2010 Town of Lyons Comprehensive Plan Update

Economic Development Strategy 1.1.3: Analyze the current and future downtown area parking requirements and develop options to meet downtown

businesses’ future parking needs.

Transportation 1.1.2:Analyze traff ic fl ow, traff ic patterns and parking to

provide recommendations to support economic development throughout the Town and planning area.

Lyons:Things to Do, People to See …

Now where to park!

Data used to support study

Businesses were surveyed; data compiled from two separate surveys

CDOT traffic counts

2011 parking ticket data

Lyons Municipal Code

Parking counts

Parking in Lyons is shaped by:

Current ordinances

Community Service Officers

Zone district parking requirements

Town Events

Business requirements

Ordinance 519 – 1990; amending Ord. 339, adopting the Model Traffic Code and establishing parking limits in the downtown area: establishes 1-hour parking on Main Street (between 4th-5th Avenues) from 9 a.m. -7 p.m. weekdays.

Ordinance 563 – 1994; amending Ord. 519, adding no parking zones on the east and west side of 5th Avenue from High Street north to Town Limits

Ordinance 585 – 1995; amending Ord. 519, establishing 2-hour parking from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. of any day except public holidays on Main Street (between 4th-5th Avenues).

Ordinance 883 - 2010; amending Ord. 519 changing the times of 2-hour parking from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

History of parking enforcement laws

LMC 9-3-3

A. Intent. The intent of this section is to prevent or alleviate congestion of public streets, to minimize detrimental effects of parking on adjacent properties, and to promote the safety and welfare of the public.

USE REQUIRED PARKING - Must be outside of rights-of-way

1. Single-family detached 2 spaces per unit

2. Multiple dwellings 1 space per bedroom, up to 2 per unit, plus .25 guest spaces per unit

3. Boarding house, motel, hotel, 1 space per guest bedroom or bed and breakfast

4. Restaurants, cafes or drinking places 1 space per 100 square feet of customer service area

5. Retail 1 space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area

6. Office/business uses 1 space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area

7. Institutional/churches/clubs 1 space for every 6 seats

8. Business park/industrial 1 space each for the maximum number of employees present at anyone time

Off-Street Parking Regulations

D. Location of Spaces.

2. The location of required off-street parking facilities for other than

residential uses shall be within 700 feet of the building they are intended

to serve when measured from the nearest point of the building or structure.

E. Handicap Parking Spaces.

1. Handicap parking spaces shall be required for all retail, office, business,

industrial, institutional uses, as well as multi-family units.

Total Parking Stalls in Lot Minimum Number of Handicap Spaces

1-25 1

26-50 2

51-75 3

H. Parking Restrictions for Excess Weight Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles

1. In nonresidential zone districts, no boat, boat trailer, tractor trailer, semitrailer,

motor home, bus or detached/dismounted camper shall be kept or parked upon any public right-of-way or roadway, except for visitation purposes not exceeding 24 hours.

Off Street Parking Regulations

Private Parking Public Parking

2011 Employment (2 Officers)7/2/11 – 10/7/116/29/11 – 9/23/11

Areas PatrolledMain Street between 3rd and 5th St.Railroad Avenue between 3rd and 4th St.Bohn ParkMeadow ParkAreas of 5th Avenue

Community Service Officers 2011

Tickets Issued and Collected July - $4470.00August - $1910.00September - $1455.00

Tickets Issued and not Collected July - $1350.00August - $840.00September - $610.00

Net parking ticket revenue generated: $2562.60

Community Service Officers 2011

Tickets Issued by Area 2011

Bohn

Park

Meadow

Park

Railroad

Avenue

Main

Street

Other

Areas

Monthly

Totals

July 17 47 65 75 18 222

July Tickets

Dismissed

(2) (8) (6) (15) 0 (31)

August 29 47 0 22 3 101

August

Tickets

Dismissed

(2) (10) 0 0 0 (12)

September 40 27 0 11 0 78

Sept. Tickets

Dismissed

(6) (3) 0 0 0 (9)

