TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Kristin Retherford, Urban Development Director
SUBJECT:
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Permit fee waiver request from Salem Health for use of on-street parking spaces
Ward(s): 1
Councilor(s): Kaser
Neighborhood(s): CANDO
Result Area(s): Good Governance, Strong and Diverse Economy
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council waive permit fees for Salem Health to use on-street parking spaces for construction activities?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Fees are adopted by City Council resolution; waivers require City Council approval.
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SUMMARY:
Salem Health is requesting a permit fee waiver for 57 on-street public parking spaces for the 30-month duration of Salem Hospital campus improvement project. Salem Health’s request is attached (Attachment 1).
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The spaces are all non-metered spaces without time restrictions. The permit fees to close 57 spaces for the 30-month project total $256,000. Salem Health is proposing to pay one month ($8,550) of permit fees to help offset the City’s administrative costs. The parking permit fee revenue from the spaces is a General Fund revenue.
The parking spaces:
o University Street SE (30’ wide ROW) - Mission Street SE to Shelton Ditch (29 spaces)
o Oak Street SE (37’ wide ROW) - University Street SE to 12th Street SE (17 spaces)
o Leslie Street SE (29’ wide ROW) - University Street SE to 12th Street SE (11 spaces)
The City’s Master Fee Schedule approved by City Council includes fees for private, exclusive use of City assets. The City does not have a history of waiving parking permit fees for construction projects, nor does the City have a policy or program for reducing or discounting permit fees for closing parking spaces.
Reasons for the waiver:
• Closure of the parking spaces will improve public safety during the construction project. There will be increased patient and visitor traffic on University Street due to the temporary closure of Capital Street (private street). University is not wide enough for vehicles to pass if parking is maintained. Oak Street, Leslie Street, and University will have increased equipment and construction traffic.
• Salem Health’s cost to implement the parking mitigation plan exceeds the permit fee revenue. The public benefits of the mitigation plan offset the public loss of the spaces.
• The spaces are used primarily by Salem Health staff.
Reasons against the waiver:
• On-street parking spaces are a community asset. Activities that prevent public use should compensate the City.
• Planning for and mitigating the on-site impacts of construction projects is a responsibility of the property owner.
BACKGROUND:
All 57 spaces would be closed from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022.
The parking fee is $15 per day for short-term closures, $75 per week, or $150 a month, per space.
Salem Health has provided the City with a mitigation plan for these temporary parking closures (Attachment 2).
Kristin Retherford
Director
Attachments:
1. City Council Request from Salem Health
2. Parking Mitigation Plan