May 11, 2004

SUBJECT:  Review and Update on Parking Studies in the Downtown Area

REPORT IN BRIEF

Due to the planning and construction activities in the downtown, some questions have arisen regarding the adequacy of the parking for current and future uses in the Downtown Parking District. To address these concerns, staff reviewed the parking studies prepared for each downtown project approved since 1997 and the preliminary parking studies for the as yet unapproved Forum project to redevelop Town Center Mall. Parking supply and demand was analyzed in four major areas: North of Washington (Town and Country Area), 100 Block of S. Murphy Avenue, Caltrain/Murphy Square and Town Center Mall.

This analysis indicates that at each stage in the development approval process, parking studies have projected surplus parking in the Downtown Parking District. However, based on a preliminary parking analysis for the Forum project, the future mix of uses may create a deficit of approximately 100 spaces in the Parking District during the evening weekend hours of the peak season (November-December).    

BACKGROUND

Due to the recent construction and planned development in the downtown, questions have arisen regarding the adequacy of the parking for current and future uses in the Downtown Parking District. 

Since 1997, four major development proposals have been approved which, if constructed, would have changed the projected parking supply and demand in the downtown:

·                     1999 - Approval of a proposed mall expansion sponsored by American Mall Properties (AMP) (Expansion never took place, but one of the approved parking structures adjacent to Target was completed).

·                     1999 – Approval of a parking garage at the Caltrain Station (Completed).

·                     2000 - Approval of the Mozart Office Buildings with associated underground parking (Completed).

·                     2002 – Approval of a final plaza design at the southwest corner of Evelyn and Frances with associated modifications to parking supply in the North of Washington Area (Under Construction). 

DOWNTOWN POLICY

Downtown Specific Plan 2003

Policy C.4 – Encourage shared parking in the downtown to minimize the amount of land devoted for parking areas and manage parking so it does not dominate mode choice decisions or the built environment.

Policy C.6 – Provide adequate access to parking in the downtown. 

DISCUSSION

Staff reviewed the parking studies prepared for each downtown project approved since 1997. These studies typically analyzed the parking supply and demand in four major areas of the Downtown Parking District: North of Washington (Town and Country Area), Murphy Avenue, Caltrain/Murphy Square and Town Center Mall.

Parking Studies: Each of the four projects submitted a parking study prepared by a consultant. The parking studies looked at three main issues:

·                     Adequacy of the proposed supply

·                     Effect of parking demand on existing downtown uses

·                     Effect of parking demand on future downtown development and uses

The consultants projected the parking demand at different times of the day and year based on the proposed square footage and use. The most intense (peak) use of parking typically occurs during the holiday season (a 4-8 week timeframe in November and December). Secondly, these studies also considered the spillover effect on the adjacent areas to ensure that the downtown as a whole had adequate parking supply. Lastly, parking adequacy was considered not just for development that existed today, but what could be built in the future under the Downtown Specific Plan.  

Staff Reports: For all projects (except for the AMP mall project) these proposed developments were required to provide enough parking in downtown to support the peak time of the year (AMP was required to provide additional off-site parking during the peak season).  Depending on the specific mix of uses, peak time either occurs during holiday season at 1:00 p.m. on a weekday, or at 8:00 p.m. on a weekend.  Staff recommended (as discussed in the staff reports) that all projects provide the maximum amount of parking needed during the peak time. 

Conclusion: To date, at each stage in the development approval process, the parking studies have projected surplus parking in the Downtown Parking District.  This analysis evaluates future demand for parking based on what projects have been approved, not necessarily constructed. While some of these areas, notably Murphy Avenue, do not have sufficient parking space in their immediately adjacent parking lots to fulfill their individual demand, areas such as the Macy's lot at the Town Center Mall and the Caltrain garage make up for the shortfall and provide adequate parking for the downtown uses. This information is shown in detail in Attachment A.

The Forum Proposal: Staff has begun preliminary analysis of the proposed Forum project’s parking impacts on the parking district.  Two parking studies have been prepared reviewing future development potential of the North of Washington area (Town and Country), Murphy Avenue and the Forum project site. The Forum Development Group retained Fehr & Peers to conduct a detailed parking analysis of their project and staff hired Walker Associates to prepare an independent analysis of demand and suggest possible locations to provide additional parking. Walker Parking has worked with staff for the past four years providing professional assistance on parking supply and management.  Both of the studies used February 2004 development data for the Forum project, analyzed the larger study area and assumed that new residential development would be self-parked. The Walker analysis based actual parking demand for the Murphy Avenue area on parking counts conducted in the peak economic times of 2000 and 2001.

Each study used a different methodology to determine peak times and total demand. Despite these different methodologies, both studies arrived at similar demand numbers for the Forum project. The consultants have reviewed each other’s studies and concurred on the reasonableness of the approaches. The studies concur that based on the mix of uses, adequate public parking will be available at all noon and evening weekday and weekend times during most of the year.

However, staff concludes that there may be a deficit in the Parking District of approximately 100 spaces during the peak holiday time (8 weeks in November and December) and at 8:00 p.m. on weekends. This is based on the Walker analysis, which points out that the current surplus of spaces in the Town Center Mall are being used by patrons of Murphy Avenue. The proposed mix of uses in the Town Center project would use these spaces more intensively on weekend nights, reducing the amount of overflow parking available for Murphy Avenue. This information is preliminary, and as the Forum proposal becomes finalized, staff will bring more detailed information before the City Council.

FISCAL IMPACT

No fiscal impact is expected. 

PUBLIC CONTACT

Notice of the public hearing for this project was published in the Sun newspaper and included on the agenda for the City Council meeting of May 11, 2004. 

The staff report for this project was posted on the City of Sunnyvale’s Website and a copy of the report was provided at the Reference Section of the City of Sunnyvale’s Public Library. The City Council Agenda was posted on the City of Sunnyvale’s Website.  

RECOMMENDATION

Accept the information provided above.

Prepared by:

Trudi Ryan

Planning Officer

Reviewed by:

Robert Paternoster

Director, Community Development Department

Approved by:

Amy Chan

City Manager

Attachments

A. Downtown Parking District Supply and Summary of Downtown Parking Studies (.xls doc)
          Attachment A, Page 7 of 7 List of RTCs (.Word doc)