Totals 76 100 59 93 21 349

CSO EnforcementBohn Park

Average monthly revenue collected$760

Average number of tickets issued29

CSO EnforcementMeadow Park

Average monthly revenue collected$1000

Average number of tickets issued40

Railroad AvenueRailroad Avenue

Revenue collected, month of July$1770

Number of tickets issued65

Only Enforced for Month of July in 2011Decision was made to no longer enforce

parking

Main StreetMain Street

Average monthly revenue collected$930

Average number of tickets issued36

85% decrease in number of tickets issued from July to September

Other Areas21 Tickets Issued in July and August, 0 in

SeptemberAverage Revenue of $210

InterpretationParks = Approximately 50% Ticket Revenue

Bohn Park increased month to monthMeadow Park consistent

R.R. Ave. Exaggerates Expected 2012 Tickets Issued and Revenue Generated65 Tickets$1770

Main & Other AreasTicket numbers & revenue consistently decreasedMain, 85%Other areas 100%

SummaryJuly to September

65% DecreasePublic Awareness?Lower Traffic Counts?

CSO’s$1,757.50 (3 Month Avg.)

July-August AveragesTicket Revenue

$1,682.50Unpaid Tickets

$725 Average of 43%

SummaryTicket Enforcement Vs. Ticket Revenue

Slim MarginsAverage employee wages and ticket revenue almost

equalTax Revenue

An assumption: more parking = more tax revenueAnnual average traffic counts

Planet Bluegrass Festival parking has been mitigated to great extent due to Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s comprehensive parking plan that funnels most Festivarians to Bohn Park and then shuttles them to High Street. This has alleviated a great deal of congestion in the north part of Lyons, where Festivarians can park in public streets and walk to Planet Bluegrass.

Other special events, like Good Old Days, have not mitigated parking on public streets, but specific problem areas, such as 5th Avenue north of High Street, have been addressed through “no parking” ordinances.

The Town Board could adopt a special event parking plan to be implemented every time a special event has the potential to create parking congestion.

Special Event Parking

A survey was conducted of downtown businesses to determine opinion and sentiment on the subject of parking. Business response was encouraging, however this is an informal, anonymous survey.

The findings of the survey indicate that the majority of business owners (75%) feel that the downtown area has a parking problem, especially during the summer.

Parking Survey

Parking SurveyQuestion #1: Does the downtown area have a parking problem?

Too many park all day  

Too few spaces, no enforcement

No one pays attention to 2 hour limit or private lots. Service vehicles should not park on Main.

5 Festival days

Too many park for longer than 2 hours

Summer yes, winter no

Not enough spaces, long term parkers (day-trippers) park for too long

No signs, too many locals taking up long slots of time on main

Employees parking on the street 

16 Everyone wants to park on Main street as close to their destination as possible. There are just not enough spaces on the street. Also most businesses on Main street do not have parking spaces for their employees or customers.

17 Not enough clearly marked space. Also could use signage to point to "long term" or those biking /hiking/fishing/kayaking, etc. As opposed to short term for diners/shoppers

 

Cars parking on shoulder of Broadway present quite an ugly appearance and completely contradicts the beautiful work on Main Street. Unfortunately, everyone seeing our pretty side will be left with the impression of our ugly side. Many of the businesses on Broadway have more than adequate parking for their business. The ones that don't, make it ugly for all.

Folks are finally pulling over to spend some time in our towns businesses and then are greeted with a Ticket when they get back to their car. I personally have seen the disappointment on many an out- of-towners face. 

Only on summer weekends.

Too many employees park downtown; and it is hard to get in the parking spaces on main street 

Make room in the back and put signs up  

Too many folks parking all day long. 

Weekends we are at capacity during the April-October season. People who might stop in town see no spots on the main drag and inadequate signage pointing them to other parking areas.

#1Does the downtown area have a parking problem?

#2: Do you feel that the current enforcement hours on weekends in the summer time of 8a.m.-6 p.m. on Main Street are appropriate?

We need all day parking areas Year-round All week None 8:00 - 8:00 p.m. Maybe during the festivals but all summer long is

giving the town a bad rep. We are not that popular a town yet that we can ticket people for staying to actually enjoy shopping and dinner and strolling in our town.

It should go to 3 hours, or not have it at all.

I see no evidence of enforcement. Not sure if that makes it good or bad.

There should be no enforcement! Drives business away. Have employees use parking at Post Office or anyplace away from Downtown would be a better solution. One ticket and you have lost the customer for a long time!

