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Palo Alto, Calif. Considers Parking Guidance Systems for City Garages

Parking guidance systems would provide real-time information about the number of spaces in a structure via digital signs, while revenue and access controls would allow visitors to pay to park beyond the current limit.

Palo Alto is taking a more comprehensive approach as it looks to maximize usage of its downtown garages through technology.

 
On Monday, the City Council voted 7-0, with Pat Burt and Gail Price absent, to proceed with a request for proposals that combines “parking guidance systems” and “revenue and access controls.”
 
Parking guidance systems would provide real-time information about the number of spaces in a structure via digital signs, while revenue and access controls would allow visitors to pay to park beyond the current three-hour limit. It would also enable the transfer of permits.
 
The council could have proceeded with an immediate request for proposals for parking guidance systems only and had them in place early next year. Such an approach, however, carried the risk of waste. The technology might not be compatible with revenue and access controls added at a later date.
 
“I think we want to be thoughtful about this,” said Councilman Greg Scharff. “It really would strike me that it would be a scandal if we spent $500,000 and six months later ripped it out.”
 
“It seems inconceivable that we would go into it knowing that could happen,” he continued. “Then it could also seem inconceivable to decide that we’re going to go ahead and choose the wrong technology and then be wedded to it when it’s clear it’s the wrong technology.”
 
Councilman Larry Klein agreed.
 
“If there were magic bullets out there to solve parking problems, I’d presume everybody would be buying it and whatever company was providing that would be one of the more successful companies in the world,” he said.
 
“This is a difficult problem, one that we have to act on, but I don’t think that we want to act precipitously.”
 
The council’s decision to incorporate revenue and access controls will delay the issuance of the request for proposals by several months, according to a report from City Manager James Keene.
 
“We don’t think there’s a wrong choice here,” said Planning and Community Environment Director Hillary Gitelman. “We’re going to end up in the same place eventually.”
 
The request for proposals is the latest in a series of efforts to address a parking crunch in downtown.
 
The council voted last week to award a contract for the design and environmental review of a satellite parking lot on Embarcadero Road. And by the end of the year, the council is expected to approve a citywide framework for establishing residential permit parking programs.
 
Data collected in May, June and July showed the average parking garage occupancy was 68 percent for permit spaces and 70 percent for hourly spaces, according to the report from Keene.
 
The city has set aside a total of $2 million for parking guidance systems and revenue and access controls.
 
Vice Mayor Liz Kniss, meanwhile, said she was surprised to see the council chambers so empty Monday.
 
“This is such a hot issue,” she said. “One of my first questions would be where are all our constituents who have been so anxious to have this come forward. I’m rather surprised to not see them here tonight.”