the funding will become unencumbered and available for future applicants. A Special Event Permit Application can be downloaded from the City’s website at https://www.cityoflamesa.us/1467/Special-Event-Guidelines-and-Forms or picked up at the City Clerk’s counter at La Mesa City Hall located at 8130 Allison Avenue. Advertisements Advertisements qualify for program funding so long as it can be demonstrated that the advertisement includes a public benefit to Parking District Number One. An example of an advertisement that qualifies is an online restaurant ad or an ad in a magazine that highlights the diverse culinary choices in the Downtown Village. Applications for advertisements can include all types of media, including newspapers, magazines, online ads, social media, radio, and television. Applications for advertisement funding are encouraged to include reputable, well-circulated publications or media outlets that provide the best opportunity to target the desired audience. Applicants are required to provide information such as the publication or type of media being proposed, the length of time the advertisement will run, a rendering or example of the ad itself, and any other collateral materials that help explain the advertisement. The quality of the advertisement, its message, and how well it conveys a public benefit to Parking District Number One are factors in determining an award of funding. Temporary Promotional Banners Temporary promotional banners are banners that advertise an event or promotion that affix to decorative street poles or other infrastructure. La Mesa Municipal Code Section 15.10.040 allows for the placement of temporary special event banners as part of an event or promotion in the Commercial Downtown (CD) zoning designation. Applicants are required to provide information in the application submittal and any necessary collateral materials that clearly communicates the size, design, material, colors, number of banners, location(s) to be installed, and installation and removal dates. Temporary promotional banners may be displayed for a maximum of ninety (90) days per application. Applicants are required to submit an application for a sign permit with the Community Development Department following an award of funding. Failure to apply for a sign permit may result in the disqualification of funds. All applications are subject to compliance with City building codes. Applicants may be required to attend an Application Meeting to clarify sign permit guidelines and scope of work. Funding Guidelines Page 9 of 12 La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program Page 4 At the beginning of each funding cycle, applicants are invited to apply for program funds and directed to the City’s website where application materials and available funding information is located. Individual applications will not be accepted that exceed available funding in each funding cycle. All submittals through the La Mesa Enhancement Fund Program are subject to funding availability. Funding awarded through the program cannot be used for any purposes prohibited by laws governing the use of public funds. The La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program is a 100% reimbursable grant program. Approved funding is provided to the applicant once the event, promotion, program, or advertisement has been completed. Once an event, promotion, program, or advertisement has been completed and all applicable City requirements are met, applicants are responsible for providing all receipts of expenditures to the City, including proof of payment for expenses. Reimbursement will only be made for expenses that have been outlined in the Enhancement Fund Program application that are accompanied with receipts. Applicants will not be compensated for labor they perform themselves. Labor performed by a subcontractor or consultant, City over-the- counter fees, the Special Event Permit Application fee, and cost recovery for special events qualify for program funding and may be included as an expense in the application process. Projects that are awarded funding that are not completed by the date outlined in the Enhancement Fund Program Application and Letter of Commitment will forfeit their award and the funding will be returned to the parking fund. Eligibility Requirements Non-profit organizations and individual businesses that are located either inside or outside the boundaries of Parking District Number One qualify to apply for funding. Applicants must have a valid business license to operate in the City of La Mesa to apply for funding. (Next page) Page 10 of 12 La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program Page 5 4. ANNUAL APPLICATION PROCESS The annual application process for the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program is highlighted in the flow chart below. Annually, when the program funding cycle begins, applicants are invited to complete and submit a La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program online application available on the City’s website. Once the application period has ended and all applications have been received, staff will review the applications for completeness. Applications that are deemed incomplete will be returned to the applicant and allowed ten (10) business days to address any incomplete information and resubmit. After all applications are deemed complete, staff will work with applicants to schedule necessary Application Meetings for projects that include special events and promotions that may require City support or the closing of public right-of-way. Applications for advertisements do not Page 11 of 12 La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program Page 6 require an Application Meeting. Once all necessary Application Meetings are complete, City staff will schedule the applications to be heard at the next available Parking Commission meeting. The role of the Parking Commission is to consider applications and recommend to the City Council which application(s) should receive program funding. Applicants will be informed of the scheduled Parking Commission meeting date and are encouraged to attend the meeting to answer questions or to clarify submittal requests. The Parking Commission meets regularly on the third Tuesday of each month. Applicants are notified whether their application was recommended or not recommended for funding by the Parking Commission. Applications that are recommended for funding are scheduled for the next available City Council meeting and applicants are notified of the scheduled City Council meeting date. Similar to the Parking Commission meeting, applicants are encouraged to attend the City Council meeting to answer questions or to clarify submittal requests. After the City Council meeting, applicants not approved for funding are notified and applicants that are awarded funding receive a Letter of Commitment from the City. The Letter of Commitment details the terms and conditions for acceptance of the funds, the amount of funds committed to the application or project and the timeframe the funds are committed for. Applicants for funding for events and promotions that close the public right-of-way must apply for a Special Event Permit following receipt of the Letter of Commitment. If the event or promotion includes a temporary banner advertisement, applicants must also apply for a sign permit with the Community Development Department. 5. TIMELINE The following timeline applies each funding cycle: July 1st City begins accepting applications. July 31st Deadline to submit applications for funding. August Applications scheduled for next available Parking Commission meeting. September Applications recommended by Parking Commission scheduled for next available City Council meeting. Letter(s) of Commitment sent. 6. PROGRAM CONTACT For information about the La Mesa Village Enhancement Fund Program, contact Lyn Dedmon, Assistant to the City Manager, at (619) 667-1339 or ldedmon@cityoflamesa.us. Page 12 of 12