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| PARKING AUTHORITY MINUTES |
PARKING AUTHORITY
OCTOBER 27, 2004
REGULAR MEETING
ATTENDANCE: Urban Mulvehill, Chair; Stephen Bentkover; Troy Jellerette;
Burt Shatz (7:35 p.m.); Anowar Shahjahan (7:38 p.m.)
STAFF: Kathryn Hebert, Administrative Services Manager; Ed Schmidt, Assistant to the Mayor
OTHERS: Frank Del Monaco, LAZ; Tim Sheehan, Norwalk Redevelopment Agency
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Mulvehill called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
APPROVALS/AUTHORIZATIONS
a. Approve the Minutes from the Parking Authority meeting held on Wednesday, September 22, 2004
The following corrections were made:
Page 2 – add a coma after “works”
Page 3 – add a discussion about clearing the control arm upon exiting
** MR. MULVEHILL MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED
** MOTION PASSED WITH ONE (1) ABSTENTION (MR. SCHATZ)
DISCUSSION
a. SONO AREA
1. Update and status of all facilities
Mr. Del Monaco reviewed his written report. He noted that there are a number of projects going on at the same time. The access on Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd is expected to be opened on November 1, 2004; however, Mr. Del Monaco said that they are at the mercy of the contractors.
Mr. Shatz arrived at 7:35 p.m.
Mr. Del Monaco said that most of the businesses he has spoken with are aware of what is going on.
Mr. Del Monaco met with the condo association to go over the operational policies of the parking validation. The concrete should be poured over the weekend.
2. Haviland Deck/Trash Dumpsters
Mr. Del Monaco reported that the location for the machines has been identified.
Mr. Shahjahan arrived at 7:39 p.m.
Mr. Del Monaco said that the biggest challenge is 50 Washington Street. The parking spaces are pre-assigned and each business will be responsible for handing out parking cards.
The pay and display equipment will be installed and by next week the operation should begin.
RAILROAD STATIONS
3. Update and status of railroad stations
South Norwalk
Mr. Del Monaco reported that work on the Eastbound side of the South Norwalk Railroad Station has been completed and is working very well. He continues to monitor how things are going there, and by and large, the new policy has caught on with the consistent client base.
East Norwalk
They are preparing for the new building at the East Norwalk Railroad station. The parking lot will loose 12 – 17 parking spaces, but commuters will be able to park in the parking lot, or at the St. Thomas the Apostle Church parking lot.
WALL STREET AREA
4. Update and status of all parking facilities
Yankee Doodle Garage
Mr. Del Monaco reported that he has revisited the locations of the pay and display units in the Yankee Doodle Garage, and decided that they should go in each entry lane.
Mr. Shatz noted that the Yankee Doodle Garage is not looking any better. Mr.
Schmidt said that it is on the DPW’s list.
Isaac Street Parking Lot
Mr. Del Monaco said that they have identified where to put the unit in the Isaac Street parking lot.
Wall Street
Mr. Del Monaco said that they have a supply of meters that will be re-located to the Wall Street parking lot.
Mr. Shatz said that he received a fax today from a resident at 16 River Street commenting about a notice that was placed on his car. The notice announced that residents had to purchase monthly parking permits and gave them five days in which to do so. Mr. Shatz said that was not enough time. Mr. Schmidt agreed and said that he believed that there would be a transition period. He said that residents have been required to purchase permits for years, but it has not been enforced.
Mr. Shatz added that he received four telephone calls about this today. Mr. Del Monaco said that warnings would be given out initially. Mr. Shatz said that this would also affect the two banks in the area. Mr. Schmidt noted that the Yankee Doodle Parking Garage was less expensive for short-term parking. Mr. Shatz said that the problem with that is the Yankee Doodle Garage was never a place where people wanted to park.
Mr. Shatz asked if merchants would be able to validate parking. He was told that they would not be able to validate. He said that there should be a way for the employees working in those building to park. Mr. Mulvehill said that is an employer expense.
