HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-02-07 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Minutes
Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Minutes
Councilors Attending: Richard Stone, Frank Farrington, Geoffrey Gratwick
Staff Attending: Ed Barrett, Jim Ring, Don Winslow, Brad Moore, Rebecca
Hupp, Sally Bates
Others Attending:
Committee convened at 5:00 p.m.
1. Griffin Road Parking
Chief Don Winslow indicated that Mr. Birkel approached him concerning the
Griffin Road between Union Street and Maine Avenue. When Spectacular Events
have large events people tend to park on both sides of the road. The pavement
in that area is 29 feet with about a foot and a half of shoulder on each side. The
recommendation, after looking at it, is to restrict parking on the south side,
which is the DHS side, and allow people to continue to park on the north side.
Chief Winslow spoke with representatives from Spectacular Events, who were
informed of the TIC meeting and didn’t have any comments and understood why
this was being recommended. Another thing in that area is that trucks use that
route to get from Hampden to Glenburn or Levant, for example, this is to avoid
City streets and highways rated 100,000 lbs.
Mr. Charlie Birkel, 170 Randolph Drive stated in December he contacted Chief
Winslow by email. He states this is a highly utilized road and in “torn up”. He
states that repair of the road and the suggested recommended parking will
correct the situation.
Councilor Stone queries where these people are going to go if they can’t park
there anymore.
Chief Winslow states they could park on the other side of Maine Avenue, closer
towards the base where there is less traffic. During weekend and nights they
use the DHS parking lot, even though they have no formal agreement to do so.
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Councilor Farrington states that if it is not dangerous, it’s nice to have parking on
both sides of the road and asks if the snow has any more of an effect than at
any other time of the year.
Chief Winslow states that the winter does make it worse. But they had looked at
this under conditions without any snow and still think it is necessary. As a
practical standard, allowance of ten feet for each travel lane and eight feet width
for each lane for cars allowed to be parked for a total of thirty-eight feet to
comfortably accommodate parking on each side. At present only twenty-nine
plus a foot and a half of shoulder on each side. Traffic, at present is encroaching
on the grass area destroying it and the pavement. Next year when they stripe
the road, the intention is to offset the center line so people can park without
getting on the grass, there will still be room from vehicles coming the other
direction.
Councilor Gratwick asks if this needs to go to full Council.
Chief Winslow and Ed Barrett states it would be an Ordinance. Ed also that since
it is an Ordinance change it would have to go for first reading, action, then
second meeting.
Councilor Stone moves, Councilor Farrington seconds.
Councilor Gratwick this be referred to the Council. Consideration should be given
to appointing Mr. Birkel head of a committee to deal with the 80,000 lb. weight
limit.
2. Lease with Portland Cellular Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless
Rebecca states they were approached regarding installing a fixture on the roof at
the terminal building for wireless service and installing up to thirty-eight
antennas throughout the building. The antennas are about the size of smoke
detectors and allow for better reception, servicing people using the terminal
building and it will be an additional revenue source to the airport and
recommend Council approval.
Councilor Stone asks Rebecca if this is just for cell phone usage, which Rebecca
acknowledges with a yes.
Councilor Gratwick refers to the paragraph stating that rents will increase 3%
upon each term renewal. Is there an index used to determine the increase.
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Rebecca states that this particular lease is written at three percent, sometimes
CPI is used, sometimes a fixed rate. Depends on the service provided and
market rates, etc.
Councilor Gratwick asks if she would be satisfied with this degree of term
renewal in five years.
Rebecca states that it is her understanding that the rent would increase 3%
every year not upon each term of renewal and will do a follow up on.
Councilor Gratwick asks if there is a general City policy that rents will increase
with CPI.
Ed Barrett states that is varies based on leases, most leases at the airport are
increased periodically based on the factor that usually has some kind of tie to
actual market value. Suggested going back to the company to see if they are
willing to do a CPI driven increase rather than a 3%, which would take into
account the economy. Suggesting also, Rebecca clarify the lease contract.
Rebecca states this is a standard contract and will follow up.
Councilor Farrington asks if they invest just over a million dollars, does that up
their tax calculations.
Ed Barrett explains that some telecommunications equipment are taxed
statewide, not locally. For example, a tower is taxed locally but the
communications equipment on the tower is taxed by the State.
Councilor Stone would approve subject to the revisions discussed, Councilor
Farrington also would approved on that basis.
3. Review of Sewer Abatement Policy
Brad Moore states there are two main categories, one would be for unintentional
water lose, such as malfunction, pipe freezing and breaking. The Ordinance
looks at the historical use, then developing the formula. The other is for water
used intentionally, in which case the water would be measured by gallons used.
Water used outside that doesn’t enter the sewer system. He also states the
amount of denials of abatements is five in the calendar year of 2005. Another
question he was asked to review was the impact on the sewer fund would be
68,000 to 99,000 a year. One concern is the communicating the abatement
program to the public, which is on the sewer stub and also on the website. Only
a handful of people per year approach stating they were not aware of the sub-
meter program. Recommend that the abatement be handled on a case-by-case
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basis. And to consider a one strike your out policy for those contractors or
developers, etc. who, for instance, water a newly planted lawn at an unoccupied
home.
