06/05/2001 RA RPTS 05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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i CITY OF RIVERSIDE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEMORANDUM Honorable Mayor and Agency Members Date: Item No.: June 5, 2001 5 Subject: Request Authorization to Amend Agreement with Wilbur Smith & Associates - Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study Background On July 25, 2000, the Agency approved awarding the contract to prepare a Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study (Study) to Wilbur Smith Associates, Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA) was selected due to their extensive experience in municipal parking studies, WSA has diverse and comprehensive experience in municipal parking, transportation planning, and design, The major purpose of the Study was to evaluate current operational policies and management tactics that exist with respect to municipal parking facilities as well as all on, and off,street parking issues to determine current parking supply and demand, The study area is bounded by Fourteenth, Lime, Third and Market Streets, The City's Planning Department is concurrently developing a comprehensive Downtown Specific Plan and environmental impact report, The major purpose of the proposed Specific Plan is to clarify the vision of Downtown, while at the same time addressing land use development regulations. While a number of focused studies have been prepared, Downtown Riverside has not been comprehensively studied since 1981, Current Issue The accomplishment of the Downtown Specific Plan is vital to the success of Downtown Riverside. A well, thought,out approach is being taken to ensure the successful revitalization of Downtown as it relates to the increasing pressure to provide adequate parking, The Study was commissioned parallel to the Specific Plan, and the selected consultants are working together to achieve the goals of the Agency and the City, WSA has already accomplished their assessment of existing parking conditions in order to identify parking deficiencies and parking needs of visitors and employees, WSA is currently reviewing Municipal Codes, analyzing parking use supply and demand, reviewing parking operations, parking facility analysis, parking policy evaluation and preparation of proposed recommendations, At the conclusion of the Study, WSA will develop the mapping and data in a format compatible with the City's GIS system in order to create a computerized parking demand model. The parking model will be able to examine the parking demands associated with future land use scenarios. Analysis The timing for completion of the Study has been delayed due to the efforts ofWSA and The Arroyo Group working concurrently on the Specific Plan. Consequently, Agency staff met with WSA and discovered that the existing Scope of Work does not include parking demand based upon: land use, occupancy of currently vacant buildings, or occupancy proposed buildings, all of which are vital to determine the overall need for additional parking spaces, Further, the current Scope of Work does not include the preparation of a financial feasibility plan, which is required to address the development costs of new parking structures, identify potential revenue sources, and provide an analysis of potential funding mechanisms, Finally, it is proposed that WSA prepare a conceptual parking structure layout and site analysis for up to two locations, It is extremely important that all of the aforementioned elements be included as part of the Parking Study. However, It IS the latter element that The Arroyo Group needs to incorporate into the Downtown Specific Plan, 5-1