Transportation Committee Meeting Summary - September 9, 2025

The Transportation Committee held a special meeting on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, from 4:02 PM to 5:43 PM. Present were Alderwoman O'Neill (Chair) and Alderman Savidge; Alderwoman Pindell Charles was absent. The meeting covered updates from the Transportation Board, the Transportation Department, and two parking contractors (SP+ Metropolis and Premium Parking), with discussions on membership diversity, EV charger reliability, scooter/bike programs, parking citation reforms, and community outreach.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Motion by Alderman Savidge, seconded, carried on voice vote.
• Approval of Minutes (July 9, 2025): Motion by Alderman Savidge, seconded, carried on voice vote.

Discussion Items

Transportation Board Update (Tara Ashmore, Board Chair)

• Board Membership: Ashmore reported that five of eight current board members reside in Ward 1, and she requested committee assistance in recruiting diverse representation from other wards. A vacancy exists in Ward 4, and the board secretary is inactive, delaying meeting minutes.
• Vision Zero & Pedestrian Safety: Ashmore highlighted Compromise Street as a frequent concern due to inadequate lighting and a poor crosswalk at Duke of Gloucester Street. She proposed creating a heat map of pedestrian accidents to identify priority areas, which could also inform future placement of traffic cameras. Alderwoman O'Neill noted planned bike lane additions and suggested inviting Public Works and the new traffic engineer, Jeff Wentz, to board meetings. Alderman Savidge advocated for a complete streets standard.

Transportation Department Update (Director Mark Moore)

• EV Charging Infrastructure: At Hillman Garage, one of four Level 3 fast chargers (fastest type) was non‑operational due to a fried CPU and lengthy parts delays (ABB). Cumulative downtime for Level 3 chargers was 185 days, with operational uptime of 81%; Level 2 chargers currently have 100% uptime. Other garages: Gots Court Garage (all chargers operational), Night and Garage (oldest, all functional but aging), Park Place Garage (one charger out, modem replaced twice). Repair delays were attributed to ABB’s supply chain and communication lapses with their service company, InCharge. Staff now makes daily follow‑up calls. The city will add stickers on chargers for easier reporting and is considering alternative vendors (Alderman Savidge expressed frustration and requested future avoidance of ABB).
• Bird Bike & Scooter Program: Bird notified the city that it cannot continue service (pilot had three one‑year options through spring 2026). Procurement for a new vendor will begin promptly; the city wants a mix of bikes and scooters. The program was well‑used but poorly managed toward the end.
• Council Resolution R2125: This resolution distinguishes on‑street vs. off‑street parking violations. On‑street expired meter fines remain $50 (no grace period). Off‑street (garage) violations are reduced to $25 plus a $5.25 processing fee plus the cost of the parking session. Implementation is targeted for early October 2025 (October 1 or October 6), coordinated with both parking contractors to avoid confusion.
• Microtransit & Outreach: Microtransit ridership exceeds last year by double digits; summer transit ridership was slightly lower. Upcoming outreach includes a session with the Visitors Center on September 23 and familiarization tours for the new council.

SP+ Metropolis Parking Update (John Kemp, Regional Manager, and Jason Kinee, Senior Manager)

• Data Presentation: Provided length‑of‑stay, peak occupancy, infraction, unpaid time, and repeat‑offender data for June–August. Grace‑period sessions (under 15 minutes) remain high. Peak occupancy occurs at Park Place (hotel component). Residents’ two‑hour free validation usage will be added as a percentage in future reports.
• Citation Automation: Following passage of R2125, the garage citation process for non‑payment will become automated, freeing up staff. The 24‑hour window for payment after departure will be more proactively communicated.
• First‑Time Offender Policy: Citations may be voided for first‑time offenders who show good intent (e.g., accidental wrong‑zone payment). Repeat offenders face DMV registration holds after 60 days; the system also notifies staff of vehicles with outstanding debt.
• Out‑of‑State Tags: Working to improve reciprocity with Virginia and DC for collection.
• Residential Validation: Moving from individual QR codes to organic license‑plate‑based application by end of 2025.

Annapolis Premium Parking Update (Jason Prola, Market President)

• Occupancy & Promo Codes: July saw a 5–10% drop due to 11 days of rain; August recovered. Promo code usage (residents, park‑shop‑dine, Mason’s Lodge) was shown as raw numbers; future reports will include percentages. Average length of stay is 3.3–3.4 hours.
• Hillman Garage Capacity: Only Saturday midday reaches near‑100% occupancy. Prola noted that on‑street parking removal (e.g., for bike lanes on Duke of Gloucester) is feasible given garage capacity. City employees currently use about 100 of 160 reserved monthly passes. A waitlist of over 300 business accounts exists; Prola will advocate for increasing the monthly cap.
• Financial Performance: FY25 had 700,000 paid transactions, up from 669,000 in FY24, exceeding the consultant’s revenue model. The on‑street rate increase was not needed. Average ticket rose over 10% in two years.
• Citation Data: Citations with no payment were 2.46% of non‑monthly guests; repeated non‑payment (0.45% of vehicles) decreased about sixfold when customers learned the system. July data affected by a ParkMobile API issue (resolved). The new citation model (R2125) is being implemented; calculating overstay charges on a per‑hour basis is a technical challenge being addressed.
• Public Perception & Outreach: Prola acknowledged fear of $50 fines deterring residents. He offered to present at civic and business associations. The city is updating a “how‑to” guide with PIO, working on a QR‑code wayfinding tool (PICPATH), and planning a mailer to residents highlighting improvements.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: July 9, 2025 meeting minutes.
• Requested Reports: Alderman Savidge requested that Director Moore send the monthly Premium Parking reports to the committee, and that future data include percentages.
• New Vendor Procurement: Staff will begin procurement for a new bike/scooter vendor (replacing Bird) in spring 2026, with a RFP to be issued soon.
• Fine Reduction Implementation: Target early October 2025 for unified rollout of reduced off‑street citation fees ($25 + processing fee + session cost) across all four garages.
• EV Charger Improvements: Staff to improve repair reporting (stickers) and explore alternative vendors; Alderman Savidge asked for a review of ABB’s performance.
• Public Communications: Committee urged coordinated press release and mailer once the new citation system is operational, to correct negative perceptions.
• Follow‑Up: Premium Parking will send updated slides with promo code percentages and per‑month citation breakdown. Metropolis will add percentage of residents using validation.