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At the June 5, 2017 CTM Board meeting, Trustees considered the City Manager’s proposed City Budget item to increase parking meter rates from $0.50 per hour up to $1.00 per hour in Clifton.  Most neighborhood business districts were proposed to increase only $0.25 per hour to $0.75 per hour in the City Manager’s proposed City Budget.

After review & discussion of the details, Trustees voted to support an increase in parking meter rates of only $0.25 per hour for a total rate of $0.75 per hour.  A discussion of the details and the resolution that CTM passed is below.

Trustees were aware that the City Council Neighborhoods Committee reviewed this matter in detail on May 30, 2017.  You can watch a video of this meeting by clicking here.  You can read the presentation that was shared on May 30 by the Department of Community & Economic Development:  Impacts of Parking-Related Items in City Manager’s Proposed Budget

Here are some key points that Trustees considered prior to voting:

• the Department of Community & Economic Development stated on May 30 that they have not obtained community or business district feedback on the parking meter rate changes;
• the Department of Community & Economic Development stated on May 30 an industry standard that for every 1% increase in parking rate there is a range of 0.1% to 0.4% potential demand decrease for parking;
• the noted industry standard would indicate a potential 20-80% decrease in parking demand in Clifton based on the proposed 200% increase in parking rates;
• the City’s paid contractor for the parking meter systems, Conduent, has recommended a $0.25 / hr increase to $0.75 / hr for parking meter rates in Clifton.  This contract collects and analyzes parking meter system data in order to make recommendations;
• CTM made a request to Director of the city’s parking division, Dan Fortinberry, for the data related to the increases in Clifton.  He advised the following, “I do not have the report in presentation form as of today. However, I can tell you that the Clifton area has a significantly higher paid utilization and occupancy rate than the other neighborhoods where metered spaces are located. I will get back to you when the information is ready to be released.”;
• Clifton has a very high paid utilization of metered parking and raising rates some will create more turnover in those spaces as opposed to people tying up those spaces for long periods of time;
• City Council will vote on a final budget during the month of June so any delay by CTM could result in having no input to the process on this topic;
• The Treasurer of the Clifton Business & Professional Association (CBPA) stated to CTM on June 5 that while the CBPA likes the rates where they are today, they would support a rate increase that is equally applied to all business districts.

Below is the resolution that CTM approved and will send to City Council, City Manager, and the Mayor of Cincinnati:

Resolution Supporting $0.25 per Hour Parking Meter Rate Increases in Clifton

Whereas the City Manager and the Mayor have proposed a budget for fiscal year 2018 and beyond that increases parking meter rates from $0.50 to $1.00 per hour in the Clifton Neighborhood;

Whereas the Department of Community & Economic Development has stated on May 30 that they have not obtained community or business district feedback on the parking meter rate changes;

Whereas the Department of Community & Economic Development has stated on May 30 an industry standard that for every 1% increase in parking rate there is a range of 0.1% to 0.4% potential demand decrease for parking;

Whereas the noted industry standard would indicate a potential 20-80% decrease in parking demand in Clifton based on the proposed 200% increase in parking rates;

Whereas the City’s paid contractor for the parking meter systems, Conduent, has recommended a $0.25 / hr increase to $0.75 / hr for parking meter rates in Clifton;

Clifton Town Meeting resolves that we support a $0.25 / hr increase in parking meters in the Clifton neighborhood as recommended by the City’s professional contractor, Conduent. CTM does not want a parking meter rate change to cause significant negative impact on our neighborhood especially not our business district.  CTM believes further analysis of the impacts on Clifton would be required before increases above $0.25 / hr are implemented.

June 5, 2017