MORGANTOWN PARKING AUTHORITY

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Regular Meeting

 

The regular meeting of the Morgantown Parking Authority was held at 3:00 P.M., Wednesday, February 14, 2007, in the Conference Room at the Public Safety Building.

 

PRESENT:  Chairman Ernest Fortuna, Vice-Chairman Bill Byrne, George Papandreas, Jeanne Hagan,

        Charlie McEwuen, and Tom Arnold.

 

ABSENT:   None.

 

OTHERS PRESENT:  Terry Cutright, Main Street Morgantown Director;

 Zack Arquette, Manager Pita Pit;

             Josh Baldwin, Jimmy John’s delivery driver.

 

            Chairman Ernest Fortuna called the meeting to order at 3:05 P.M.

 

            The regular order of business was suspended to discuss item (a) under New Business.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

High Street Business Delivery Vehicle Parking:

 

            Mr. Arnold said there are four businesses close to the 400 block of High Street that has delivery drivers.  There are parking issues and complaints that keep coming up regarding the delivery vehicles.  To help solve the parking problem the Parking Authority offered to help these businesses by selling them permits for Lot A on Spruce Street. 

 

Mr. Zack Arquette, manager of Pita Pit, said Lot A is too far for his employees to walk and they are currently parking at meters.  He said Pita Pit delivers between 11 A.M. to 1:30 A.M. during the week and there is only one driver at night that parks on High Street.  Pita Pit has a policy that the employee is responsible for any parking ticket he may receive.  He said parking is not an issue for them since his employees have worked out their parking problems.  Mr. Arnold said there isn’t an issue with the delivery drivers for Casa D’Amici either, because they park their vehicles in Lot E and pay the meter. 

 

Mr. Arnold believes that DP Dough creates the biggest parking problem because their delivery drivers park in front of their business on High Street.  Mr. Arnold would like to develop a plan that would get the delivery vehicles off of High Street and make it cheaper for the drivers to obtain a permit.  Mr. Papandreas said he saw two Jimmy John employees double-parked on High Street and the vehicles were still there after he drove around the block.  Mr. Josh Baldwin, delivery driver for Jimmy John, said that in order for them to deliver and do business in the downtown his delivery drivers need to break the law and double park with their flashers on.  Mr. Papandreas informed Mr. Baldwin that the owner of Jimmy John knew about the parking problem before opening up his establishment and was aware that there was parking available one block away.  He said that Jimmy John doesn’t want to be treated equal but instead want to be treated above everyone else.

 

            Mr. Baldwin would like to have a delivery-parking permit issued to Jimmy John for a flat fee.  Mr. Arnold suggested the delivery drivers purchase a cashkey and said that a permit would not allow them to park on High Street just in a parking lot.  He reminded Mr. Baldwin that State Code does not allow the Authority to designate parking spaces for individual businesses.  He will however; seek the legal advise of the City Attorney on developing a “win-win” solution for the delivery drivers.  Ms. Hagan said she is in favor of a solution as long as the extended parking ordinance is not violated.  Mr. Byrne believes that if the drivers purchase cashkeys they will park on High Street and it would defeat the purpose.  Mr. Arnold said the problem is that the drivers either don’t put money in the meters or they double-park. 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

            Mr. Papandreas stated that he would like the comment he made during the January 2007 Parking Authority meeting be included in the minutes.  The comment to add to the minutes is “Mr. Papandreas asked Mr. Bruffy if he believes Lot B is the best location for the bus transfer station.  Mr. Bruffy said in his opinion this location was not the best, however, it is the only location that is currently being looked at.”

 

Upon a motion by Mr. Papandreas, seconded by Mr. McEwuen and approved by unanimous vote, the minutes of the regular meeting of January 10, 2007 were approved with the above correction. 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

Possible Bus Station in the Lot Behind Daniel’s:

 

            Mr. Arnold said the Mountain Lion is looking for a bus transfer station at Lot B because of its central location to the downtown.  This location would require the elimination of eighty-one parking spaces at a yearly revenue of $119,000.   The lost spaces include eleven on-street and all of Lot B except the spaces directly behind Daniel’s.  The Transit Authority is willing to reimburse the Parking Authority for the lost revenue; however, Mr. Papandreas believes the revenue for the downtown merchants may decrease.  Mr. McEwuen believes the figures presented for the ridership for the buses is misleading because the riders are the same people every day.  

