Final Report ON-STREET PARKING MANAGEMENT AND PRICING STUDY SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

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1 Final Report ON-STREET PARKING MANAGEMENT AND PRICING STUDY SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ADOPTED BY THE AUTHORITY BOARD, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009

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3 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Chapter 1: Background and Purpose Introduction 5 Study Purpose and Objectives 5 Parking Pricing and Congestion Pricing 6 Report Organization 8 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Authority is indebted to the team of staff and consultants who helped with make this study possible. Tilly Chang, Deputy Director for Planning, oversaw the study and guided the preparation of the report, with assistance from Transportation Planner Jesse Koehler and previous Authority staff, Ryan Harris and Lisa Young. The Authority s consultant team (Bill Hurrell of Wilbur Smith Associates, Bryan Godbe of Godbe Research, Chi-Hsin Shao of CHS Consulting Group, and Michael Kodama of Kodama Planning Consultants) provided support on neighborhood parking assessment, market research, policy review, and peer cities research. Chapter 2: Existing Parking Policies and Programs Policy Framework 10 Existing On-Street Parking Supply and Management 11 Disabled Placard Parking 13 Residential Parking Permit Program 13 Off-Street Parking 16 Parking Revenue 16 SFpark 18 Chapter 3: Neighborhood Case Studies and Market Research Neighborhood Case Studies 20 Market Research 22 Neighborhood Case Studies and Market Research Summary Findings 26 Chapter 4: On-street Parking Management Strategies Enforcement 28 Technology 28 Conventional Regulation 29 Price-Based Regulation 29 Combining the Elements: The Full On-Street Parking Toolkit 33 Chapter 5: Residential Parking Issues and Strategies RPP Program: Issues 38 Reforming Residential Parking Management 39 Chapter 6: Study Findings and Recommendations Study Findings 38 Recommendations 39 Conclusion The Role of Parking Pricing and the Road User Pricing Toolkit 46 Resources and References 47 Agency Partners Jerry Robbins, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Ken Rich, San Francisco Planning Department This Study was made possible through a grant of Proposition K Local Transportation Sales Tax Funds. SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 1455 Market Street, 22nd Floor, San Francisco, CA tel fax info@sfcta.org web

4 FIGURES 1-1. Downtown Parking Supply (quantity of spaces) 1-2. SFpark Pilot Locations 2-1. San Francisco On-Street Parking 2-2. San Francisco Meter Districts 2-3. Meter District Rates (per hour) 2-4. New Port of San Francisco Meter Rates (per hour) 2-5. San Francisco Residential Parking Permit Zones 2-6. SFMTA Parking Revenues 3-1. Parking Occupancy, Summary 3-2. Parking Turnover, Weekday Mid-day/Evening Commercial Areas 3-3. Parking Duration, Weekday Mid-day/Evening Commercial Areas 3-4. Intercept Survey, Drivers and Non-Drivers by Primary Trip Purpose 3-5. Resident Survey, Importance of Parking Attributes (average among respondents) 3-6. Resident Survey, Experience with Parking Attributes (average among respondents) 3-7. Business Survey, Importance of Parking Attributes to Customers 3-8. Business Survey, Perceived Willingness of Customers to Pay for Enhancements 3-9. Business Survey, Impact on Support for Rate Increase if Dedicated to Improvements APPENDICES Peer Cities: Review of Relevant Programs and Plans Neighborhood Case Study Observations Market Research Activities

5 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Introduction BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE San Francisco s on-street parking management toolkit has historically relied upon conventional strategies, specifically: time limits; colored curbs; meters; low-cost residential permits; and manual enforcement. These strategies, which have evolved incrementally over time, address block faces designated as commercial or residential independently, rather than in an integrated manner at the neighborhood or area level. In the past, variable pricing of parking has not been utilized for various reasons, but the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board recently authorized a pilot program known as SFpark. This program will assess the effectiveness of using pricing and complementary strategies as a way to manage demand for parking at on-street locations and off-street facilities managed by SFMTA Study Purpose and Objectives Parking management is a crucial element of comprehensive transportation system and demand management. The 2004 San Francisco Countywide Transportation Plan calls for better parking management through a variety of strategies, including pricing mechanisms. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (Authority) undertook the On-Street Parking Management and Pricing Study (Study) to: Under-regulated on-street parking results in limited parking availability, inefficient utilization of spaces, and excess vehicular circulation. As population and economic growth occur, parking demand in Review San Francisco s existing on-street parking management programs and neighborhood parking neighborhoods can be expected to rise, exceeding on-street supply in conditions; many cases. On-street parking spaces are a finite commodity, and it Consider various strategies for is important for neighborhoods to efficiently and effectively manage improved management of on-street spaces; existing facilities as a scarce and valuable resource. Investigate the potential for using innovative technologies and approaches, including variable pricing of on-street parking, more widely to manage demand and increase availability; Discuss residential parking management issues and explore the use of potential new parking revenues to support neighborhood transportation enhancements; and Make recommendations for comprehensive neighborhood parking management to improve parking conditions and support policy goals. The Study was particularly focused on investigating strategies to improve parking management in San Francisco s diverse neighborhoods. CHAPTER ONE Bay Area land use projections forecast focused growth in the region s PAGE 5 urbanized areas, including well over 150,000 additional San Francisco

