Officials give green light for creation of scope of services for parking and mobility improvements [PREMIUM CONTENT]

GREG DARDEN of Structured Parking Solutions addresses the Walton County Board of County Commissioners. (Photo by Dotty Nist)

By DOTTY NIST

Managed parking, shuttles, and a wayfinding system are all to play a part in a scope of services to be presented soon for mobility improvements in the CR-30A and Scenic Gulf Drive areas.

At a Jan. 8 special meeting at the South Walton Annex, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) gave approval for consultants from Pensacola-based Structured Parking Solutions to move forward with developing a final scope of services for these improvements. The approval came after the commissioners had heard remarks by Jay Tusa, Walton County Tourist Development Council (TDC) executive director, and a presentation by Greg Darden, director of business development for Structured Parking Solutions.

Tusa told the commissioners that Structured Parking Solutions had previously held approximately 40 meetings in the area on the material being presented, along with four public workshops and discussions on the material at a TDC meeting and a TDC Destination Improvements Committee meeting.

Darden told the commissioners that goals of his team had been to foster community input, vet/discuss the team’s thoughts in order to determine whether they were in line with those of the community, and survey the public on mobility issues. Community members were encouraged to participate in a survey. An online survey was conducted in late 2017.

Darden said the consultants had learned that a number of groups had been working on mobility solutions. He said their hope was to “tie together” all of these groups to form a mobility and transportation committee for the county that would speak with a “singular voice.”

Concepts and long-term goals presented encompassed ensuring meaningful access to the beaches for citizens, use of shuttles and park and ride facilities, sidewalks, bike paths, and alternate technologies, along with proposed code changes aimed at improving mobility and safety.

For the shorter term, Darden’s request for the scope of services to be undertaken was to include proposals for a managed parking system, a shuttle system, and a wayfinding program/app.

He explained that the managed parking system would include all parking in county ownership south of the bay. Darden suggested setting up paid parking with a rate structure of no charge for the first 30 minutes, $2 for the first hour, and $1.50 for each additional hour, for a daily maximum charge of $15. Darden proposed an annual pass for citizens at a cost of $35 per year, with no additional fee for parking.

He was of the opinion that development and operation of the programs he was suggesting could be “cost neutral” through the use of this rate structure.

Darden told the commissioners that his team had counted existing parking spaces under county ownership and control by means of “boots on the ground,” and had determined that more than 2,100 spaces were in existence.

Discussing a “holistic view” of what could be accomplished within the next five to 10 years, he envisioned the ability to add parking spaces in a number of areas including: Scenic Gulf Drive, Miramar Beach Access west (125 new spaces); Scenic Gulf Drive, Miramar Beach Access east (180 new spaces); Hilltop Drive, Fort Panic (105 new spaces); CR-393 and CR-30A, Ed Walline Beach Access (300 new spaces); and CR-395/CR-30A (75 new spaces). Seasonal and employee shuttles were also suggested at some of these locations, among those the seven-acre county-owned parcel on the east side of CR-283 in Grayton Beach. Darden suggested improving and expanding parking on the latter parcel, currently a gravel parking lot, to a total of 180 spaces. He also suggested expanding the use of employee shuttles in connection with that property—and starting seasonal shuttles for beach access and for transporting citizens to and from the area north of the bay.

Returning to the paid parking topic, District 2 Commissioner Cecilia Jones indicated that she had previously gone on record in opposition to local people being charged for parking. She asked what responses Darden had gotten in surveys on that possibility.

He replied that, overall, the responses had been more positive than negative—and that the overall opinion had been that the fees suggested were low. Darden said the responses had revealed that people were pleased that there some direction was being pursued on the matter.

Jones asked if the cost to manage parking would still be cost neutral if there were some type of disaster and parking fees could not be generated.

Darden replied that if surplus fees were allowed to stay in a revenue account, there should be plenty of funds in place to supplement the program in the event of “times of natural disaster.”

Jones asked who would operate the managed parking system.

Darden responded that this would be determined by the county, but that his company would be interested in doing so.

He noted that the work provided by Structured Parking Solutions to Walton County to date had been at no charge, which he indicated would continue with the final scope of services being provided. He explained that the company would develop guidelines and software for the managed parking system and provide a fixed rate to operate the system on a day-to-day basis through a contract.

Part of the proposed contract would be enforcement and monitoring parking spaces to make sure that parking fees were collected, Darden told the commissioners.

“Every parking space needs to be managed,” he said.

However, in response to a question, Darden clarified that management would not mean that there would be a fee associated with all parking spaces. He explained that he would envision a “free parking experience,” for a number of community parking areas at locations near the beach.

He commented that his company currently manages parking at many locations in central and south Florida and also in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

District 5 Commissioner Tony Anderson asked for a list of locations where Structured Parking Solutions manages parking to be furnished.

Darden noted that the parking rates detailed were for peak season. He suggested a graduated fees system for different seasons.

HIGHLIGHTED ARE target areas identified by Structured Parking Solutions for focus, with the goals of enhancement of mobility and citizens’ public access to the beach, along with addressing other parking and transportation needs.

A number of citizens in attendance spoke favorably about the efforts being pursued and recommended moving forward with creation of the scope of services.

Representing the Scenic Corridor Foundation, Leigh Moore stated the support of the organization’s board of the overall approach and certainly of addressing the “critical” issues involved without delay, although she qualified, “the devil’s in the details.” “We’re at a tipping point,” Moore observed, also encouraging the commissioners to keep their options open.

“I have no problem paying the $35,” Laurie Reichenbach said of the proposed citizen annual parking pass. She observed that people pay $35 a day to park downtown in some cities. Reichenbach was of the opinion that a managed parking system would increase residents’ mobility and help them get more of their daily tasks done efficiently during the tourist season.

Reynolds Henderson said his hope was for the system to offer transportation to all areas of the county, but that parking must be addressed first.

Melissa Ward observed that many studies have been done on the matter, and that now is the time to move forward.

Bob Brooke agreed, but asked what items a “revenue neutral” system would include. “All of the above,” Darden responded.

Brooke raised the question of who would be eligible for the “citizen” annual pass. Darden replied that the term “homesteading citizen” was the one generally used by his company.

Brooke suggested that local residents not be charged for parking.

Jones asked how not charging locals the $35 citizen annual fee would affect the funding of the managed parking system.

Darden replied that the objective of charging the $35 fee was more “one of creating value,” than obtaining funding. He indicated that eliminating the fee would not have an unacceptable impact on the budget of the system.

“I want to see some numbers,” Anderson emphasized.

At the request of District 3 Commissioner Melanie Nipper, Darden said he would be happy to look at the implementation of a special parking pass for veterans.

A motion by District 4 Commissioner Sara Comander to move forward with the next phase as suggested by Darden (development of a final scope of services), carried unanimously.

Darden anticipated that the document should be ready to be brought before the BCC within a few weeks.

At the request of Tusa, the commissioners gave direction for the fees as outlined to be used as a starting point, with the exception of the $35 annual fee for locals. BCC Chairman Bill Chapman agreed with the sentiments previously expressed that locals should not pay. He suggested “bumping up” the other fees if necessary to compensate.

The consensus of the officials was that an annual parking permit program for locals would be acceptable as long as no fee was charged.

Materials from Darden’s presentation may be viewed at the link: https://walton.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=5705255&GUID=A9D44EC4-0EB9-4DE4-90C3-9949BE642B75