Mr. Schmidt said that nothing has changed. The cost to park at the Yankee Doodle Garage is the same as it was in 1988. The only thing different is that the City is going to maintain the garage and enforce permits.
Mr. Shajahan suggested doing some public relations to encourage people to park at the Yankee Doodle Garage. Mr. Schmidt said that LAZ is going to need to communicate the transition to the public, noting that the City is going to begin structural improvements, as well as maintenance improvements.
When zoning for commercial properties in Norwalk, Mr. Shatz
asked if parking is required. He further asked how did it happen that there
was no parking required for River Street. Mr. Schmidt said that this happened
after the buildings in that area were demolished during the flood of 1955.
OTHER
5. Status and swearing in LAZ employees as constables
Mr. Del Monaco reported that all of the applicable LAZ management and staff have been sworn it to serve as special constables. Mr. Del Monaco will provide statistics at the November meeting.
Mr. Mulvehill pointed out that there is a pattern at The Maritime Aquarium of cars parking along the waterfront. Those cars should be parking in the garage.
Mr. Del Monaco said that the seven hand helds have not arrived as of today.
6. Update wayfinding signs
Mr. Del Monaco said that all 51 signs are up throughout the South Norwalk and Wall Street areas.
Mr. Mulvehill said that he was very impressed with the signs by The Maritime Garage, but noted there was no sign in front of the garage on Ann Street. Mr. Del Monaco said that he anticipated putting up more signs.
Website
Mr. Del Monaco announced that the formal introduction of the website will take place on December 1, 2004. The website will allow customers to manage their own accounts. People will also be able to post comments on the website.
Haviland Deck
Mr. Timothy Sheehan, Norwalk Redevelopment Agency presented an aerial view of the area, pointing out the Haviland Street Parking Lot. He said that there are a total of six small dumpsters on the site. They have been dealing with the problem of illegal and overflow dumping and today those small dumpsters were removed. They were replaced with three large dumpsters and one recycling dumpster.
Mr. Sheehan said that he discussed options with Waste Management and they recommended getting away from open air dumpsters and going with a compactor that is swipe card activated. This would make for a cleaner environment. Mr. Sheehan said that Waste Management has been good about keeping the area extremely clean.
Mr. Sheehan asked to be allowed to have a discussion with Waste Management. They will have to deal with storm water drainage issues. They hope to have a plan back to the Redevelopment Agency within the next few weeks and install the compactor shortly thereafter.
Mr. Shatz asked about the cost to the residents. Mr. Sheehan said that this would be more cost effective. Mr. Schmidt added that the other benefit of the compactor would be less odor and debris.
Mr. Sheehan asked the Authority to start the process to create a license agreement that they would control. It would give license to the private property entities who would assume control to put the compactor on the site. Whatever is done on the Haviland Street deck would set an example for other parking lots.
Mr. Shatz asked if it would be possible to get competitive bids. Mr. Sheehan said that Waste Management services the entire corridor. Mr. Schmidt said that the Parking Authority would only be providing the license for someone to build a pad for the dumpster. The condo association can choose the vendor.
The sense of the Authority was to explore the possibility of creating a license agreement on the Haviland Street deck.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
a. Adopt Security Training Policy
Ms. Hebert reported that the State of Connecticut recently passed a bill requiring security officers to receive a minimum of eight hours of training.
** MR. MULVEHILL MOVED THAT ALL OFFICERS MUST RECEIVE THE REQUIRED MINIMUM OF 8 HOURS OF MANDATORY TRAINING AND PROVIDE WRITTEN CERTIFICATION TO THE CITY OF NORWALK PARKING AUTHORITY WITHIN 30 DAYS:
ALL SECURITY OFFICERS HIRED PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2005 WILL BE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED BY JANUARY 1, 2005;
SECURITY OFFICERS HIRED AFTER JANUARY 1, 2005, MUST BE TRAINED
AND CERTIFIED PRIOR TO COMMENCING WORK
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
** MR. SHATZ MOVED TO ADJOURN
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemarie Lombardi
Telesco Secretarial Services
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