Okay, so welcome everybody to this Ben City Council work session on our new meeting schedule.

Um so we will be doing these work sessions on the second and fourth Wednesday of most months.

Um today we've got a couple of topics.

Um we'll start with roll call to make sure who is here.

Um Council Franzo, you want to start us off.

Oh it's someone in the back.

I couldn't see him response.

I know, yeah.

Gina Franzo says she, her.

Melanie Keebler, she her.

Megan Perkins, she her.

Megan Norris, she her.

Steve Platte here.

And Councilor Riley is excused today.

Okay, so we're gonna start with conversation on transportation funding, and we've got Russ here.

Before I turn it over to Russ, I'm gonna uh kick this off.

I mean, I think um council will probably appreciate that transportation is probably one of the hardest things that you do, right?

It's hard because there's lots of competing interests and values, it's hard because funding uh funding challenges, and you know, we're we're dealing with our our own here at the local level, and of course the state is also grappling with this issue, and there's a difference between capital and maintenance and different funding streams, etc.

So, you know, just kind of setting that stage.

We spent uh quite a bit of time as a community developing a transportation system plan that has a vision up till 2040.

Within that transportation system plan, we said we we've got to fund it.

We it's not just about a plan.

We want to want to make sure that what our our vision actually is uh baked in reality, and so we can actually fund it.

So we created a template, a funding strategy that had multiple uh multitude of strategies.

We've been implementing that.

Russ is gonna talk about kind of where we are in that big picture.

The state is kind of going through that same process, right?

The state has done some things to increase capital projects, uh, but this operations and maintenance problem is definitely staring them in the face.

And so they've we're gonna talk about the transportation funding at that state level, kind of starting at that high level, what kind of influence that has and impact that has here at the local level, and then we're gonna talk about our own strategy of what we are doing here locally and how that interface between the state and local, what kind of decision points that council wants to have.

So I'm gonna state right up front, we're gonna do a better job, I think moving forward of just uh sharing the why with you all.

Like what's the question we're asking?

And that question is does council want to pursue additional funding at the local level.

We came up with a a phased approach to the transportation fee.

So Russ is gonna go into a lot more detail about where we are and what's left of that strategy that we came up with uh a couple of years ago that we're in the middle of implementing.

And then if if so, do you want to continue with the transportation fee or are there other funding sources you want to look at at the local level?

But before we can answer that question at the local level, we want to you know raise back up and talk about what's happening at the state.

Uh so as we all have been following the 2025 long session concluded.

Uh disappointingly on the transportation front where there wasn't a uh a package that was uh advanced.

So uh the governor kind of stepped in and tried to work out a proposal that was you know maybe kind of meeting people a little bit closer, more of an iterative approach, saying maybe we can't solve this big transportation problem if we can chunk it out and really start step one.

And so what uh she called a special session that happened at the end of August uh with the House voting on the package, uh Labor Day weekend, but it's uh somewhat stalled in the Senate.

This vote is scheduled for next week, Wednesday.

Um there was uh a member that was having some health issues, they wanted to make sure they had a full uh full roster of folks to vote.

Um so we we know what that package it's been published now, we've commented on it the year and participated in the hearings as she talked about at the last council meeting.

So I just wanted to talk about what the impact of that session, if that's if that is approved, what that what that would mean for Bend.

Uh so because we are a couple of months into the fiscal year, so this was like a 700 million dollar package.

What that means based on the highway trust fund split, which is not being proposed to change.

It's a uh 50% of the that gas tax title and registration fees, all those fees that pay for operation operations and maintenance statewide.

50% of that revenue goes to ODOT to maintain the state system.

30% uh is shared with counties, 20% cities.

So our portion, if the package continues to hold, which it's past the house, it's just that last step with the Senate.

What that would mean for Bend would be an additional 1.5 million of new revenue this fiscal year, and then a full fiscal year of implementation would be 2.7 million.

That's indexed to I mean, so you know, future years, it's a little hard to predict because we get uh projections from ODOT.

There's a lot that goes into those projections.

But so I'm just kind of telling you what what is in store for the next uh for this biennium that we're under.

So it's it is additional revenue.

I think the question is you know, we we're programming an additional five million in that phase three, it's not quite that five million.

Earlier transportation packages from the state were actually exceeded that.

So it's a little bit short of that.

Um so I'm gonna have Russ kind of walk through the transportation fee and kind of where we are there, and then I'm gonna come back and then talk about that direction.

That question that I asked from council.

Do you want to fill it?