6 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, For more information on MAPS, visit 4 Source: SF-CHAMP for MAPS. During the A.M. peak period, apresidents. 1 Since the 1970s, the City has successfully pursued strategies to minimize the parking impacts associated with employment growth in the downtown core, primarily through limitations on the provision of parking supply and significant investment in transit infrastructure. Future growth will differ significantly in pace and character from historic San Francisco development trends. Substantial residential growth in the city, in conjunction with rising incomes and reduced off-street parking requirements in many areas, can be expected to increase the demand for on-street parking. There is a need to explore innovative strategies to manage parking demand, both to address constrained parking conditions that presently exist and to develop strategies to confront future challenges. Since the Study s initiation, a number of developments have resulted in a substantive shift in the context for the Study s analyses and recommendations. In 2007, two parking-related propositions were placed on the ballot. In November 2007, San Francisco voters approved Proposition A, which shifted responsibility for parking regulations, fees, and fines from the Board of Supervisors to SFMTA. 2 In addition, the Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) applied for and received a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Urban Partnership Program grant, which includes $19.4 million for a demonstration of variable parking pricing as part of the Federal initiative to fight congestion. SFMTA will lead the implementation of the variable parking pilots through the SFpark program. The SFpark pilots will utilize new pricing approaches and technology to improve the management of San Francisco s parking supply in several locations in the city. The innovative approaches envisioned by SFpark are generally consistent with the strategies explored in this Study, which center on managing parking as a scarce resource through variable pricing, new technology, and improved enforcement. While they are related and complementary tools in the comprehensive demand management toolkit, parking pricing and congestion pricing address two different challenges. Given SFMTA s current efforts to design and demonstrate new parking strategies through SFpark, it is an opportune time to review existing parking policies, assess neighborhood parking conditions, evaluate public opinion, and make recommendations for both the SFpark program and future initiatives. 1.3 Parking Pricing and Congestion Pricing The Authority is also currently studying the feasibility of using congestion pricing to manage congestion through area-wide pricing, with a focus on the weekday peak periods when San Francisco congestion is worst and most severely affected by commute trips. This effort, the Mobility, Access and Pricing Study (MAPS), is complementary to both this Study and the SFpark program. 3 While they are related and complementary tools in the comprehensive demand management toolkit, parking pricing and congestion pricing address two different challenges: Variable parking pricing addresses on-street parking shortages and can be expected to have a limited effect on peak-period road use in San Francisco s most congested areas. Roadway congestion pricing is targeted at peak-period congestion and would likely have a stronger effect on peak-period traffic, particularly commute trips. The distinction regarding the effect of each program on reducing peak-period congestion stems from the different markets that each strategy targets, as well as the total supply of road space each program affects. The SFpark program s focus on metered on-street parking and City-owned parking garages means that it primarily targets short-term, non-work trip purposes such as shopping trips, personal business, and office visits. In contrast, peak-period traffic is largely associated with work trips and other long-term parking purposes. Although work trips account for approximately 25 percent of total daily travel in San Francisco, the majority of peak-period travel in the city s downtown is made up of commute trips. 4 1 Association of Bay Area Governments. 2 Prop A gave the SFMTA Board all legislative authority for parking and traffic regulations that are not otherwise preempted by state law or reserved to the Board of Supervisors. Prop A gives the Board of Supervisors authority to enact legislation establishing review procedures to allow the Board of Supervisors, at public request, to review SFMTA actions relating to the following: stop signs, bicycle lanes, preferential parking zones, parking meter zones, parking time limits, and disabled parking privileges. The Board of Supervisors has not approved an ordinance establishing such review procedures. CHAPTER ONE PAGE 6