Yes but when employees need to park there its hard we need loading zones.

#3: Should the Town enforce 2-hour parking on summer weekends on Main Street?

#4: Should the Town enforce 2 hour parking on summer weekends on High Street?

Q#5: Can customers easily locate parking for your business?

Q#6:Is there sufficient parking for employees?

Q#7:Do you think it would be helpful to have additional parking lots where employees could park?

Railroad Ave by sandstone park

We have sufficient space, but other businesses’ employees often use our customer spaces

We need an overall plan

We need parking for bicyclists

We have an employee lot

Ask employees to park by their own store

For those businesses that do not have enough real estate to accommodate parking; it seems that most businesses do not abide by the current municipal code requirements for employee parking.

If it meant that Broadway didn't look like a car repair lot with cars all stuck on the median.

As long as they are still close to our business

Most locals should walk or ride their bikes to work.

particularly in the high season

During the summer the employees should park by the firehouse

Q#8: Does employee parking negatively affect your business?

Employees park all day Block customer parking We do have overflow problems Takes away parking from customers not necessarily, the shop doesn't

have more than one person here at a time....

not just employees, but town people who come to main st and park all day hanging out in the coffee shops

Limited spaces should be for customers, employees should park at lot across from P. O or anywhere else but in the downtown area!

It takes away from the customer parking

Q#9: Do current parking/street signs do a good job of telling people where to park?

We need better signage

2 hour signs aren't visible

No signs on High, & no signs on Main

Lack of signs for public parking

Need more signage

Need to be placed as folks drive into town, not at the point where they turn

Bigger signs, more places

Can always improve

I don't pay attention

"No festival" parking signs confuse tourists

Need to be more visible.

We definitely clear directions to parking from the highway throughout town.

haven't noticed these types of signs.

signage is horrible.   Signs are too few, too small and too late. There is

virtually no parking signage for eastbound traffic on RT 7 & 36. 

We need better signage

Should be signage directing people at the triangle to the across from the P. O. Parking and along the park parking 

I can't recall seeing a sign directing people where to park, so I guess they're not visible enough. Signs do not tell cars they can't park on CDOT's median, though they have no legal right to park there.

Too few, too ambiguous

2hr parking signs that are randomly enforced. 

Q#9: Do current parking/street signs do a good job of telling people where to park?

Q#10: Is there adequate parking for bicyclists for your business?

Q#11: Would you like to see seasonal parking meters on Main Street and/or High Street?

They should be year round For income and parking control All year If it stopped misuse of our lot.

Standard in most towns We could use the revenue No!!!!!! No! Main only No, no, no - we are not Boulder! More Money for the town Absolutely. revenue and

accountability. I am not sure. Maybe it would make

some $$$ for the town and people would not leave their cars all day.

Very unfriendly! Mainly during the summer

Q#12: Do residents who live and park downtown negatively affect parking for your business?

Many park on main all day Too many residents park downtown Use our lot when working or shopping

anywhere Residents park at Lyons Valley Village

and take the bus, they leave their cars all day

Sometimes Yes, because there are limited street

parking places and residents occupy them for long periods of time.

Those that park on median in front of my building present a very unattractive view of my building.

quite often there are locals that park on main for hours.

 some residents park on main st ALL day

its hard to mix the two

Q#13. Do special events (music, sporting events, etc.) negatively impact parking for your business?

Signs are not enforced Any extra events makes parking worse and negatively

impacts my business Festival parking blocks customers Most park in designated areas People park all day for the festivals Festivals do We might as well close during good old days and any

other event on high street Enforcement helped this too Attendees at these events just want to park and go to

the event. They have no regard for the impact on locals or businesses.

A big effort should be made to get ALL FESTIVAL GOERS TO PARK IN BOHN PARK. It is counter productive for them to park in the business and residential areas, plugging up all the town, where no one can stop and shop, etc., while they are at the festival all day and sometimes overnight. They should be given a Big fine for parking downtown

 sometimes not seriously, and no. I think the festivals bring business and have ample parking for their patrons..