 

Mr. Arnold reviewed the traffic study that was previously done when the garage was considered for Willey Street.  In the study the intersection of Willey and Chestnut Street was rated E with rating F being the worst rating available.  He was told that the traffic study was a moot point because the buses would be exiting onto Reed Street. 

 

Mr. Byrne said the City Council discussed this issue and would like to see more public transit in the downtown.  He is highly supportive of public transit in the downtown; however, he would like to look at alternative locations.  He asked the Authority members for their opinions and their reason for not wanting this project to proceed.  Ms. Hagan said she did not want to lose vital parking in the downtown.  Mr. McEwuen said he would like to see public transit in the downtown but not in Lot B.   He suggested a viable alternative to locating the transfer station to Lot B.  He suggested changing Spruce Street to a two-way street from Willey to Walnut Street and use Lot A as the transfer station.  Mr. Papandreas agreed with Mr. McEwuen and believes his suggestion to be a good one.  Mr. Byrne had concerns that this plan would have a domino affect because it would result in relocating City employees. 

 

Mr. Papandreas said WVU would like to see public transportation closer to them and suggested using the Willey Street lot for the transfer station.   Mr. Arnold said that would create a bigger problem because WVU would like to reconfigure the Willey Street and University Avenue intersection so the lot would not be appropriate as well as Lot B.  Mr. Papandreas said most of the downtown business owners he has spoken with are not in favor of this and even though the City will make the Authority revenue neutral it will affect the businesses revenue.

 

Ms. Terry Cutright was asked for her opinion on the matter.  She replied that public parking, public transportation, and public restrooms all need to be addressed hand-in-hand with each other during the planning process.   Mr. Arnold said there appears to be a sense of urgency for a location to be found and a decision to be made.  Mr. Byrne said it is because BOPARC wants to occupy the bus depot building.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Proposed New Ordinances for Parking Violations:

 

Mr. Arnold met with the City Attorney regarding parking on High Street and the consideration of implementing a new parking program.  A graduated ticket fee was discussed, however, both Mr. Fanok and the Parking Authority enforcement officers have concerns with it.  It was suggested that the rates on High Street could be increased instead.  Mr. Papandreas said based on the parking patterns of habitual parkers the graduated ticket fee program seems to be the way to go.  

 

Mr. Arnold said the City Attorney suggested raising the rates on High Street.  Mr. McEwuen, on the other hand, would like to see a graduating fee program at the two-hour meters on High Street.  The first ticket will be $5; an hour later a second ticket could be issued for $10, and an hour after that a third ticket could be issued for $25.  He said that any vehicle that ends up receiving the third ticket for $25 would have been parked on High Street for five hours.  Most people conducting business in the downtown don’t park for five hours. 

 

            Mr. Arnold said a “Theft of Service” ordinance is needed for individuals who tailgate out or run through the exit gates and causing damage them.

 

Program Development for Downtown Student Housing:

 

            On February 22, 2007 Mr. Arnold met with the Renters Association and it was determined that there are 327 apartments in the downtown.  By summer 2007 there will be another five apartments on High Street above the new Dairy Queen and sixteen at the Scottish Rite building on North High Street.  Mr. Arnold would like to partner up with the Renters Association to get a handle on residential parking needs in the downtown B-4 district.  He said the Authority should consider looking into storage parking. 

 

            In the Parking Authority’s meeting packet was a study by Donald Shoup from UCLA titled “In Lieu Parking Fees”.  It is an interesting approach to downtown development.  Mr. Arnold is working with the City Planner on a program for developers to contribute to a bond based the number of rental units they have that will pay for new parking facilities instead of the developer providing for their tenants parking.  Mr. Byrne said this matter was discussed at a City Council meeting and that there aren’t any parking requirements in a B-4 district and property owners rely on public parking for their tenants.  He discussed the impact businesses and rental units have on the density of the downtown and is in favor of them contributing to a fund to help with the impact their development has on parking.

 

            Mr. Arnold questioned to whom parking permits should be geared towards.  He said the Authority needs to cater to the B-4 district and questioned whether permits should be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

 

OTHER MATTERS: 

 

Monthly Meeting with WVU:

 

            Mr. Arnold recently meet with WVU regarding parking and as of March 4th he will start attending their monthly meetings.  At the recent meeting he met with Nancy Lowman, Norman Weise, and Bob Roberts who all liked the Parking Authority’s initiatives on getting a handle on parking in the B-4 district.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

            There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:45 P.M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________              ______________________________

                           DATE                                                  Ernest Fortuna, Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by:  _____________________________________

                                      Dianna L. Kovalcheck