Portsmouth officials are beginning to review a draft plan of parking issues called the Downtown Parking Strategies Concept Plan. Five “priority strategies” will get the first look.
By
cmcmahon@seacoastonline.com
January 24, 2011 2:00 AM
PORTSMOUTH — The city is on pace to begin addressing its most pressing parking priorities.
A report released Thursday by city staff calls for major changes to the parking landscape and could have overarching affects on residential development downtown. Called the Downtown Parking Strategies Concept Plan, the report is considered a draft plan for implementing coordinated strategies to increase the supply and enhance the management of off-street parking in the Central Business District.
The strategic plan is considered to be among the next steps following the release of a Downtown Parking Focus Group report last year. In the 22-page report, seven recommendations were identified to protect some limited free and low-cost parking around the downtown, create a parking enterprise fund and turn some parking revenues into enhancements for the downtown.
The most recent report groups the recommendations into five "priority strategies" and other "longer-range strategies." The five priorities include eliminating off-street parking requirements in the central business districts, repealing the optional payment in lieu of parking fee, creating additional off-street parking, creating a parking enterprise fund, and providing variable on-street parking rates and durations.
As the slate of recommendations could have a major impact on development downtown and could require changes to the zoning ordinance, the concept plan has fallen under the purview of various city boards.
On Jan. 20, members of the Planning Board, Economic Development Commission and Parking Committee gathered to discuss the concept plan. Planning Director Rick Taintor said the city will try to move on the five priorities this year "as quickly as possible." From a zoning perspective, Taintor said the city should be cognizant of how off-street parking requirements and in lieu of parking fees affect economic vitality downtown, and how requirements affect the balance between residential and non-residential uses.
Taintor said recommendations to eliminate off-street parking requirements and in-lieu fees are based on a concern that the city shifted the balance too much from commercial use toward residential use. The concept plan calls for eliminating off-street parking requirements for all projects, including residential, except "large projects" on lots of 20,000 square feet or more and on which 40,000 square feet or more of gross floor area is proposed. The change would require amendments to the zoning ordinance, Taintor said.
That change raised concerns from the Economic Development Commission. EDC chairman Dana Levenson said the committee feels strongly that there needs to be a balance of residential and non-residential uses. Levenson said the EDC is opposed to eliminating off-street parking requirements for residential development and would advocate for an in-lieu parking fee charged to residential projects.
"The EDC has long held a vision of having ample and affordable parking in the central business district," he said. "It is the No. 1 tool in the toolbox to promote economic vitality in the downtown."
Another major recommendation deals with creating additional off-street parking, particularly the construction of a parking garage at the Worth Lot. The strategic plan calls for the city to proceed expeditiously with the design and construction of the garage. If the City Council is to authorize continued planning and design in March, the city would have a new $12 million garage by November 2013.
The fourth recommendation to create a parking enterprise fund "would be coordinated with funding of the new parking garage," Taintor said.
The fifth and final priority recommendation calls for variable parking rates and durations throughout the downtown. Taintor said the recommendation would be needed to ensure normal turnover of on-street parking and would help shift long-term parking patrons to places like the High-Hanover Parking Garage.
The changes would involve on-street spaces costing $1 an hour and "high-occupancy" spaces on Congress, Market and Pleasant streets costing $1.25 an hour. The hourly rate in the parking garage would remain at 75 cents.
Longer-term strategies that will be up for consideration include providing free and low-cost parking for downtown residents and employees, investing some revenues in downtown enhancements, expanded hours for metered spaces, increasing monthly rates in the parking garage and installing meters at the Parrott Avenue parking lot.
City Manager John Bohenko said it appears the city will move forward to eliminate the in lieu of parking fee for non-residential uses, but could consider applying a fee toward residential uses. "We are moving rapidly toward an over amount of residential use in the downtown," he said. "Not that it's bad, but you need a good mix and at some point you won't be able to reduce that spiral."
Bohenko said in order to move the recommendations forward, he would like to package them as an "omnibus" of changes. Bohenko said he plans to issue a comprehensive recommendation for further consideration in the near future.
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