Staff Report.Parking Program Ordinance
PREPARED BY: Greg Borromeo and Jim Renelle
Sergeant Parking Program Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Police Chief, and Finance
Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/19/2022 ITEM NO: 14
DATE: April 10, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending the Los Gatos
Town Code Chapter 15 Regarding Motor Vehicles and Traffic to Include
Parking Meter Zones and Amending Ordinance Definitions and Requirements.
RECOMMENDATION:
Introduction and first reading of an Ordinance (Attachment 1) amending the Los Gatos Town
Code Chapter 15 regarding motor vehicles and traffic to include parking meter zones and
amending ordinance definitions and requirements.
BACKGROUND:
On January 26, 2021, the Town Council directed staff to move forward with Phase I of the 2019
Parking Study Roadmap which included the Employee Permit Parking Program and the
Wayfinding Improvement Project.
In November 2021, Town Staff began working with a wayfinding consultant to develop a
Downtown Wayfinding Master Plan along with parking wayfinding and signage.
On March 15, 2022, the Town Council received a report on Parking Study implementation
updates. Based on recommendations from the report, Council directed Town staff to move
forward in developing the Pay-to-Stay parking ordinance. This ordinance would allow
Downtown visitors to “park once” and pay a nominal parking fee to stay parked in the same
parking space beyond the initial free 3-hour time limit.
California Vehicle Code section 22508 requires local authorities to adopt an ordinance when
establishing parking meter zones and setting rates for parking meter fees.
PAGE 2 OF 4
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending the Los Gatos Town Code
Chapter 15 Regarding Motor Vehicles and Traffic to Include Parking Meter Zones and
Amending Ordinance Definitions and Requirements.
DATE: April 10, 2022
DISCUSSION:
During the Employee Permit Parking Program development process, the Town’s unlimited time
parking spaces (approximately 432 spaces) in the core downtown Municipal parking lots are
being reassigned for use by the Employee Parking Program. Any unlimited time spaces
(approximately 15 spaces) in the core lots not utilized for the Employee Parking Program are
being converted to 3-hour public parking. Unlimited time parking spaces in the Northside and
Miles Avenue parking lots would remain unchanged and available to all. However, these
outlying lots do not provide sufficient convenient parking for most visitors.
To achieve a goal of providing convenient “park once” visitor parking, the Town needs to
establish a “pay-to-stay” parking meter zone. This would allow downtown visitors to park in a
lot for three hours of free parking and then pay a nominal parking fee to remain parked for any
additional time they may need.
The Parking Meter Zones ordinance would establish the following:
Downtown Parking Meter Zone Boundary – Town staff recommends a Downtown Meter Zone
to include the area geographically bordered by Tait Avenue to the west, Los Gatos-Saratoga
Boulevard to the north and Highway 17 to the south and east. For the purposes of a Downtown
Meter Zone, East Main Street from Highway 17 to Los Gatos Boulevard and within 1 block of all
intersecting streets shall also be included in the zone. Please see Attachment 2 for a map of the
area.
Downtown Parking Meter Fee Range – Town staff recommend setting a Parking Meter Zone Fee
range between $0.00 and $5.00 per hour that is adjusted as necessary to control the demand
for parking. Parking demand and space utilization would be periodically reviewed by Town staff
who will provide a report to the Town Manager. The actual rate is to be set by Town Council
resolution. The majority of business owners who participated in a Chamber of Commerce
parking outreach meeting on April 12, 2022 were in favor of maintaining the existing 2- and 3-
hour time limits, and they also favored a $2.00 fee after the 3-hour free period in the municipal
lots. Town staff recommends starting the program with an initial rate of $2.00 per hour.
Please see the chart below for comparison with other nearby jurisdictions for off-street parking
rates and time limits. Several jurisdictions have variable time limits and parking rates based on
the proximity to their core business area.
PAGE 3 OF 4
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending the Los Gatos Town Code
Chapter 15 Regarding Motor Vehicles and Traffic to Include Parking Meter Zones and
Amending Ordinance Definitions and Requirements.
DATE: April 10, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
Location Free Period Pay Period Pay Rate
Los Altos 2 and 3 Hours By Permit Only $1 Day*
Palo Alto 2 and 3 Hours By Permit Only $25 Day**
Redwood City No Free Period Immediately $1/Hour
San Jose 90 Minutes After First 90 Minutes $1/15min. ($4/Hour)
Santa Cruz (A)*** 3 Hours Max N/A N/A
Santa Cruz (B)*** No Free Period Immediately $1.25/Hour
Valley Fair Mall 2 Hours After First 2 Hours $1/Hour
Walnut Creek 1 Hour After First 1 Hour $1.25/Hour
* By a Permit sold directly to the business and provided to the customer free of charge
** Visitor must purchase flat rate daily permit
*** City of Santa Cruz is a hybrid system with both free and paid blocks
Use of Revenue – Town staff recommend using revenue collected for the parking meter fees to
operate and maintain the Pay-to-Stay program along with other programs that support various
activities directly related to parking or alternative transportation in the Downtown Parking
Meter Zone.
CONCLUSION:
It is recommended that the Town Council introduce the first reading of an ordinance, by title
only, amending the Los Gatos Town Code Chapter 15 relating to Motor Vehicles and Traffic to
include Pay-to-Stay Parking Meter Zones and amending ordinance definitions and
requirements.
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated with the Parks and Public Works Department and the Office of
Economic Vitality.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Staff anticipates that costs for the maintenance and operation of Pay-to-Stay parking will be
covered by the parking fees received under this program.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project as defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
PAGE 4 OF 4
SUBJECT: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending the Los Gatos Town Code
Chapter 15 Regarding Motor Vehicles and Traffic to Include Parking Meter Zones and
Amending Ordinance Definitions and Requirements.
DATE: April 10, 2022
Attachments:
1. Draft Ordinance - Parking Meter Zones
2. Pay-to-Stay Parking Meter Zone Map