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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUpdate - Parking shortage @ Lennon Place and Eclectic StreetMEETING OATS I 0 2 CITY OF PALM DES : R CONTINULL. U ... LL� I g ` 014 PUBLIC WORKS DEPAR ENT PASSED TO 2ND Rt.,.•'+G STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Update to Council Directive to Investigate Parking Shortage at Lennon Place and Eclectic Street SUBMITTED BY: Mark Greenwood, P.E., City Engineer APPLICANT: Mr. C.J. Masseudi CJ's Diner 74-894 Lennon Place Suite H-1 Palm Desert, California 92260 DATE: October 28, 2004 CONTENTS: 1. Vicinity Map 2. Correspondence (x4) Recommendation By Minute Motion: 1. Receive and File the Report 2. Direct Staff to continue monitoring the parking situation at this location and prepare an update report to the City Council reevaluating this issue within six months. Discussion On June 10, 2004, the City Council directed staff to reevaluate the parking conditions in the Lennon Place and Eclectic Street area, at the initial request of Mr. C. J. Massoudi, owner of CJ's Diner (74894 Lennon Place). The proximity of Time Warner Cable and Waste Management of the Desert partially contributes to this parking shortage. Both operations have employee vehicles utilizing public street parking, resulting in an increased demand of public parking during the Diner's business hours. Both Time Warner and Waste Management were cooperative in working with the City to resolve this issue. CS.Documents and SettinpslsaryanlLocal Serorps\Temporary Internet FIIes\OLK3LLemon Place Parking Shortage.doc Staff Report — Update to Parking Shortage on Lennon Place and Eclectic Street Page 2 of 3 October 28, 2004 In mitigating Mr. Massoudi's concerns, Waste Management created an additional 35 parking spaces in its back lot for employees and issued a memorandum directing them to no longer park their vehicles on Lennon Place Time Warner staff has indicated that they have addressed this issue by: 1. Relocating 12 staff members to alternate business locations; 2. Requesting employees not park their vehicles near CJ's Diner between the hours of 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM (the restaurant's business hours); 3. Encouraging employees to use alternate means of transportation and creating a covered area in their existing parking lot solely for motorcycles; 4. Allowing a majority of their field personnel to take vehicle home and investigating allowing such action for the remaining field personnel not doing so; 5. Investigating implementation of an employee ride share program; and 6. Continuing to work with a reactor to identify a relocation site for their operations Please note that Time Warner also investigated the availability of a nearby vacant parcel to use as a potential employee parking lot, but were unable to negotiate an acceptable sales price with the property owner. Time Warner also originally wanted to explore the possibility of utilizing the City's Soccer Recreational Facility's parking lot during normal business hours and the City approved this request. However, Time Wamer has now indicated that the lot is located too far for their employees to walk. Apparently, they do have a van to shuttle employees, but no dedicated driver to transport them. Staff conducted an analysis of angled parking and concluded that the street width was not wide enough to safely accommodate this parking scenario. In addition, very few additional spaces would be created. Staff has also considered establishing time -limited parking at this location. However, the City does not have a parking enforcement program and time limits would be ineffective without such a program. Establishing time -limited parking is also likely to transfer the current parking issue another location, as it does not resolve the high parking demand in this industrial area. Time -limited parking currently exists in a few areas of the City, including 73-280 Highway 111, on Tamarisk Drive, and in the Presidents Plaza parking lot adjacent to Portola Avenue. Enforcement is currently conducted through citizen complaints. Code Enforcement Officers can monitor and issue warnings; however, only the Sheriffs Department can issue a citation resulting in a fine. C Documents and SerorpstsaryanlLocel SeMngslTemporary Internet Fdes1OU(31Lennon Place Peking Shortage doc Staff Report — Update to Parking Shortage on Lennon Place and Eclectic Street Page 3 of 3 October 28, 2004 If the City were to consider establishing a parking enforcement program, it is recommended that an additional police officer be added to avoid impacting other law enforcement programs. Staff recommends continued monitoring