The Tucker City Council and staff are continuing to determine what ideal combination of time limits, technology, and spaces will push their downtown parking plan forward.
During its Feb. 23 work session, Micah Siebel, assistant to the city manager, delivered updates on the latest with downtown parking and plans to incorporate more spaces, technology, which would allow for data collection on parking time-limits, and the capital investment for those plans.
The council last discussed an ordinance on time-limited parking in November, but did not come to a final decision on how to resolve issues with downtown employees and teen drivers occupying vital parking spaces.
Lean enforcement
Since that discussion, the city has added Tucker Town Green parking spots and more than 100 new, leased public parking spots at Main Street Church. Siebel also discussed the engineering underway on 4th Street that would add 17 more parking spots. Construction for that project could begin as early as the fall.
In his presentation, Siebel suggested magnetic puck technology that would detect parked cars and send the city a communication once the car has been parked for three hours and 45 minutes. An officer wouldn’t be involved until the parking time extends to four hours, which Siebel said would lead to “lean” enforcement.
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“One of the benefits of this particular approach, as opposed to some of the other options that could exist, is that it really has a sort of foolproof data collection mechanism, which is just a magnet,” he said. “It’s consistent. Metals in all cars and all engines. It’s not reliant on a person to go down there and look at the technology.”
Implementing the metal-puck technology would cost the city a range of $50,000 to $75,000, with private spaces included. The puck technology could also be connected to an app that would help downtown visitors pinpoint when spots are available. According to community feedback, residents often skip lunch on Main Street after they’ve driven around two or three times searching for parking, Siebel said.
Parking confusion
Parking availability is not the primary issue, Mayor Anne Lerner said. Instead, residents’ impatience has to do with confusion about downtown parking. The best investment for the city right now would be way-finding, including lighting, signage, and colors to highlight parking, Lerner said. There’s still available parking, on most days, at the Main Street Church parking lot and other areas, she said.
“I think we are still in a space where we have not done the education or offered the tool. Like you’re saying, for people to understand, yes, you can park here,” Lerner said.”The [signs] on the doorway after I get to the restaurant, or the information is somewhere else after I get to where I need to be.”
District 1 Councilman Roger Orlando also wants the staff to gear efforts toward signage, since the puck technology doesn’t add enough value besides measuring trends and timing, which he noted “is not brain surgery.” He also suggested that the future ordinance include a two-hour limit and a fine of around $35 as a means to educate and encourage drivers to uphold the parking rule.
District 2’s Vinh Nguyen agrees that two hours would be the sweet spot. Business owners in his district have determined through Placer.ai that downtown visitors are generally parked for about 90 minutes. Vinh suggested an expedited “soft-enforcement” period, a two-hour limit, and proper signage that would display the exact number of spaces available in a certain lot area. Vinh also expressed optimism about the puck technology as a future tool for the city. Siebel noted that even the light enforcement would be difficult without an approved ordinance.
All in all, after nearly three years of discussion, Vinh admonished the council and staff to agree on a plan to finalize the parking ordinance.
“Our indecision is a decision,” Vinh said. “Every month we don’t make a decision affects business owners.”
Lerner advised that staff return to council with a quote focused on marking parking and “re-messaging” downtown, and more information about Tucker City Hall Annex parking availability. The council will meet for its regular meeting on March 9.