We've got some of that hole filled in if the state uh if that package is approved.

Um, you know, it not quite there.

Do you want to mitigate for that?

Do you want to uh continue to look at the local level?

Do you would you like to just pause and see how that takes shape and all that?

So I'll come back here in a bit, but I'm gonna have Russ give you some context on that transportation fee.

Thank you, Eric.

Yeah, I mean that 2.7 million, just keep that as a placeholder as we go forward in future conversations.

So just to go back back in time a little bit, and I'm sure everybody remembers our infamous funding puzzle that we've had for a long time.

This came um out of the 2020 transportation system plan.

There is a funding group that got together as part of that process.

There's actually a funding chapter in that 2020 transportation system plan that showed these different funding strategies.

What the different colors here represent is the top row of the of the puzzle, the blue pieces, those are those are tools that have been implemented.

So the geobond is in full swing right now.

We updated the T the transportation system development charge uh last year transportation or two years ago transportation fee.

Eric just talked, we implemented the first two phases on that.

I'll talk about that.

And then we also have urban renewal funding that is also one of our current funding strategies.

And then that group did come up with other potential funding sources, either through LID, local improvement districts, increasing vehicle registration fees, a local fuel tax at a seasonal level was what was recommended, and or a targeted sales uh tax for food and beverage.

So this is kind of the the tools available in the transportation funding universe right now.

Can I pause?

I just always want to make sure when we say vehicle registration fees, that's something the county would need to do.

And that was and some of these require votes and votes of the public and some of them don't.

So just as a reminder on where we are in the transportation fee process.

So uh in July of 24, that's when we implemented phase one of the transportation fee that generated five million dollars worth of revenue.

Um we just implemented phase two, which went into effect on July 1st.

The first set of bills just went out in August.

That I'll talk about a little bit about where we're at in that, but that has a 10 million dollar annual revenue target.

And when we developed the resolution for phase one, there was in that resolution that says between phase two and if council wants to move forward to phase three, that the city was going to discuss recommended revenue sources, including potential other revenue sources before implementing phase three of the tax.

If we're trying to hit what where the target is a $15 million revenue target.

So right now we're at 10 million.

If we want to increase that, that resolution laid out a discussion with council to say, do we want to use the transportation fee as the sole source to get that additional 5 million to 15, or do we want to look at other funding tools as part of that process?

So right now we're kind of where that line is.

We're between phase two and phase three of that original plan.

Um, in terms of the status of the fee, so as I mentioned, the phase one final revenue is 4.96 million dollars.

So we were on target for that five million dollar revenue target.

Um, as I mentioned, all the customers have received the first bill of phase two, just so council's aware uh as part of that process.

We've received about 15 contacts from residents, which is relatively low considering the impact of what's going on here.

Um the in terms of most of them are coming, some of them are just why is my bill increasing, some of them around.

We also in um our winter quarter average rates got reassessed at that point.

Also, the uh uh just the normal um utility rate increases were also all incorporated into that bill.

So there was a there is a jump of that bill that people saw in the bills, plus that phase two of the transportation fee.

Uh, in regards to the transportation fee questions, most of them is what we were expected, have been around the non-residential side, particularly um we have received inquiries from gas stations because those went up significantly based off of that updated methodology between phase one and phase two, as well as just kind of if you remember the bin classes we had, just um where some businesses, especially on the industrial side got placed, but nothing out of the ordinary of what we were expecting as we went through and developed the methodology.

Um so as of today, we have billed $837,000, which is on track for that $10 million revenue.

Um, the second round of bills are going out in a couple weeks, um, and that process will continue through the year.

Also, reminder that um that in our current budget over the our biannual budget, we're just assuming 10 million dollars a year and these this additional transportation fee revenue.

We did not assume that that additional five to get us to 15.

That was we were already targeting the next biennium for that.

So I just want to make sure.

Also, I just want to give kudos to our entire team for getting that phase two of the transportation fee out.

Um, there's a lot of behind the scenes effort, and and only receive 15 inbound calls.

That's just a testament to the outreach and the and the work that that team has done.

I will say I've gotten, I think, one email, and then someone called me that needed information about the utility billing assistance.

Yeah, that's it that I and our you and a big big credit to our utility billing staff, they are the front line on this, and they they have information around that billing um utility assistance program, and they're also fielding any of these incoming questions about why my bills are increasing and why am I seeing this transportation fee was support of the rest of the staff.

Um, also just as a reminder, what we were trying to achieve with these different phases.