of the parking situation at this location for six months. At which time, we can prepare an update report to the City Council reevaluating this issue. Submitted by: Mark Greenwood, P.E. City Engineer Approval: L i ACM for De pment Services City Mana MG/SYA Department Head: Michael rrante, P.E. Director of Public Works C (Documents end Sefr gstsaryanlLocal SethngslTemporery Internet F,IesIOLX3ILennon Place Parlong Shortage doc CITYOFPhLfflDEURT 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92260-2578 TEL: 760 346-061 I FAX: 760 340-0574 info@ palm-deserr org OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER October 8, 2004 Ms. Kathi Jacobs Director, Govemment and Community Relations Time Warner Cable/Desert Cities Division 41-725 Cook Street Palm Desert, CA 92211 Dear Ms. Jacobs: Thank you for meeting with my staff on September 9, to discuss how Time Warner employees are minimizing the use of off -site parking at Lennon Place and Eclectic Street. As you are aware, the City is investigating a public parking shortage issue in this area during working hours and your organizations proactive approach towards addressing this problem is greatly appreciated. To assist Time Warner in its efforts, the City does not see an issue with its morning shift employees temporarily utilizing the Palm Desert Soccer Park parking lot during normal working hours, Monday through Friday. The City would like to meet again after a six- month period to discuss where your organization is with a permanent solution. On October 28, 2004, the City Council will receive an update on this issue and you are more than welcome to attend this meeting. In the interim, please contact Stephen Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager, or myself at (760) 346-0611, if the City can be of any further assistance to you in this matter. Thank you for your continued cooperation and consideration. Sincerely, Carlos L. ¢Mega City Man ger cc: Dessi Ochoa, Facilities Manager (Time Warner Cable/Desert Cities Division) Lieutenant Steve Thetford, Riverside County Sheriffs Department Homer Croy, Assistant City Manager for Development Services Phil Drell, Director of Community Development Michael Errante, Director of Public Works Mark Greenwood, City Engineer Jeff Winklepleck, Parks and Recreation Planning Manager Mark Diercks, Transportation Engineer Stephen Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager If 725 (.1Ur ; Palm new', (A 922Il 7(.1 760 hN 225 I ?n 760 TIME WARNER CABLE August 31, 2004 Mr. Carlos Ortega City Manager City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260 Subject: Parking on Lennon Place and Eclectic Street Dear Mr. Ortega: Since our meeting with you in May and the City Council meeting in June, Time Warner has sought multiple ways to help the City relieve the parking congestion on Lennon Place and Eclectic Street. The following will provide you with an update on our efforts. • We continue to work with our realtor to identify a site to relocate our operations • To address the concerns of Mr. Masseudi, we are encouraging our employees to not park near CJ's Diner between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., the restaurants hours of operation. • Employees are being encouraged to use alternate means of transportation, i.e. motorcycle, bicycle, public transportation, etc. As an added incentive, we are creating a covered area in our parking lot specifically for motorcycles. • To relieve parking congestion, we were already allowing the majority of our field staff to take their company vehicles home. We are now looking at doing this with the remaining field personnel. • We are exploring the possibility of moving some staff to another location. • We investigated the availability of nearby vacant land to use as a parking lot. Unfortunately, we were unable to negotiate an acceptable price. • We are looking into implementing a ride share program. Time Warner will continue to work on addressing the problem. We would also like to open a dialogue with the City to explore the possibility of utilizing the lot at the soccer park for offsite parking. I look forward to hearing from you. inc ely, Kathi Jac Director, overnment & Community Relations L J U L 1 5 2004 J1TY d; :'ALM DrCRT CITY MANAGER July 7, 2004 Mr. Carlos Ortega City Manager City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260 Re: Lennon Place Parking Dear Mr. Ortega: WASTE MANAGEWENT OF THE DESERT Executive Department 41-575 Eclectic Street Palm Desert, CA 92260 (760) 340-5901 (760) 340-2732 Fax www.wmdesert.com In response to the June 10, 2004,City of Palm Desert's Council Meeting and Staff's request, Waste Management of the Desert has taken the