Councilor Stone suggests when they apply for a building permit, they could also
attach notice regarding to the sub-meter program.
Jim Ring states that a contractor usually has to establish water and sewer, that
would be an appropriate time to give them the information.
4. Recommendations of the Downtown Advisory Committee
Sally Bates reviews the eleven recommendations:
1. Six spaces on the west side of French Street closest to French St.,
between State and Penobscot, be converted from 2-hour parking to
parking by permit only. Committee approves.
2. Recommend that parking for two-wheeled vehicles be created in city-
owned parking facilities wherever possible without compromising
safety or eliminating any regular parking spaces; permits to be priced
@ 50% of the regular permit rate for each respective lot. Committee
approves.
3. Recommend that 25 spaces directly behind the parking garage, which
are currently metered by a pay by space machine be converted to
parking by permit only. The recommended price/permit of
$40/month is consistent with the price of adjacent permit spaces.
Committee approves.
4. Recommend that there be no price increase for parking permits in any
lot or facility at this time. Committee approves.
5. Recommend removing the special restrictions currently placed on the
Pickering Square Residential Permits. Councilor Stone is opposed any
discounts. Councilor comments on his concerns and reservations.
Councilor Gratwick approves.
6. Recommend a flexible fee schedule for event parking at the garage,
not to exceed $10/day, at the discretion of parking management
contractor. Committee approves.
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7. Recommend that parking administration staff be directed to inform
the Government Operations Committee, in writing, when the City
incurs extra clean up costs in its parking facilities attributable to
patrons of adjacent businesses. Committee approves.
8. Recommend that the ordinance relating to overnight parking on public
streets be revised to allow year-round parking on downtown streets
except when the Division of Public Works issues a snow clearing
order. Ed Barrett states reservation on part of Public Works
standpoint. More towing and two parking districts, one set of rules
for downtown and another for other communities. The third will be
communicating when plowing will be done-thus creating confusion.
Suggested a trial until June 2007-through a full winter. Councilor
Stone does not support sunset provisions and does not support this
recommendation, Councilor Farrington also.
9. Recommend a sliding scale for fines for on-street overtime parking,
based on the number of violations associated with a vehicle
registration. Within a calendar year, once a vehicle registration has
received 10 overtime parking tickets, the fine per incident for the next
two tickets would increase from $10 to $25. Each ticket in excess of
12 would carry a fine of $50 per incident. Councilor Stone would
request additional information for the cost associated with a
monitoring system for perpetual violators, and after Committee
discussion additional requests for additional data from Don Winslow.
10. The 2005 Downtown Parking Advisory Committee unanimously
supports the following guideline, to which Council Committees and full
Council can refer when asked to consider special requests relating to
downtown parking:
Requests for special parking arrangements will be referred to an
appointed Downtown Parking Advisory Committee for its
recommendations if:
The need that the petitioner describes can be met in a
reasonable way without creating any changes in parking
ordinances, that is, resources that address the actual need
are already available nearby; or granting the request would
create a new category of parking that deserves to be
evaluated in the context of downtown’s overall parking
inventory; or
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Granting the request will create a special privilege that has
not been afforded, or cannot be afforded, to other potential
petitioners; or
The request is to reserve parking spaces for a specific entity,
because dedicating parking to a particular business
effectively reduces the working inventory of parking spaces.
The benefits and consequences of special requests can be fairly
evaluated by the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee because it
is charged with developing comprehensive parking
recommendations, has access to current data assembled for its
use, and is comprised of members representing a cross-section of
downtown stakeholder and staff categories. After discussion
Committee approves.
11. Recommend consideration, during the FY 2007 budget process, of the
following ideas for increasing the useful inventory of downtown
parking:
After the Police Station is moved from its current location,
add 35 =/- Court Street spaces now occupied by P.D. to the
inventory of permits that are offered for sale.
When demolishing the old police station on Court St.,
preserve the option to build a multi-level parking facility
there in the future
Improve access to Court Street Lot from Franklin St.
Install a foot bridge from Court Street Parking Lot to Lower
Abbott
Decking over Lower Abbott
Possible acquisition of the U-Haul lot for conversion to
parking or for a use that has a better impact on neighboring
businesses and on-street parking
Creating parking along the (river street) railroad tracks along
the waterfront (for at least 75 vehicles)
Eventual use of a parking shuttle to increase the effective
capacity of our parking resources
Councilor Stone asks the status of the Columbia Street Parking
deck. Ed suggests perhaps Jim research if it is feasible to expand
on that location.
Councilor Gratwick requests to exclude item number nine of the
recommendations and present the remainder to the Council. Bring
number nine back to the Committee for further discussion. Each
item will be a separate Ordinance with the exception of number
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eleven, which requires no action. Item number ten, draft a general
policy. The items not approved will go to the full Council.
Adjourned.
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