 The lack of parking overflows into the business parking lot which then effects the customers of Winter Plaza

Absolutely! And Oskar Blues too; people park on street for there too

Q#14: If customers wanted to park longer than 2 hours, would you like to see the Town implement a parking validation program that would allow you to validate their parking?

Q#15: Other comments or suggestions: Want to see bike racks, want to see

tickets issued We need parking lots or garages If you have to have a limit, validation

should be a requirement. A lot of our customers visit for more than 2 hours

Town should give a 20% off coupon to those ticketed be used anywhere in Lyons (paid for by the town) so people don't have a bad taste left in their mouth

Fix Broadway now that you've got main street and high street done.

Main street needs some provisions for efficient motorcycle parking They tend to take up more spaces than needed.

If it is truly not about making money for the town( which is what i have been told) and it is about the businesses then please stop ticketing all the regular folks that are just trying to enjoy our town. Handle cars left for days on a case by case basis. At least on my block of main.

Two hours should give them time enough to eat and shop...if they are just sitting on the patio, then I would say no.

No. I think if they need to park for longer, they should park off of Main St.

Validation would be easily abused for friends and customers.

More bike racks downtown! Locals should be walking or riding their bikes!

The bicyclists come in 4 or 5 cars, park and take off for the day biking in Hall Ranch. I have seen this as a huge problem

Take a chill pill on issuing tickets to paying customers and communicate to employers to not allow themselves or employees to park in limited parking spaces downtown.

Sounds like the parking validation could get a little complicated and cumbersome. I would also like to see more than one free resident parking pass for the parks like maybe two per household.

Parking in Parks Meadow Park has $5 parking during

spring and summer weekends. This has been very successful in that the parking lot is full every weekend, and revenue has been a supplement to the Parks and Rec budget.

Bohn Park implemented $5 parking in 2011, with little negative feedback. The Town will continue to charge to park in Bohn Park during the summer.

CSO patrolling of the parks should continue, as a significant portion of ticket revenue came from Meadow and Bohn Park parking lots.

Lyons residents are able to obtain one free parking pass per household.

Public Rights-of-Way Capital Improvement Plans

need to address public parking along town streets. Curb, gutter, sidewalks, landscaping and other infrastructure solutions can help provide more public parking options.

Public Parking

The Town has been able to create

some public parking on public land a

couple of blocks away from Main

Street.

Ideally, these lots will be used for

longer-term day parking and for

employees to park and walk to work.

Much discussion has ensued

regarding diagonal parking on 4th

Avenue. Engineering studies have

shown that the slope between Main

and Broadway is too steep. Signal

lights would have to be replaced to

current standards if parking is

modified near the Main/4th Avenue

intersection. Cost/benefit

unjustifiable for three additional

spaces.

Review and update current ordinances

Develop and implement Comprehensive Signage and Wayfinding Program

Improve signage to include specific hours of enforcement, ie: May-Oct.

Keep CSO enforcement for summer weekends in 2012 Increase duties of CSOs to include park and residential

code enforcement Adopt policy regarding non-paying violators Annual evaluation of effectiveness of enforcement Allow public parking at Town Hall during weekends Use social media to educate public on parking alternatives Monitor parking trends on High Street Work with Chamber to educate businesses re: employee

parking options

p

Short Term Solutions: 1-2 Years

Develop policy to increase number of bike racksConsider Reduction/elimination of off-street

parking requirements for Commercial Downtown Zone District

Explore parking validation programIncentivize private lot owners to open their lots

for public use (revenue from parking tickets?)Park and Walk Awareness CampaignCreate formal parking enforcement policies

along Broadway Right-of-WayTown-wide special event Parking plan

Mid Term Solutions: 2-5 Years

Long-Term SolutionsMove Skate Park and Eco Cycle

Bins out of DowntownCreate parking along east, west

and possible north sides of Sandstone Park

Budget for curb and gutter near the downtown to maximize public right-of-way parking

EDC review the Downtown Improvement Plan and make recommendations on parking and Broadway improvements

Apply for grant funding for Broadway streetscape and parking improvements

Keep track of parking enforcement issues in 2012. This will be the first year of full summer enforcement of correct areas in town. Identify the break-even point when parking ticket revenue no longer covers CSO expenses.

Identify responsible parties to implement short-term solutions.

Identify, prioritize and fund long-term solutions.

Next Steps