Laserfiche WebLink
2.0 Downtown Parking Management Plan <br />2.1 Program Goals and Guiding Principles <br />Parking management system program goals and Guiding Principles developed through a community-based <br />consensus building process contribute to a vibrant and growing downtown. Guiding Principles are based on <br />the premise that development of the downtown will require an integrated and comprehensive package of <br />parking strategies to stimulate economic development and redevelopment. The ensuing parking <br />management plan becomes but one critical element of a larger coordinated package for economic growth. <br />As the result of discussions with City of San Leandro staff and review of input derived from recent public <br />forums, the consultant team summarized the many comments, ideas and themes that emerged from these <br />meetings into a draft set of Guiding Principles. The Guiding Principles are designed to steer and inform future <br />decision-making on issues related to access and parking management. Strategically, the principles encourage <br />the use of the City's parking resources to support economic development goals and effectively serve the <br />diversity of people who visit, live near, work, and shop in the downtown. The intent of the plan is to <br />implement parking related strategies, programs and infrastructure development in a manner that serves <br />downtown as a multi-purpose destination and mitigates any impacts on the adjacent neighborhoods. <br />The Guiding Principles are outlined below. It is recommended that the City adopt a formal set of Guiding <br />Principles for its Parking Management Plan and incorporate those as policy for the operation and <br />management of the San Leandro public parking system. [NOTE: The Guiding Principles are not listed in any <br />specific priority order.] <br />■ Downtown San Leandro is a valuable community asset <br />Downtown San Leandro is an asset valued by all members of the community, regardless of where they <br />live or work within the City. The entire community will benefit from having a thriving downtown. As such, <br />the City should manage the downtown parking system in a way to optimally support this asset. This <br />includes understanding that while numerous users need parking in downtown, the priority user of the <br />public supply in commercial areas is the customer/visitor who goes downtown to conduct business, shop, <br />dine, and recreate. This type of parker represents a key component of downtown's existing vitality and <br />future growth, and must be accommodated. <br />As policy guidance, this principle was formulated to ensure that "the full sign should never go up" when <br />it comes to providing access to customers/visitors in the downtown; those who come repeatedly to shop, <br />dine, recreate, and be entertained. Both the on -street and off-street supply in public ownership should <br />be managed to always maintain available parking for customers/visitors. The general profile of this <br />patron supports short-term stays that result in a high turnover of parking in the district. In the future, it is <br />hoped that the typical customer will stay longer, be willing to walk more, as well as patronize multiple <br />destinations in the downtown. It should be noted that while customers are the priority, employees also <br />play an important role in a successful downtown and need places to park and/or access to transportation <br />alternatives. <br />■ Simplify Parking Operations <br />Make Downtown parking user-friendly, easy to access, and easy to understand <br />