Addendum.Parking Outreach Update
PREPARED BY: Nicolle Burnham
Director of Parks and Public Works
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 08/15/2023 ITEM NO: 14 ADDENDUM
DATE: August 11, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Receive the Report on Downtown Paid Parking Program Models and Consider
the Following Actions:
a. Direct Staff to Return to Council with an Updated Fee Resolution to:
i. Increase the Rates Effective January 1, 2024 for Residential Permit
Parking to $52 per Year for Vehicle One, and $72, $92, and $112 for
Vehicles Two, Three, and Four, Respectively;
ii. Set Rates for Residential Permits in the Olive Zone to Match Rates for
the Town’s Other Residential Parking Zones Effective January 1, 2024;
and
iii. Eliminate the Annual Fee for Employee Parking in the Olive Zone
Effective January 1, 2024;
b. Provide Direction to Staff Regarding the Establishment of Residential
Permit Rates for Low Income Residents Defined as Households with
Income of Less than 80% of Area Median Income;
c. Provide Direction to Staff Regarding the Two Free Visitor Passes that are
Available to Each Household in the Residential Permit Parking Areas; and
d. Provide Feedback and/or Direction on the Paid Parking Program Options,
Pricing Models, Service Delivery Scenarios, and Staffing Alternatives
Required to Support a Functioning and Effective Downtown Paid Parking
Program.
REMARKS:
On August 10, 2023, outreach was conducted for this Council item with the Complete Streets
and Transportation Commission and business stakeholders, which included two meetings held
Chamber of Commerce.
Over 150 business stakeholders were invited via direct email, and additional meeting
information was shared on the Town’s social media platforms and through the Chamber of
Commerce’s business communication. The meetings at the Chamber of Commerce were
attended by approximately 20 business owners, property owners, and employees of downtown
businesses. Feedback and requests for additional discussion received included:
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Paid Parking Models and Strategies and Other Recommendations DATE: August 10, 2023
REMARKS (continued):
1. The employee parking program is working well. Several attendees concurred that these
permits should remain free, for the long-term, to encourage usage and support the
Town’s downtown employees.
2. Employee parking should be expanded to include Saturdays, which would then
encompass the full duration of time-regulated parking. Currently, it is set for Monday
through Friday, and employees that work on Saturdays find it more difficult to park.
3. Full support was expressed for adopting equitable permit fees (no charge) for all
employee parking permits.
4. Consideration must be given to the high school students, their use of parking, and pick-
up/drop-off circulation.
5. Comparison of parking rates for parking in other Bay Area jurisdictions would be helpful
to better understand the area’s market rates; and, for those with pay to stay options,
understanding how long is free before the pay per hour begins.
6. Understanding of when paid parking programs were implemented elsewhere, any
effects on visitor attrition and leakage to other neighboring jurisdictions without paid
parking.
7. Before implementing paid parking, staff should consider how the program could impact
businesses with private parking lots.
8. Several businesses stakeholders expressed full support for implementing a paid parking
program that offers their customers more flexibility when appointments and visits to
downtown are longer than anticipated, especially when coupled with no daily parking
time limits. This may encourage visitors to feel more relaxed and stay in Town longer to
patronize more businesses. Others were less supportive of moving to any form of paid
parking and questioned why it is being considered. The divide was typically related to
the industry of the specific business.
9. Specific parking rate amounts were not a topic that drew much discussion, rather the
concept of any paid parking versus no paid parking, except as they relate to the cost of
employee parking permits. There was general concurrence that the employee permits
should remain much less expensive than if an employee were to regularly use the paid
parking option in the general parking lot areas to keep employees parked in their
designated permit spaces.
10. If a paid parking program is implemented, most businesses showed interest in having a
validation option that is simple for both the customer and the business.
The item was agendized for discussion at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Complete
Streets and Transportation Commission. The item included a summary of costs and discussion
of the staffing needs to provide a paid parking program. Comments from the Commission
members varied and included the following:
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Paid Parking Models and Strategies and Other Recommendations DATE: August 10, 2023
REMARKS (continued):
1. Consideration of high school parking, pick-up and drop off should be included for any
paid parking scenario.
2. Many employers charge employees for parking to discourage driving and to meet
Transportation Demand Management goals. Based on this, paid parking for employees
should be considered.
3. Contract of the operation of a paid parking program should be explored, including
developing an understanding of how that might change any fees and charges and
revenue generation.
4. In setting rates, consideration should be given to low-income visitors; fees should
balance disincentivizing occupying spaces for the long term but be low enough to not
discourage visitors from coming to Town. Others suggested that higher rates for parking
cars would encourage walking and biking.
Attachments received with the Staff Report:
1. Downtown and Olive Zone Boundaries
2. Cost Recovery Evaluation
3. Parking Staffing Plan
4. Case Studies