1. King Farm Permit Parking a. Residents of the King Farm community shared a request to implement permit parking along King Farm Blvd. This item will be reviewed and voted upon by the Traffic & Transportation Commission at the June 2006 meeting.
b. Residents of the King Farm community also expressed frustration with non-residents parking on Elmcroft Blvd. and Watkins Pond Blvd. Staff relayed that residents can submit a petition to implement permit parking on City-owned streets. c. Eight citizens attended, four testified.
d. The following summarizes discussion: - Commissioner Rosselle: Would parking restrictions be weekdays only? Answer: Yes.
- Commissioner Klein noted that Rockville does not count on-street parking in development approvals but that on-street parking was counted to meet the parking requirement for the King Farm development.
- There was clarification that the King Farm Conservancy (the developer) owns and operates the shuttles at King Farm. This was discussed in response to concerns raised that commuters use King Farm Blvd. to park and then use the King Farm shuttle to get to Metro.
- Commissioner Thomas inquired about the rationale for designating permit parking on private streets from 10 AM to 2 PM. Petitioner Ted Task stated that this would allow visitors to residences and retail establishments to park but would eliminate the all-dday, 9 AM to 5 PM commuter parking.
- Commissioner Levine stated that many of the comments submitted during the public comment period did not support the permit parking request unless their blocks also received permit parking, and that the problem would “shift” to other blocks.
- Joan Hannon, Secretary for 401, 403, 411, and 413 King Farm Blvd. testified that parking is a problem but was concerned that parking problems would just shift from one block to another once permits were issued for the 500 block of King Farm Blvd.
a. She noted, and staff confirmed, that residents of the 400 block of King Farm Blvd. had submitted a permit parking petition the day before this hearing.
b. She said she was concerned that permit parking would not be implemented on her block because of the lobby of retail owners across the street.
c. She noted that the permit parking request submitted was for the north side of the street only (i.e., not in front of the retail establishments), and that if a two-hour restriction would help retailers, residents of the 400 block would be amenable to that scenario.
- Commissioner Klein asked for clarification that the request was for a two-hour restriction. Ms. Hannon stated that no times were presented on the submitted petition but that if the restrictions were for two hours in order to assist retailers then the petitioners would support a two hour restriction.
- Commissioner Resnick asked Ted Task, petitioner for the 500 block of King Farm Blvd., if it would be acceptable to have two hour parking restrictions on his block. Mr. Task stated that that would be a “concession that I’m not thrilled with.”
- Resident Terry Tripp testified against the permit parking petition. However, she retracted her statements after clarification that the restriction would not be a 24-hour restriction, which was her initial impression. She stated that she supports restrictions from 10 AM to 2 PM.
- City Chief of Police Terry Treschuk testified that the City recommended to the King Farm Assembly to administer permit parking restrictions from 10 AM to 2 PM on the private streets. He stated that two-hour parking restrictions are difficult to enforce.
- Commissioner Klein requested that rules about “permit parking courtesy” be included in the policy guidelines. A “courtesy” means that residents may request that the City lift parking restrictions during large social gatherings such as graduation parties, wedding parties, etc.
- Commissioner Resnick inquired if the business community would want parking meters. Chief Treschuk stated that this had been discussed with the commercial property owners awhile ago but not since the petition for the 500 block was submitted. Ms. Kelly confirmed that business owners were included on the public hearing notice mailing list but had not received any replies from that group.
- Commissioner Crane inquired of petitioners if parking is a problem now or if they suspect it will get worse in the future. Petitioner Ted Task stated that it is a problem now.
- John Neil, President of King Farm Blvd. III stated that he has asked non-resident parkers why they park on King Farm Blvd. and that they say they park there to use the King Farm shuttle.
- Commissioner Resnick inquired if staff had a position on the permit parking request. Ms. Kelly stated that staff did not have a recommendation at this time. He requested that staff provide a position at future permit parking public hearings, per 4.d. in the permit parking procedures guidelines.
- The public hearing was closed at 8:20 P.M.
2. Review May 2006 Meeting Minutes a. Minutes were approved with no modifications.
3. Permit Parking Policy and Neighborhood Streets (Continued from May) a. Commissioner Klein noted that the permit parking “courtesy” (refer to notes above from the King Farm permit parking public hearing) should be in the guidelines and zoning code update.
b. Commissioner Crane stated that there should be a strict guideline that petitioners must prove a parking “hardship”.
c. Chair Oberg stated that there should be consistency between City Manager and Traffic & Transportation Commission decisions on permit parking, and agreed that clearer guidelines should be developed to prove “hardship”. He noted that there are limited City resources to spend on patrolling for permit parking.
d. Commissioner Filemyr noted that item 4.d. in the guidelines should be followed. This states that staff should make a recommendation [to the Commission] regarding the implementation of permit parking prior to the public hearing.
e. Chair Oberg agreed to draft criteria to update the guidelines from the general to the specific, i.e., illustrating with examples the term “hardship.” The Commission will review the draft and then staff will review.
f. Regarding King Farm Blvd. permit parking request, Ms. Kelly noted that staff would like to conduct additional license plate surveys to determine if cars parked there all day, intermittently, or during just business hours.
g. Commissioner Klein expressed that the Commission should wait to make a decision on the King Farm Blvd. permit parking request until the King Farm Assembly issues permit parking on the private streets. Staff noted that, if this were to be the case, residents on King Farm Blvd. would have to submit another petition and conduct another public hearing (because 60 days will have passed).
h. After discussion, Commissioner Thomas presented a motion to defer a final decision about the King Farm Blvd. permit parking request for up to 60 days. The motion was approved.
i. Commissioner Rosselle requested that staff provide the following for next month’s meeting: - Number of existing parking spaces on King Farm Blvd. (400 and 500 blocks)
- How many parking spaces were approved for these residences?
- Results of license plate surveys conducted by staff.
4. Transportation Demand Management Strategic Plan a. Ms. Kelly presented to the Commissioners the idea of using TDM funds to support operation of a Town Center shuttle. She noted that staff may recommend to Mayor and Council at the end of July to use approximately 1/3 of existing TDM funds for start-up costs and inquired about the Commission’s support. She also noted that staff would recommend that these TDM funds be restricted to a one-time event and that the remainder of operational costs for a shuttle would need to be sought from other sources.
b. After discussion, Commissioner Resnick presented a motion to support staff in presenting a recommendation to Mayor and Council that TDM funds be used as one-time seed money to operate a Town Center shuttle. The motion was unanimously supported.
5. Staff Report and Updates (Weekly) a. Staff provided an update on the SHA project at MD28/586/911 and the outcome of the Mayor and Council session of June 19.
b. Chair Oberg requested that staff send a copy of the Twinbrook Commons Trip Reduction Agreement to the Commission, provide the status of the twelve Upper Rock proposed traffic mitigations, and estimate the reduction of COPT parking spaces that would be possible if calculated proportional to the reduction in COPT estimated trip generations between 1983 and 2006. Staff asked that the latter question be put to Mr. Wasilak in Planning.
6. Additional Items for Discussion a. Commissioner Asebe presented the COG “What If” plan and will send Ms. Kelly further information and contacts.
b. Staff will re-send the Sidewalk Prioritization Project draft prior to next month’s meeting.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 P.M. |
