AGENDA #13a(3)
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Council Member Cam Hill
SUBJECT: Petition to Form Downtown Parking Citizens’ Committee
DATE: April 10, 2006
Parking in Downtown Chapel Hill has been an increasing source of concern for residents and business owners in recent years. The situation should be studied; to that end, I propose that the Council form a citizens’ committee to analyze the current situation, anticipate future needs, and offer strategies and remedies, if needed. Specifically, the committee should address the following aspects:
Analysis. Review past parking reports and surveys by the Town and the Town’s consultants.
Availability. The committee should comprehensively survey and assess the current available parking –ndash; day and night, public and private.
Need. We should examine where there exists a need for more (or different) parking structures and what the need will probably look like in the future.
Cost. What is the current cost to the Town to provide the current parking scheme? What are the projected costs for alternative schemes (for example, providing free parking)?
Strategies. The committee should propose plans, analyze funding and offer remedies and solutions (i.e. temporary parking during downtown construction).
The committee would be most effective if composed of a cross-section of the community –ndash; citizens who work, shop, and play downtown, business owners, property managers, traffic specialists and Council members. I propose that the Council appoint a citizen’s committee to be selected by our last meeting in June and start work in the fall. In addition the Council should develop a specific charge for this committee.