Um if you remember phase one and phase two, we're really kind of showing up our existing operations as well as providing some additional capacity for some of our uh operations and maintenance out in the field, especially around a dedicated crew for striping and legends, um, also some increased capital for sidewalk gaps and equipment for uh for that striping and street mark street marking crew.

Once we move into that phase three, so that additional five million dollar revenue is really target targeted at additional kind of small capital needs.

So we're gonna bring on additional concrete crew to do more infill sidewalks, more of that kind of more of those um gap gap projects or small safety projects around the city.

And also that was funding for those TSP programs and multimodal improvements.

So when we start talking about a lot of new stuff, it was in that next five million dollar bucket where we would be starting safety improvements and and more um kind of multimodal improvements on the system.

So what we're really asking for with council is um we if you want us to look at increasing this again to hit that $15 million target revenue that was originally set out.

We wanted to do a check-in now because if we are looking at other types of funding options outside of the transportation fee, staff would have to start to develop a work plan for that and actually start working through that process to figure out what we would need to do to implement another one of these tools.

If council wants to um continue with to increase just the transportation fee to uh obtain additional revenue, that is I'm not gonna say a simple process, but simpler process because we would use our existing structure, and now we're just doing basically a universal rate increase to hit that new revenue target of 15 million.

We don't have to go back to BDAB at this point and do any big restructuring of the of the process of how we allocate this to all the different user groups and things like that.

It would just be more of an increase.

But if you're looking at if there's interest in a gas tax or the vehicle registration fee or the food and beverage tax, we have not done full-depth investigations into and process of how that would work, timelines to be able to do that, but we would need to start that process now to to even have a chance at looking at um in the next year or so of implementing one of those tools.

So that's really if you do want to explore that, then we want to make sure we're also tracking with you on when would you like to have these that additional revenue brought in?

Is it next year or in the next biennium so that we can appropriately develop a work plan and come back to you?

Yeah.

One thing that's not on the slide that I just want to mention is that we we had mentioned prior that the attempt to get some flexibility for tourism revenue did not make it through, it did pass the house, but it did not make it out of that last part of the session.

Um, there is desire from LOC other cities to to bring that back and to continue to pursue that.

So that's sort of on the table, but I think sort of is unknown and uncertain.

So I wouldn't count it here, but it is potentially something that we might see in the future.

I also yeah, I also just want to remind council that we also have other funding conversations also occurring at the same time.

So there's it's also just a question of capacity and where you want us staff to focus.

So remember we have the home funding committees just kicking off.

We have conversations around public safety, um, airport funding.

Um, we're always looking at permit fees on that.

So there's other there's several other funding discussions that are also going to be occurring over the next year that we just want to make sure is put into the right context.

Yeah, and then just going back to that 2.7 million.

So just to be clear with council, so that's the highway trust fund.

We we get uh five, six-ish million now from that fund, so that would just be increased.

That the way that state law works is that can just that that can be used in the right of way.

So it can be used for operations, maintenance, and capital.

If there's not a it's not super restrictive, it just needs to be used in in the right of way.

We can't use it to pay for police officers or uh things like that.

The other thing too, too, to as to build off of what Russ is saying, the conversations that we're gonna be having this fall around the geobond, so and a reprioritization effort of both the geobond, I think also the transportation construction fund.

We've done some building blocks to that.

We've had the read bond conversation, we're gonna have the midtown conversation in a few weeks.

Uh, we're gonna talk about some other capital needs for uh employment needs and housing needs, etc.

There's an opportunity to prioritize, and I think some you know, potential shifting of dollars towards more of those quick build safety related projects on the capital side.

So I think there's some options for council to consider to say yes, if if this passes, we have the 2.7, not quite the five, but going back to the intention of that phase three for those small capital projects, we potentially have some other potentially have some other strategies to fill in those capital needs over the next couple of months as well.

Can I ask a question about the 2.7 from the highway trust fund?

Would that be able to fund TSP programs?

Um, I think that programmatic needs like be easier to put that more towards um maintenance or um capital projects kind of thing.

You know, that last dot was had some programs in it.

I think we can reallocate the transportation fee.

Yeah, but that that itself probably is not intended for programs, it's more for things.

Yeah, things in the right of way, but I think to the extent that we have that new revenue coming in that we can take some of our more flexible revenue to to accomplish that.

Alternatively, would it fund the concrete crew and the one?

Yeah, I think if we get that additional revenue from the state, because we are generating a lot of money from the transportation fee, which is has more I would say a more flexibility to it.

