WORKSHOP ITEM - Robert Therres, Public Services Manager
Title
DISCUSSION ON PARKING AT LAKESIDE COMMONS PARK(BEACH)
Background
Last year the City received no parking requests from three different neighborhoods that are around Lakeside Commons Park. The common complaint was that people were parking in their neighborhoods and then walking to the park to use the beach. Attached is a map showing the no parking requests.
One of the issues with placing parking restrictions is that it also affects the resident’s ability to use on-street parking for family events like birthday parties and graduations during the times that parking restrictions are in place. In one neighborhood, the residents requested no parking from the City Council and after it was put in place, a portion of the original area signed another petition requesting the removal of no parking restrictions, citing conflicts with parties and graduations.
Other neighborhoods want signs posted that state “No Beach Parking”; however these signs are very difficult to enforce and would require more time and effort on the Police Department to monitor.
Another suggestion by residents living in the area is to cease charging non-residents for parking in the parking lot at Lakeside Commons Park. Currently the City allows residents with a parking permit to park in the lot for free. The permits are free to city residents; non-residents pay $5.00 per day or $25.00 per year to obtain a parking permit. The City nets about $13,000 a year in revenue through parking fees.
While no direct studies have been done, Park and Recreation Staff believe the existing parking lot does not fill up except for 2 or 3 days per season. The beach is open from when school is out in early June until Labor Day, from 10:00am to 8:00pm each day.
The City Council forwarded the requests and the parking issues to the Park Commission for discussion. The Park Commission discussed this at their August Park Board meeting. The Park Board is recommending that more effort be put into advertising that parking at Lakeside Commons Park is free to residents and to consider removing the parking fee at Lakeside Commons Park.
Recommendation
Does the City Council want to consider removing the parking fee for non-residents at Lakeside Commons Park?