From: Groninga Curt
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 9:07 AM
Subject: PARKING PROGRAM UPDATE
Parking Program Update
During the Fall Semester, Terry Stewart and I have been reviewing possible revisions to the existing 1991 Parking and Transportation Plan. One or both of us have sought input from the college community and have met and discussed possible parking program revisions with the Academic Senate, Parking Committee, Associated Students and the Classified Senate. We plan to continue working with the various elements of the college community as we develop what now appears to be a multi-phased approach to SRJC's parking program. We have discovered that much of what has been under consideration continues to deal with the marginal aspects of the parking problems confronting SRJC (especially the Santa Rosa Campus). Further, we realize the potential solutions are costly, complex and time consuming.
Key issues include the need to provide significantly (i.e. at least 500 additional spaces) more parking for students and staff. The shift to the new scheduling template will exacerbate the parking problem on a Monday through Thursday basis given a more intense class schedule leading to lower turnover rates (current 4:1 ratio may drop to 3:1 or less) creating fewer parking opportunities.
Through increased efficiencies, we can improve parking utilization and access as well as provide incentives for use of shuttle lots, ride-share programs, bus subsidies, etc. Realistically, these will be marginal improvements. We believe we need to acquire more land and construct more spaces if we are to "solve" the parking problem. These and other efficiencies are expensive to implement. The parking program is a self-supporting operation in that it utilizes the fee revenue generated to pay operating expenses (personnel costs, service agreements, equipment maintenance, etc) and to acquire land and engaged in capital construction activities. Simply put, the parking funds needs to increase its revenues in order to support the necessary improvements to the parking program.
Proposed Multi-Phased Approach
Recognizing the complexity and costs involved, Terry and I suggest we address parking problem resolution in the following manner:
November, 2000 -- We submit a proposal to the Board of Trustees that the college:
1. invest in the re-striping of certain portions of the Santa Rosa Campus in an effort to net an additional 144 parking spaces.
2. establish a Weekend College parking fee of $16 per semester for Friday through Sunday classes and activities. The current semester decal would remain valid on a seven day a week basis.
3. increase the daily permit fees from $1.50 to $2.00.
4. increase the hourly permit fees from 25 cents per hour to 50 cents per hour.
5. initiate an Intercession parking fee of $10 per intercession.
Spring, 2001
From November until mid-Spring Semester, college staff will continue to explore and investigate a series of possible improvements and efficiencies to the parking program including the following:
1. develop a recommendation regarding the establishment of a permanent, fully functioning staff shuttle lot that provides an improved parking incentive to its users.
2. revise the parking rules and regulations in order to provide improved efficiency and equity (i.e. review seniority access, two-decal system, enforcement, etc)
3. explore further and determine the feasibility of such staff proposed parking system modifications including centralize staff parking, scrambled reserve systems.
3. evaluate the effectiveness of the bus subsidy and ride-share programs.
4. review student and staff parking fees and consider increasing some fees and decreasing others.
5. consider the development of an in and out parking system and determine its feasibility.
6. analyze potential acquisition and construction costs for flat surface and multi-level parking structures.
It is anticipated that some Phase II recommendations will come forth once the exploration and investigation of these parking program improvement options are reviewed and discussed with the college community during the Spring, 2001. Terry and I would anticipate bringing any such proposals forward to the Board of Trustees in April or May, 2001.
We would appreciate your insight and feedback.