7 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY town on-street parking supply is further reduced during peak periods by the conversion of curbside spaces to travel lanes on certain corridors. The central rationale for parking pricing is the need to address parking availability and to improve the efficiency of on-street parking utilization. However, reductions in excess vehicular circulation resulting from appropriately-priced on-street parking are an important secondary benefit of parking pricing programs. These congestion mitigation effects have the potential to improve transit operations in the city. This benefit is especially important for numerous Muni routes identified in SFMTA s Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) Rapid Network, such as the 22-Fillmore, which must navigate constrained local commercial corridors with high levels of parking activity and double parking impacts locations where localized congestion is not primarily caused by commute travel. Figure 1-1. Downtown Parking Supply (quantity of spaces) DOWNTOWN CORE GREATER DOWNTOWN The areas most affected by chronic peakperiod congestion are generally the areas with the largest quantity of commuterserving privately provided off-street parking spaces. These spaces will not be affected by SFpark and are in general much more difficult for the City to effectively regulate. In the downtown core, parking managed by the City represents less than 20 percent of the overall supply. Figure 1-1 (right), compares the supply of parking controlled by the City to the total supply of available parking, and Figure 1-2 (next page) displays the locations of SFpark pricing pilot areas. Although some spaces in City-owned garages are currently rented by commuters (where excess capacity exists), a core tenet of San Francisco s Transit First policy is that these parking resources be prioritized for short-term use, to support retail commercial and visitor-related activities. In addition, more than half of the curbside spaces in the downtown core are reserved for commercial loading activities. 5 Downproximately 75 percent of person trips to and from the downtown core are work-related trips. 5 Source: SFMTA, Parking Policy Board Memorandum, April 23, 2007: more than 52% of the spaces in the downtown core (excluding motorcycle parking) are designated for commercial loading and unloading. CHAPTER ONE PAGE 7 City-Owned Garages 9,300 10,700 SFpark On-Street Pilot Areas 1,500 4,200 Total Parking Supply 49,400 66,800 Source: Authority calculations based on information from SFMTA (SFpark) and the Planning Department (Downtown Plan Monitoring Report, 2004). Note: Greater Downtown refers to Census Superdistrict 1. The Downtown Core quantities shown for City-owned garage spaces and SFpark on-street pilots correspond with SFpark s Downtown pilot area, which aligns closely with the C-3 downtown office district. Variable parking pricing and roadway congestion pricing programs both address an important need to better manage scarce transportation resources and institute appropriate price signals to encourage more efficient travel behaviors. Both programs also utilize new technologies to benefit users and system operators alike, as well as potentially generate significant new sources of revenue for transportation services and infrastructure. Report Organization In order to gain a better understanding of neighborhood parking conditions and public attitudes regarding parking, and to identify and assess parking management strategies, the Study used a variety of approaches. This report documents Study components as follows: Chapter 2: Existing Policies. The report first reviews San Francisco s existing on-street parking policies and programs. Chapter 3: Neighborhood Case Studies and Market Research. Extensive citywide market research and neighborhood-level assessment were conducted as part of the Study. This chapter discusses the results of the four neighborhood parking evaluations and market research activities. Chapter 4: Parking Management Strategies. This chapter discusses the issues associated with the four primary elements of on-street parking management enforcement, technology, conventional regulation, and price-based regulation as well as the role for each element. Chapter 5: Residential Parking Management: Issues and Strategies. This chapter discusses a number of issues associated with current

8 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 management approaches for on-street parking in residential areas. Potential near-term reforms are discussed. Chapter 6: Study Findings and Recommendations. This chapter begins with a summary of the Study s principal findings. These findings frame the subsequent presentation of recommendations for improving San Francisco s use of each element of the parking management toolkit. These recommendations are followed by a number of specific recommendations relating to the SFpark pilot projects. This chapter then presents a summary roadmap for improving the management of on-street parking in San Francisco s neighborhoods. The report concludes with a brief discussion of the advantages and limitations of parking pricing and a reiteration of the relationship of parking pricing to other transportation pricing initiatives. CHAPTER ONE PAGE 8

9 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Figure 1-2. SFpark Pilot Locations SOURCE: Authority, based on SFMTA data. CHAPTER ONE PAGE 9

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11 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY EXISTING PARKING POLICIES AND 2PROGRAMS The Authority s 2004 Countywide Plan made a conservative estimate of the city s parking supply, totaling over 600,000 spaces. About 320,000 of these spaces are on-street; the remainder are off-street, including private residential parking. 2.1 Policy Framework Two key documents establish an overall parking policy framework: the San Francisco General Plan Transportation Element and the San Francisco Countywide Transportation Plan. 6 6 In addition to the General Plan and the Countywide Plan, other policy documents relevant to parking management include the following: San Francisco Planning Code, SFMTA Short-Range Transit Plan, San Francisco Climate Action Plan, SFMTA Climate Action Plan, and numerous neighborhood-level plans adopted by the Authority and various City agencies. CHAPTER TWO SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL PLAN: TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT The San Francisco General Plan Transportation Element 7 sets the overall policy framework for transportation and parking policies in San Francisco. The key general objective of the General Plan Transportation Element is to meet the needs of all residents and visitors for safe and convenient travel, while maintaining a high-quality living environment. The General Plan also promotes a multimodal systems approach, sets a Transit First policy, and calls for transportation demand management strategies to meet overall transportation needs. The General Plan s parking policies seek to accommodate short-term parking needs while discouraging use of on-street spaces for long-term commuter parking. The Transportation Element advocates managing parking demand through appropriate pricing policies that reflect the full costs, monetary and environmental, of parking in the city. 8 Specifically, the Plan calls for: the use of premium rates near employment centers well served by transit, walking, and bicycling; and progressive rate structures to encourage turnover and the efficient use of parking. It also advocates demand management strategies to reduce parking demand at employment centers. SAN FRANCISCO COUNTYWIDE TRANSPORTATION PLAN The General Plan Transportation Element establishes goals, objectives, and policies that guide transportation planning, which are used to analyze and make recommendations regarding specific land development proposals. The Countywide Transportation Plan is the 30-year investment blueprint for transportation system development within that policy framework. The Countywide Plan is prepared by the Authority in its role as San Francisco s Congestion Management Agency (CMA). The Authority s 2004 Countywide Plan calls for improved parking management through a variety of means, including supply-side and demandside approaches. 9 The Plan recognizes the key role of parking management in overall travel demand management. Specifically, the Countywide Plan calls for: Prioritizing short-term parking over long-term parking through price regulations; PAGE 11 7 See 8 General Plan Transportation Element, Objective See