following action regarding the parking situation. Due to the parking problems on Lennon Place and Eclectic Street, Waste Management has created an additional 35 parking spaces in its back lot for our employees. All Waste Management employees will receive the enclosed memo by the end of this week, making this request effective immediately. As always, Waste Management is happy to work with the City of Palm Desert during any given opportunity. Sincerely, Frank Orlett District Manager cc: Mayor Bob Spiegel Mayor Pro Tem Buford Crites Councilmember Jean Benson Councilmember Jim Ferguson Councilmember Richard Kelly City Clerk Rachelle Klassen Deborah McGarrey, Municipal Marketing Manager Enclosure FO/ph 0 WASTE INC. Interoffice Memorandum Date: July 7, 2004 To: All Waste Management Employees Front Frank Orlett, District Manager...ye' RE: Parking Restrictions Effective Monday, July 12, 2004, Waste Management Employees can no longer park their vehicles on Lennon Way. This is the street that runs along side of Waste Management between Corporate Way and Eclectic. This has been requested of us from the City of Palm Desert. Waste Management has agreed to accommodate the City, as we would like to continue the good relationship we have with them. We have extended the parking lot by 35 spaces on the back end of our site. The marking and striping of these new spaces will be completed by July 12, 2004. If there are any parking problems or concerns relating to this memo, please let me know. Thank you. CJ's Diner August 23, 2004 Mr. Carlos Ortega, City Manager Subject: On -Street Time Limits Dear Mr. Ortega, Rcc;ki VED AUG 2 5 2004 CITY OF PALM DESERT CITY MANAGER Thank you for visiting CJ's diner along with Mr. Spiegle, Mayor of Palm Desert. Your effort to resolve the parking problem in this area is greatly appreciated by all small business owners. Shortly after your visit 1 informed my customers and staff of the temporary solution made by Waste Management Company in this regard. Since your visit, it has been noticed that an improvement occurred with Waste Management's temporary parking solution. 1 would also like to note that very little. if any improvement has occurred by Time Warner Cable Company. 1 have heard from nearby business down the street that they are feeling the effects by this parking problem. Time Warner's staff park their vehicles starting from the first available space all the way down both Eclectic and Lennon Place streets from early morning to 5:30pm. As a result opening more parking spaces by Waste Management did very little improvement in the area; in fact it seems there are more vehicles parked on the streets than before perhaps more employees hired by Time Warner. 1 would like to acknowledge that the last City Hall meeting was straightforward and did not leave any excuses for those in charge of this abuse. As of August 14. with the deadline of September meeting fast approaching for some required improvement by both large corporations, it seems that their temporary parking solution will not be met. Here we are again still communicating about same old parking issues. Time Warner should not be allowed to continue abusing the local public facilities to their advantage and ignoring the fact that they are creating daily negative reactions from their own staff and others in the area. 1 have included one negative piece of evidence to show how serious this problem is. A ticket received by one of my employees that needs regular access to her vehicle during the business day, and was unable to find anywhere to park 1 am a small business that does not employ hundreds of people, but 1 do make a living that meets needs in the community. 1 realize that in this day and age large corporations are taking over all sectors of the business community, but they should be required to maintain reasonable parking for a certain percentage of their employees. 1 have followed the requirements in requesting a solution but am becoming very frustrated with all my efforts to make an honest living in this area. If this problem is not able to be resolved, f am afraid 1 will have no other choice than to shut my doors. 1 hope they are working toward these issues as active as possible and come up with solution to resolve this situation before the next meeting. Sincerely, C.J. Masssuudi • Owne rof CJ's Diner CM/rc / CC: Homer Croy, Assistant City Manager for Developmental Services Mr. Mark Greenwood, City Engineer Mr. Mike Errante, P.E., Director of Public Works Mr. Martin Alvarez, Senior Management Analysis Mr. Mark Diercks, P.E., Transportation Mr. Robert A. Spiegel, Mayor of Palm Desert 74-894 Lennon Pl. H-1. Palm Desert. CA 92260 Phone 760/837-9650 Fax 760/837-9506