Transcript Downtown Development Authority of Augusta

Downtown Development
Authority of Augusta
Proposed Parking Management Plan for the Broad Street
Corridor
Current Parking Facts

The current supply is 2,150 on-street spaces and
11,792 off-street spaces.

Many of the off-street spaces are made up of private
surface lots

On-street parking is free with a two-hour limit

Time limits are enforced by sworn officers and is one
of many functions of their job
Parking Facts cont.

The fine for an overstayed parking time limit is $20

There is a perception that there is a scarcity of onstreet parking

There is no real mechanism for citation appeals or
collecting outstanding tickets
Parking Consultant Report
DDA commissioned a study in April 2005 with Carl
Walker, Inc.
 Goals

◦ Baseline our current parking conditions
◦ Understand strategies to manage inventory and promote the
health of downtown commerce
Study area included 15th Street to Walton Way and 5th
Street to the River
 Analyzed both on-street and off-street parking
conditions

Key Report Findings

On-street parking occupancy in the Broad Street Corridor
(5th to 13th Streets, between Reynolds and Ellis) is 100%
at peak times and averages 80%

Off-street parking occupancy in the Broad Street Corridor
is 37% at peak times

On average all day parkers (employees/commuters)
consumed 30.4% of the total of on-street spaces and as
high as 40% in the Broad Street Corridor (Busy On-street)

212 parkers actually parked 6-7 hours
Report Recommendations

Enforcement
◦ Enforcement of on-street parking policies and restrictions
should be examined by the City

Off-street parking
◦ There is ample off-street capacity to serve present needs of
commuters and retail employees
Recommendations cont.

Growth
◦ As development along Broad Street continues and excess
parking capacity is consumed, the site adjacent to and on the
west side of the Commons should be considered for
development of a parking structure

Market
◦ The lack of paid parking as a significant part of the market
removes many of the normal market dynamics that help
manage the parking system
2009 Parking Conditions
The following new projects have been approved for
Downtown Augusta
$38
million Trade & Exhibition Center
$25
million Hyatt Place Hotel
$67
million Judicial Center
$27
million Library
$66
million Kroc Center
$110
million dollars in new projects on the MCG Campus
including the new Dental School.
2009 Parking Conditions

Business Growth Significant For the last three years, downtown Augusta has seen a net gain
of 70 new businesses open each year.

Growing Residential Population Downtown apartments are seeing a greater than 95 percent
annual occupancy rate.
 The new JB Whites Building currently has 17 occupied
residences with a total of 51 when completed.

Future Development
 Potential developers ( Marion Building) must have sufficient
parking as a requirement for project funding.
2009 Conditions cont.

Lack of Retail Support
 The interests of current business owners are not being
protected. An on-street parking space generates an
estimated $150 to $300 in retail sales each day.

Lack of Parking
 Public perception has become a reality.
Proposed Parking Plan

State-of-the-art parking meters will be deployed in
the Broad Street Corridor covering 1,000 parking
spaces (only half of the on-street inventory)

Vehicle detection devices will be deployed to assist in
all aspects to measure and monitor the program

Enforcement will be Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm
excluding federal holidays

Rates will be $1.00/hr with a 2hr limit with the
exception of the below grade median lots which will
have a 4hr limit
Proposed Parking Plan cont.

A residential permit program will be implemented

Adjudication process provided for parking tickets
through an administrative appeals program

Public awareness campaign to educate the public on
the program

Capital for program will be either through private
source or SPLOST
Projected Results

Maximize the capacity of the existing parking
supply through increased turnover/parking
utilization

Provide convenient on-street parking access to
patrons of downtown businesses

Reduced “cruising” for available parking spaces
reduces carbon dioxide emissions

Promote and provide information about Augusta
with highly trained “ambassadors”

A portion of the operating surplus will be used
for downtown beautification
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the meters be installed?
 The plan is to install state-of-the-art meters and pay stations
on Broad Street from 13th to 5th Street and on 5th and 13th
Streets from Reynolds to Ellis Street. This will result in 1000
meters or approximately 50 percent of our on-street parking
spaces.
What will be the days and hours of enforcement?
 Monday thru Friday from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm excluding
federal holidays.
What are the proposed rates?
 We plan to set the rate at the lowest possible level consistent
with maintaining 10 to 15 percent availability on each affected
block. $1 per hour with a two hour limit for all parallel parking
and $1 per hour with a four hour limit in the sunken median
lots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any friendly validation programs?
 New electronic meters are capable of:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Merchant validation program (coin tokens)
Accepting parking payment via cell phone
Using New Smart Card
Refunds unused time back onto card!
Pre-programmed 5 Minute Grace Period (5 to spare without a
care)
Multi-space meters can:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Provide change
Accept credit cards, give receipts
Solar powered
Accept all types of currency (change and bills)
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the meters be funded?
 The required capital will not be funded by the taxpayer.
DDA bonds and/or a private sector partner will provide the
funding.
What will be the affect on the appearance of the CBD?
 The plan is to use a blend of single space meters
traditionally seen in cities across the US and a multi-space
meter in medians and sunken lots.
Where will the net proceeds go?
 Downtown beautification. Funding improvements to
sidewalks, alleys, street lighting and landscaping. The
public will have input through town hall meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will this affect the real estate property in
downtown Augusta?
 In other cities where paid parking has become the norm,
property taxes tend to remain lower than cities without
paid parking. The revenues generated from this program
can be used to keep property taxes from increasing.
Additionally, the perception of limited parking will be
mitigated by this program which will create an opportunity
for market rents.

Other cities that utilize paid on-street parking systems:
Atlanta, GA
Athens, GA
Buford, SC
Charleston, SC
Charlotte, NC
Decatur, GA
Macon, GA
Savannah, GA
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are residents going to park?
 A residential permit parking system will be implemented to
allow residents to park on the street between certain hours
in the evening without having to pay for parking or
purchase a decal for a very low annual rate to secure a
place in the proposed residential zones.
Where will commuters and retail employees park?
 Convenient options will be provided for long-term monthly
parking located in the downtown area.
Is there free parking available?
 Free parking will be available south of Ellis Street.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will this program be measured?
 The program will include information systems designed to
provide the DDA with the objective data it needs to assess
the program’s effectiveness in order to make adjustments
and measure its effect on business, residents visitors and
employees.
What is the proposed timeline for the plan?
 We envision 3-month planning/deployment phase after the
Masters Week.
“On-street parking is without question the
most valuable asset in any downtown
parking system. It is the most visible and
should be the most convenient parking
available. Its most important function is to
provide convenient access to downtown
businesses.”
Why Move Forward?

Jobs

Retail Support

Revenue

Efficiency

Information

Beautification