12 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 Regularly increasing parking fees to keep pace with inflation and demand; Reform of the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program to update the cost of permits and rationalize their distribution; Management of parking supplies at the neighborhood level; Shared parking; and Parking assessment/benefit districts. Within the policy framework established by these documents, SFMTA has adopted a set of specific goals and principles to guide the SFpark program. The SFpark Vision, Goals, and Principles document was adopted by the SFMTA Board in April The parking management principles articulated therein are as follows: managing parking to achieve broader transportation system benefits, including improved transit performance; enhancing parking convenience through improved availability, particularly to support access in commercial districts; utilizing demand-responsive parking pricing as the principal strategy for achieving availability and turnover goals; and improving parking enforcement by pursuing best practices. 2.2 Existing On-Street Parking Supply and Management There are a total of approximately 320,000 on-street parking spaces in San Francisco (see Figure 2-1, below). With the exception of spaces under the control of the Port of San Francisco and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, responsibility for on-street parking operations, regulation, and enforcement is under the jurisdiction of SFMTA, through the agency s Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT). 11 SFMTA regulates these spaces through metering, time restrictions, curb coloring, and the RPP program. Approximately 24,000 of these spaces are metered, typically allowing 1- or 2-hour parking sessions, as well as some 15-minute and 30-minute spaces. 12 Figure 2-1. San Francisco On-Street Parking TYPE OF PARKING SPACE Total On-Street Parking QUANTITY White zones (passenger loading) 1,575 Green zones (short-term) 337 Yellow zones (freight loading) 3,981 Blue zones (disabled) 541 Taxi zones 56 Metered spaces (approximate) 24,000 Source: SFMTA. 320,000 (includes meters) Time-restricted/limited spaces are typically designated to allow 30 minute, 1-hour, or 2-hour parking. On-street loading needs are currently addressed through the commercial loading zone program, which provides 10 See 11 Prop E, approved in November 1999, established SFMTA to administer DPT and the Municipal Railway (Muni). SFMTA assumed full responsibility for DPT on July 1, 2002 when the Parking and Traffic Commission was dissolved. 12 Metering of on-street spaces by local jurisdictions is authorized by the state Vehicle Code (Section 22508). The Vehicle Code is silent as to the manner of administration of collection and expenditure of meter revenues, leaving the issue to the local jurisdiction. dedicated commercial loading zone spaces (yellow spaces, frequently metered). There are four meter districts in the city: Downtown, Downtown Periphery, Fisherman s Wharf, and All Other Areas, each with its own rate structure. Extending time paid at meters or feeding the meter past the designated time limit is prohibited but difficult to enforce with existing meters. A map of the meter districts and current rates are shown at right in Figures 2-2 and 2-3, respectively. Prior to 2009, parking meter rates were last raised in 2005 by the Board of Supervisors. With authority for meter rates now assigned to SFMTA (per Prop A), a meter rate hike effective July 1 is included in the agency s Fiscal Year 2009/10 budget (as shown in Figure 2-3). The original SFMTA staff budget proposal included an extension of metered hours until 10:00 p.m. and initiation of Sunday metering in Meter Districts 1, 2, and 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. However, the SFMTA Board amended the proposed budget to remove these extensions of metering. In the process of seeking the Board of Supervisors required approval of the budget, SFMTA agreed to study extending meter hours until 8:00 p.m. In addition to SFMTA-operated meters, the Port of San Francisco operates approximately 1,000 metered spaces along 45 blocks within its jurisdiction. Port meters are enforced 365 days per year. In the past, the Port s meters have been in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In spring 2009, the Port began replacing its meters with new multi-space pay stations. This change is the soft launch of the SFpark program (see Section 2.7, below), with the Port meters acting as an additional pilot area. 13 The 13 In conjunction with the introduction of new Port meters, SFMTA has been contracted by the Port to operate, maintain, and enforce the Port s on-street parking. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 12

