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| PARKING AUTHORITY MINUTES |
PARKING AUTHORITY
NOVEMBER 17, 2004
ATTENDANCE: Urban Mulvehill, Chair; Stephen Bentkover; Troy Jellerette; Anowar Shahjahan
STAFF: Kathryn Hebert, Administrative Services Manager; Ed Schmidt, Assistant to the Mayor
OTHERS: Frank Del Monaco, Cornelius Thompson, LAZ Parking
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Mulvehill called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
APPROVALS/AUTHORIZATIONS
APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE PARKING AUTHORITY MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2004
The following corrections were made to the minutes of October 27, 2004:
Correct Mr. Shatz to Mr. Bentkover throughout
Page 4: last sentence, third paragraph should read “Mr. Del Monaco said that
the seven hand held ticket devices have not arrived as of today”.
Page 5: Last sentence, fourth paragraph should read “the sense of the Authority
was to explore the possibility of creating a license agreement on the ground
area of the Haviland Street parking deck”.
** MR. MULVEHILL MOVED TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED
** MR. JELLERETTE SECONDED
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
DISCUSSION
SONO AREA
UPDATE AND STATUS OF ALL FACILITIES
Webster Street
Mr. Jellerette said that it was important to realize that there are some problems with the Webster Street parking lot due to timing issues, but the most important thing to do is remedy the situation as soon as possible.
Mr. Del Monaco agreed that they got of to a less than auspicious start. He said that they have decided to hold off installing the equipment until Saturday to lessen the inconvenience to the permit holders. They will correct the situation as they go forward. He said that they have already seen patterns that need to be addressed.
This Thursday will be the first night that moviegoers will be encouraged to park at the Maritime Garage.
Mr. Jellerette asked about the traffic light on Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. Mr. Del Monaco described the timing of the traffic light and recommended revisiting how the light is treated. Mr. Schmidt further described how the traffic light functions. He said that Laz is trying to use multiple techniques to mitigate the issue. The next 30 days will be a transition period. Ms. Hebert added that Crown Theaters would validate parking during the 30-day transition period.
Mr. Schmidt said that appropriate action will be taken as needed. The goal is to have Crown Theaters happy with the parking.
Mr. Del Monaco said that he measured the distance from the Webster Street parking lot and from the Maritime Garage and the Maritime Garage is closer to Crown Theaters. Mr. Schmidt said that the City would enhance lighting on Ann and Marshall Streets. Ms. Hebert added that she has been working with SNEW and Metro North and some changes should come about in the next few months.
Mr. Mulvehill congratulated everyone for their flexibility.
Haviland Street
Mr. Del Monaco said that the pay and display units will be installed at the Haviland Street parking lot early next week and will be operational after Thanksgiving.
Mr. Shahjahan asked what the standard plan for public relations was. Mr. Del Monaco said that they will put up signs, and when they go live, they will have traffic people to walk people through the process. Mr. Shahjahan said that he never saw flyers announcing when the gates would be installed. Mr. Schmidt explained that the model has been that LAZ meets with all likely permit holders.
The Authority discussed public relations methods. Mr. Del Monaco noted that he has been working with the South Norwalk Business Association, but not all of the merchants are members.
Isaac Street
Mr. Bentkover noted that the Isaac Street parking lot is in deplorable condition and suggested putting a trash compactor there.
Maritime Garage
Mr. Mulvehill asked about parking for the bridge attendants in the garage. Mr. Del Monaco said that he would find out.
Mr. Del Monaco said that the garage will be open for one year in February and they are starting to see patterns. Generally 25 – 40 people park in the garage at night. They average 700 throughout the day on a Saturday. The only time they utilized the roof for parking was on President’s day. Mr. Schmidt added that there are more than enough parking spaces to accommodate moviegoers.
Mr. Schmidt said that they are discussing valet parking at the Maritime Garage to accommodate the restaurant goers. Mr. Thompson said that they would create “valet zones” that would not interfere with traffic.
Mr. Jellerette asked about the restaurant and condos in the garage. Ms. Hebert said that all of the condos have been sold and a restaurant will be going into the garage shortly.
RAILROAD STATIONS
UPDATE AND STATUS OF RAILROAD STATIONS
South Norwalk
There was no discussion.
East Norwalk
Mr. Schmidt said that a new waiting area is being constructed at the East Norwalk train station.
WALL STREET AREA
UPDATE AND STATUS OF ALL PARKING FACILITIES
Yankee Doodle Garage
Mr. Del Monaco said that he expects to have the pay stations operational by December 1, 2004. They have already sold 90 permits.
Ms. Hebert said that the next engineering project would be the Yankee Doodle Garage.
ON STREET METERS
UPDATE AND STATUS OF ALL AREAS
Isaac Street
Mr. Del Monaco said that the pay and display units will be installed by December 1, 2004. Permit sales have been brisk.
Mr. Schmidt suggested that it would be helpful if LAZ went out and counted the number of cars parked at 10:00 a.m.
All of the existing 90 meters have been replaced.
Yankee Doodle Garage
Mr. Bentkover pointed out that people seeing a sign for YDG might not know what that stands for and suggested changing it to GARAGE.
Special Constables
Mr. Del Monaco reported that they are working fine.
Website
Mr. Del Monaco said that they had their first training session for Klaff’s and 50 Washington Street that will allow them to manage their own accounts.
Mr. Mulvehill suggested that to avoid confusion, the web address should be changed to norwalkparkingauthority.com instead of lazparking.com. Ms. Hebert said that the website will be linked from the City of Norwalk’s website under the Parking Authority.
Mr. Schmidt explained that the City needs to use the LAZ website
because the City’s site does not have the capability to receive payments,
except for the Tax Collector’s site. Mr. Thompson described the web page he
is developing.
OTHER
NEW POLICE BUILDING/PUBLIC PARKING LOT OPERATING PLAN
Mr. Schmidt explained that as part of the new Police Station project, there is a parking lot with 63 parking spaces that needs to be under the jurisdiction of the Parking Authority. This parking lot will be for the Police Department and surrounding businesses and churches. The goal is not to get revenue from the people going to the Police Station. Visitors to the Police Station will have their parking validated and employees of the Police Station will receive parking permits.
The rates will be established at the next public hearing and if the resolution is passed they will start the process.
** MR. BENTKOVER MOVED THAT THE NORWALK PARKING AUTHORITY ACCEPT
AND MANAGE THE 63 (SIXTY THREE) SPACE PARKING LOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLICE
STATION
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
REPORTS
PARKING VIOLATION REPORT
Ms. Hebert reviewed the parking violation report that was included in the packet. She noted that 5,695 tickets were written between August 9, 2004 and October 31, 2004. Mr. Schmidt added that overtime parking accounts for the vast majority of violations.
OTHER
ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED HEREIN
Mr. Shahjahan asked when the finance report would be completed. Ms. Hebert said that they are working out the details for the presentation. Mr. Schmidt said that the Finance Department is working with LAZ on formatting the financials.
There was no further business and the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rosemarie Lombardi
Telesco Secretarial Services
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