Reso 2001-021 RDA 2001-003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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' Parking Parking. Adequate parking is an es- sential ingredient of successful downtowns. However, parking must be carefully sited and designed so that it does not detract from downtown's rhythm or character. Traditional downtowns generally relied on parking along street front- ages. In some cases parking lots can be constructed behind street front- ages with selected entries from cross streets. Surface parking lots along the street frontage and mid-block entries should be avoided, because they dis- rupt the rhythm of continuous building facades. The Plan recommends increasing on-street parking along East Four- teenth, West Juana, and Hays. This will provide better access to retail uses along these streets while distrib- uting parking more evenly across the downtown. Strengthening the pe- destrian connection from the city parking structure across E. 14th Street (at Wells Fargo Bank) to the downtown core will also improve people's perception of parking avail- . ability. In the long term, additional parking structures may be warranted to provide adequate parking at downtown densities. Many people perceive that avail- able parking downtown is at a great distance from shops. However these distances are no greater than those typically encountered in a shopping mall. The perceived distance can be reduced by making the pedestrian journey more interesting, cleaner, and safer through proper urban de- sign, lighting, and consistent main- tenance. A parking inventory is recom- mended to determine actual needs. This inventory would count- all available spaces in the area and track the number of vacant spaces at vari- ous peak times. Anecdotal observa- tion of current conditions seem to San Leandro Downtown Plan & Urban Design Guidelines October2000 page 73 Importance of good landscap- ing in parking dots. Clearly marked pathways in parking lot make a safer and more pleasant environment for the pedestrian.