13 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Figure 2-2. San Francisco Meter Districts Source: SFMTA. Figure 2-3. Meter District Rates (per hour) METER DISTRICT HOURLY RATE BEFORE JULY 1, 2009 EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2009 MOTORCYCLE RATE BEFORE JULY 1, 2009 EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2009 QUANTITY OF METERS METERING HOURS 1. Downtown $3.00 $3.50 $0.25 $0.70 3,391 7am-6pm, Mon-Sat 2. Downtown Periphery $2.50 $3.00 $0.15 $0.60 4,348 7am-6pm, Mon-Sat 3. All Other Areas $1.50 $2.00 $0.10 $ ,069 9am-6pm, Mon-Sat 4. Fisherman s Wharf $2.50 $3.00 $0.15 $ am-7pm, Mon-Sun Source: SFMTA. Note: the quantity of meters does not include metered spaces designated for motorcycles, which total 1,361 across the city. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 13

14 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 Port s new meter rates vary based on geography and time-of-day, as shown in Figure 2-4, below. Figure 2-4. New Port of San Francisco Meter Rates (per hour) ZONE 7:00 A.M. 7:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M. 11:00 P.M. South of Bryant Street $1.00 (12 hour $0.25 (12 hour time limit) time limit) Bryant Street to Broadway (Ferry Plaza area) Broadway to Pier 39 West of Pier 39 (Fisherman s Wharf) $3.00 (4 hour time limit) $2.00 (4 hour time limit) $2.50 (2 hour time limit) $0.50 (4 hour time limit) $0.50 (4 hour time limit) $0.50 (4 hour time limit) Source: Port of San Francisco. Note: Rates will be higher during special events, such as baseball games. 2.3 Disabled Placard Parking The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues Disabled Person (DP) Parking Placards or License Plates to individuals who are mobility impaired. 14 In order to qualify for the program, applicants must provide a licensed medical professional s certification of conditions for the impaired mobility. 15 There are four types of DP Parking Placards available to eligible persons permanent, temporary, travel for California residents, and travel for nonresidents. Placards are issued and valid for a range of time periods starting at 30 days (travel parking placard for California residents) up to two years (permanent parking placard). Valid dates for individual placards are determined by these maximum time periods or by the date noted by the certifying medical professional, whichever is less. Persons with DP Placard or Plates are granted parking privileges that include the ability to park for free for up to 72 hours in the following types of spaces: Given the nature of DP Placard parking privileges essentially waiving all on-street parking fees and time limits the temptation to abuse the program is significant. which makes it easy to transfer placards to vehicles not serving disabled individuals. The City has no direct control over the issuance of DP Placards and is only able to enforce the lawful use of the placards and confiscate counterfeit or misused placards. Combating placard abuse will require action at both the local and state levels. A number of local and state legislative initiatives have been proposed in recent years seeking to address abuse and enforcement issues. Most recently, in May 2009, the State Assembly nearly unanimously approved a bill (AB 144) to allow local jurisdictions to process various placard-related Curbside green zones (designated short-term); Curbside blue zones (designated disable only); City-owned metered lots; and All other legal curbside spaces (i.e., metered, time-restricted, and non-regulated spaces). The fee exemption does not extend to City-owned parking garages. 16 About 52,000 San Francisco residents have valid DP Placards or Plates. During a 2007 on-street parking technology and policy demonstration project conducted for the Port s on-street meters, it was found that 13 percent of parked vehicles were displaying a DP Placard. 17 Given the nature of DP Placard parking privileges essentially waiving all on-street parking fees and time limits the temptation to abuse the program is significant. This is compounded by the portability of DP Placards, 14 See 15 Under the state Vehicle Code, allowable conditions include certain vision problems (including low-vision or partial sightedness), heart or circulatory disease, lung disease, or loss of the use of one or both lower extremities or both hands. Veterans, who as a result of an injury or disease that occurred while on active duty are mobility impaired, are also eligible for the Disabled Veterans (DV) License Plates. DV Plates allow the same parking privileges as DP Placards or Plates. 16 For more information regarding disabled parking in San Francisco, see: City and County of San Francisco, Parking for the Disabled Abuse or Over-Use?. Civil Grand Jury Report, released July See Appendix A. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 14

15 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY The Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program was established in 1976 to address parking spillover challenges faced by neighborhoods adjacent to major long-term parking generators, such as BART stations, universiabuses as either misdemeanors or as parking citations subject to a penalty between $250 and $ Currently, illegal use or counterfeit of placards is considered a misdemeanor. If the legislation is enacted, 18 See ab_144_bill_ _amended_asm_v96.pdf. it will be easier for violators to be cited by enabling enforcement officials to issue parking tickets for these offenses. 2.4 Residential Parking Permit Program Figure 2-5. San Francisco Residential Parking Permit Zones Source: SFMTA. Note: this map does not show RPP zone DD, which was recently established (April 2009) for a portion of the Merced Manor neighborhood. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 15

16 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, Off-Street Parking San Francisco s off-street parking supply includes both private and public parking lots and garages, as well as private residenties, hospitals, and commercial corridors. Currently the city has 28 RPP zones (see Figure 2-5, previous page). In Fiscal Year 2006/07, DPT issued 89,271 annual permits and 2,867 temporary (visitor) permits. The RPP program operates by exempting permitted vehicles from the parking time limits established for non-metered on-street spaces within the zone. 19 Depending on the zone, these time limits are in effect during daytime hours either Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday. Most zones are signed for the RPP time limit exemption to be in effect from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, some zones (or portions thereof) are signed for a few additional evening hours (e.g., portions of the S zone, which are signed until 9 p.m.). In effect, the program allows permit-holders to store their vehicle onstreet during the day without violating signed time restrictions. Holding a permit does not guarantee the availability of a space. The number of RPPs issued annually does not have a relationship with the total number of on-street parking spaces available in a particular zone. A 2002 report 20 of the Legislative Analyst found that in 2001 there were 3 percent more residential parking permits issued than there were curbside spaces within the then designated RPP zones. Each household located within an RPP zone is allowed to purchase up to four RPPs, or more if a special request is made and a waiver is obtained. There is no maximum number of permits issued per RPP zone. The cost for an RPP is $76 per year ($74 prior to July 1, 2009), regardless of zone. The program allows permit-holders to store their vehicle on-street during the day without violating signed time restrictions. If a household obtains a waiver allowing more than four permits, a graduated fee structure applies to the additional permit(s). A household can also purchase visitor permits, valid for 2-, 4-, 6-, or 8-week periods, for $26, $38, $50, or $64, respectively. Business owners within an RPP zone can purchase (at the same price) one permit per business and up to three additional permits for delivery vehicles with commercial license plates registered to that business address. Permit fees are considered a regulatory fee, and the price level is set using a cost recovery model based on the costs determined by SFMTA to be directly related to the administration of the program. In Fiscal 19 The RPP program is authorized by the California Vehicle Code (Section 22507) and codified in the San Francisco Transportation Code (Section 905). The state Vehicle Code specifies that on designated streets, a permit system can be established to exempt resident and/or business permit holders from parking restrictions otherwise in effect. (The state Code also allows permits to be extended to other groups, such as school personnel, if the jurisdiction elects to do so.) 20 Office of the Legislative Analyst, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002). 24-Hour Residential Parking Permits. File No Available online: < Year 2006/07, the revenue collected from RPP permit fees was approximately $5.75 million. The RPP enforcement unit is the one of the largest details in DPT s Enforcement Division. There were approximately 185,000 RPP violations issued in Fiscal Year 2006/07. A parking citation for a residential parking permit violation is $63 ($60 prior to July 1, 2009). ESTABLISHMENT AND MODIFICATION OF RPP ZONES New RPP zones are established through a petition process. To establish a new permit area, the proposed blocks must contain a minimum of one mile of street frontage, and the neighborhood must submit a petition signed by at least 250 households in the proposed area. At least 50 percent of the vehicles parked on the streets in the proposed area during daytime hours must be non-resident vehicles, and at least 80 percent of the legal on-street parking spaces within the proposed area must be occupied during daytime hours. To add a street to an existing RPP, the proposed block must be contiguous to an existing RPP area, a petition signed by more than 50 percent of the households on the proposed block must be submitted, and at least 80 percent of the legal on-street parking spaces within the proposed area must be occupied during the day. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 16

17 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY tial parking. The San Francisco Planning Department is responsible for approving all proposed off-street parking facilities. The Planning Code regulates the number of spaces and type of parking facilities allowed and/or required for new developments. The Parking Authority (now a division of SFMTA) was established in 1949 under the State Parking Law for the purpose of acquiring, financing, constructing, and managing parking garages and other off-street parking facilities (i.e., metered parking lots). SFMTA manages the operations of 20 City-owned off-street parking garages (14,575 spaces total). SFMTA also operates 21 off-street metered parking lots (591 spaces total). Some City-owned parking garages offer monthly parking, where short-term parking demand is less than the total supply of parking at the garage. In these cases, the monthly rate is set to be competitive with nearby commercial garages. All publicly- Where on-street parking is underpriced relative to off-street parking, motorists are encouraged to avoid off-street facilities and instead circle the local area looking for an available (and inexpensive) on-street space. available parking is subject to the City s 25 percent flat tax on parking fees. (Metered spaces are exempt from this tax, including off-street metered lots.) This Study did not focus on off-street parking conditions and management strategies, only considering off-street supply and management as it relates to that of on-street supply and management. The relationship between the two is very important for effective parking and traffic management: where on-street parking is underpriced relative to off-street parking, motorists are encouraged to avoid off-street facilities and instead circle the local area looking for an available (and inexpensive) on-street space. This cruising behavior results in significant excess vehicular circulation, contributing to local congestion, safety conflicts, and emissions. 2.6 Parking Revenue Many of the parking-related services that SFMTA charges for, such as curb painting, towing, boot removal, and residential permits, only cover the administrative and directs costs of the specific activity and do not generate additional revenue. Meter fees, however, do generate additional revenue, and parking- related revenues are an important component of SFMTA s budget. With the passage of Prop A in 2007, jurisdiction for meter rates and parking fines was transferred from the Board of Supervisors to SFMTA. SFMTA has a Parking Enforcement Division, which is responsible for enforcing parking violations. There are currently 310 Parking Control Officer (PCO) positions in this Division, with PCOs assigned to either General Enforcement beats or one of several special enforcement squads, such as street-cleaning or driveway blockage. SFMTA issues approximately 1.9 million parking citations each year. Effective July 1, 2009, fines range from $36 to $303 per violation, reflecting a $3 increase to all fines that was adopted in SFMTA s Fiscal Year 2009/10 budget. Total annual fine revenue is approximately $90 million dollars. CHAPTER TWO PAGE 17

18 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 The City assesses a 25 percent tax on off-street parking fees, as noted in Section 2.5, above. Prior to Fiscal Year 2008/09, 40 percent of these parking tax revenues were dedicated to SFMTA. Pursuant to Prop A, this percentage is now 80 percent, with the remaining 20 percent continuing to flow to the General Fund. The 80 percent share amounts to approximately $50 million per year in total. Figure 2-6, below, presents SFMTA parking-related revenues from Fiscal Year 2006/07. Figure 2-6. SFMTA Parking Revenues FISCAL YEAR 2006/2007 REVENUE SOURCE AMOUNT ($ THOUSANDS) Parking Citation Revenue 89,913 Parking Garage Revenue 34,003 Parking Meter Revenue 30,516 Share of City Parking Tax (then 40 percent) 25,905 Residential Parking Permit Fees 5,749 Off-Street Parking Lot Revenue 844 Boot Removal Fees 330 Source: SFMTA. Both before and after the passage of Prop A, the San Francisco City Charter has directed most parking-related revenues to SFMTA. The Charter directs to SFMTA all City revenues from the following sources: SFMTAoperated meters (i.e., all meters except those operated by the Port and the Recreation and Park Department); off-street parking facilities; and parking violations (e.g., tickets). The General Fund was and continues to be an important revenue source for the SFMTA budget. The Charter articulates the policy of using parking-related revenues to support transit, except where they are required by law to be used for other purposes. 21 Prop A amended the Charter to explicitly direct SFMTA s additional share of off-street parking tax revenues to support the implementation of the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) and to support the creation of a Labor-Management and Service Improvement Committee. Proposition E (1999), which created SFMTA, limits the Parking Authority s ability to expand or construct new parking facilities. 22 The last City-owned garage to be constructed was the North Beach garage, which began operations in Other parking-related capital investments that have been made in recent years include electronic real-time parking information signage and static signs in the downtown area, as well as new parking meter technology. New electronic single-space meters were installed in 2002 and 2003; the meters were designed to accept SFMTA s parking debit cards, which were introduced in The SFpark pilot projects will test new networked meters, in advance of the planned replacement of all SFMTA meters. 21 For example, the City has obligations to use some parking revenues to pay financing costs for debts assumed in the past by the Parking Revenue Fund, the Parking Meter Revenue Account, and the Off-Street Parking Fund. These generally include parking-related capital investments (e.g., parking garages) financed by parking revenues when they were implemented. 22 Section 8A.113 of the City Charter, as amended by Prop E and Prop A, directs that SFMTA manage the Parking Authority so that it does not acquire or construct new or expanded parking facilities unless the Agency finds that the costs resulting from such acquisition, construction, or expansion and the operation of such facilities will not reduce the level of funding to the Municipal Railway from parking and garage revenues under Section to an amount less than that provided for fiscal year , as adjusted by the Controller for inflation. PARKING REVENUES IN STATE LAW Government revenues can be generally classified into three categories: taxes, user charges, and other revenues. (Impact fees are an example of other revenue.) Though the distinction between taxes and user charges is sometimes unclear (thus the significant amount of court involvement in making such distinctions), user charges generally refer to fees imposed by government for a specific service in order to recover the costs of providing that service. The California Constitution restricts the ability of local jurisdictions to impose taxes without voter approval (Prop 13, 1978). There have been legal challenges in the state asserting that parking fees constitute illegal taxes where the amounts collected exceed direct administration and enforcement costs. The resulting jurisprudence indicates that this excess revenue is not a tax provided that the jurisdiction has implemented the parking charges in order to regulate parking and traffic rather than to generate general funds. In other words, parking user charges are a regulatory fee that should be obligated to transportationrelated expenditures. In San Francisco, the City s Transit First policy articulates the connection between parking, traffic, and transit that is the basis for expending parking revenues in this manner. 2.7 SFpark SFpark is SFMTA s new approach to parking management. As noted elsewhere in this report, these approaches are generally consistent with the strategies reviewed in the Study. The current SFpark pilot projects will test new networked parking meters, parking occupancy sensors, and parking information systems. Price-based regulatory strategies will be deployed, including variable pricing and progressive pricing. The pilot projects are distributed across CHAPTER TWO PAGE 18

19 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY parking prices within these ranges as well as adjust the initial availability standards and targets. In October 2008, the Port Commission had passed a resolution to establish equivalent program parameters. 24 Key issues and considerations in the design and implementation of price-based parking management programs are discussed in detail in Section 4.4 of this report. The current SFpark pilot projects will test new networked parking meters, parking occupancy sensors, and parking information systems. eight areas, as shown in Figure 1-1 (Chapter 1). As noted in Section 2.2, the Port s meters are acting as one of the SFpark demonstration areas and, as the first location to come online, are functioning as the program s soft launch. Parking conditions will also be monitored in three control areas. In order to implement the new pricing structures, both SFMTA and the Port were required to make regulatory changes. In November 2008, the SFMTA Board approved the ranges for parking pricing that will be used in the pilots as well as the initial availability standards and targets. 23 SFMTA staff may implement changes to 23 See (SFMTA Board Resolution ) CHAPTER TWO PAGE 19 PRICING STRUCTURE The pricing structure of SFpark will be significantly different than the pricing structure currently used elsewhere in the city. On-street parking in the pilot areas is currently priced at a flat rate (see Figure 2-3). The price ranges for SFpark allow both lower and higher prices to be charged depending on demand, as follows: On-street parking: $0.25 to $6.00 per hour; On-street parking (during special events): $0.25 to $18.00 per hour; and Off-street parking (City-owned garages): $1.00 to $10.00 per hour. In addition to the greater price range, the pricing structure for SFpark also introduces more variability into pricing. Depending on the location, the rate structure in the pilot parking areas will be flat or variable. Variable pricing will be based either on time of day, length of stay (progressive pricing), or a combination of these two approaches. AVAILABILITY STANDARDS AND TARGET Meter rates will be adjusted over time in order to achieve meet availability objectives. Prices will be adjusting using the following guidelines: Prices will be set for a minimum of 30 days; Every 4 to 6 weeks, SFMTA will adjust prices as necessary; and Prices will be adjusted by no more than $0.50 per hour at a time. The availability standard is the desired availability percentage for different types of parking. The availability target is the amount of time that the availability standards are met. SFMTA will establish initial availability standards between 10 and 35 percent (i.e., 65 to 90 percent occupied) for the following types of parking: Metered on-street parking (automobile); Metered on-street parking (motorcycle); Metered commercial loading parking (yellow zones); Metered on-street short term pick-up/drop-off parking (green zones); and Parking garages and lots. The SFMTA Board set the initial availability target at 80 percent. In other words, the SFpark pilots will seek to achieve desired parking occupancies at least 80 percent of the time. Per the resolution, SFMTA staff may change the availability standards and target during the pilot period based on monitored performance, in order to help achieve overall program goals. 24 See (Port Commission Resolution )

20 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009

21 FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 3.1 Neighborhood Case Studies NEIGHBORHOOD CASE STUDIES AND 3MARKET RESEARCH The Study included an intensive effort to assess neighborhood parking conditions and explore public attitudes regarding parking. Four neighborhoods were examined in detail through the collection of on-street parking data and completion of intercept surveys. Citywide market research was also conducted to evaluate preferences and The Study team selected four representative San Francisco neighborhoods to be the subjects of an in-depth study of existing parking conditions. The goal was to select a set of neighborhoods that varied in land use mix and density, demographics, transit supply, parking issues, and geographic location. As such, four neighborhoods were chosen: Bernal Heights, Cow Hollow, Hayes Valley, and West Portal. All or a portion of each neighborhood s non-metered on-street parking supply is covered by the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program. Existing parking conditions were observed and assessed in each of the four study neighborhoods. For each neighborhood, a representative eight block area was selected for inventory and observation. These representative blocks were selected to include both commercial and residential areas. (See Appendix A for maps of these areas.) Two types of observations were conducted in the neighborhoods. First, on-street parking occupancy was calculated. (See Box 1, next page, for definitions of occupancy and other key parking terms.) Occupancy was calculated by observing the number of parked vehicles as compared to the total inventory of spaces. In each study neighborhood, parking occupancy was observed in both the residential and commercial portions of the representative area. Figure 3-1, following page, summarizes the parking occupancy observations. opinions regarding parking conditions and potential management The table presents average occupancies across each neighborhood s strategies. representative residential and commercial areas. Occupancies in excess of practical capacity (85 percent occupied) are highlighted in bold. At the block-level, occupancies varied significantly, sometimes exceeding 100 percent (indicating the presence of illegal parking activity). These differences are illustrative of the geographic variation in the intensity of parking demand across an area s overall parking supply. Second, parking behavior at individual spaces was observed in each neighborhood s commercial area. In these areas, vehicle license plates were observed at intervals over a given time period to determine how long each vehicle was parked and how many vehicles occupied a specific space. This data allowed the calculation of parking turnover and duration. Turnover and duration were calculated for each study neighborhood s commercial area during the weekday mid-day through evening CHAPTER THREE period. Figures 3-2 and 3-3 (next page) summarize the turnover and duration observations. PAGE 21