We can just reallocate within the budget how those funds are used.

To achieve the same goals as laid out in that original plan.

Because it's about halfway through that that extra.

Right, that's five that we were looking at, yeah.

Okay, so council, I think um let's start the discussion.

I think the big question is tough phase three.

What do we want to do?

Proceed ahead, pause, something else.

Let's hear what people think question.

Yeah.

Um, so we talked about the money we're going to get from the state.

Um, if we're gonna talk about fees, new fees, added fees, what the results of this legislative session and this bill, what are added fees that and and and costs that the the people in Bend are going to be expecting now from the state from the state.

So it's a uh six cent uh per gallon.

Um so that's what what what folks would see across the state.

Um and then there's increases to title and registration fees.

I don't have them all listed here, but we can we can get those to what but there will that will be an impact on everyone in Bentfield, yeah, for sure.

That's yeah, wanted to I think especially if you think of a gas tax, I think that's where a majority, you know, that's something to think about.

Yeah, okay.

Russ, I'm other questions?

Yeah, go ahead.

I have some questions.

So um, so can you give a little bit more detail about um how the money has been spent today, like what what amount of it has been spent on equipment and staff, and then what has been actually put into projects and like on the ground things that people can see around town.

Um so we're we're because we're now in the second phase of that, and we've just started that.

I can pull David up to give we we have bought more equipment.

We have brought on another crew to help um or bring on another crew for light for additional legend work.

So if you remember, like a lot of times we had the people that we were sweeping first, and then we're coming back and doing striping and legends.

Now the ideas were sweeping and we're doing that at the same time.

That's all part of this current plan.

Um and it is also providing this 10 million phase two revenue is providing a little bit of additional um capital to start doing some of those projects.

So it's all getting programmed right now.

The program also, sorry, going back to the TSP programs.

We just now are fully staffed.

Um, we've been able to hire, it's been we've had some difficulty hiring the the traffic and transportation engineers.

Um we now we're fully staffed, so we're starting to develop those those pedestrian and bike programs.

Um so they're kind of those are all just coming out out of the ground.

Just the staff that we've hired on the operation side for the legends group and also the double as additional staff for the winter for winter information.

So we have more people on more equipment getting more snow removal.

Yeah, right.

So we've we've been able to do some additional like sidewalk infill projects with this.

David can go into some specifics on that if you'd like to hear.

But we really that to really start to move the dial in terms of being being able to self-perform more work in the field.

That was kind of in this phase two and really in the phase three kind of focus area of that revenue.

Um, we're we're trying to do more in the field and getting more stuff on the ground.

Yeah, I guess maybe what I'm curious about is like how much.

So five million came in in the first year, 10 million now the second year.

So a certain amount of that was spent on equipment, so that's not going to be spent again next round, right?

So that'll be a lot a lot more money to be available for actually doing um, yeah.

Some of the equipment, I mean we can get you more detail, but the we debt finance some of that, like tenure, not and so it's spread out, so it's not necessarily you know, just one big hit.

Uh depends on the size of the equipment.

So, like the street sweeper, those are hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So we typically debt finance that.

We've purchased uh equipment for the bike lanes to sweep and plow snow.

That's typically we would use cash to do that.

So it's not always the same.

That capital outlays happen for those what we call the mini sweepers that you see now in the protected bike lanes and those type of things.

Russ, how much of a of a staff bump did you actually get with this?

Do you know?

With phase two, David, with phase two.

Well, just to be clear, we're we're like two months into phase two.

Phase two, but yeah, but but even for phase one, how much of a staff bump did we get?

Invite like the big guy up here.

Hi everybody, David Abbas, director of transportation mobility department.

Uh the legends crew is three staff, and that's a dedicated legends crew, and they're the wintertime folks as well, right?

As well as winter time, yeah.

So that's field staff that is dedicated legends crew in the summer, winter operations in the winter time, uh, CDL drivers, so snowplows and things.

Um the ideas and Russ touched space on this a little bit, but our striping crew with our striping truck would be all hands on deck for the striping, trying to get all our arterials and collector striped every year, basically.

And then at the end of the season, it was a mad dash and rush for school zones or arrows and crosswalks and some of those things that for me are a safety item.

Um so we wanted to get have that legends crew dedicated to that early in the season in the spring, have the city safe, uh, all the legends and markings at the same time as the striping truck is going.

Uh, and then in the winter time, additional staff for winter.

Um those three folks.

That's the three folks that was with phase two.

And then we've also hired an additional person on what we call Janet, the this the team, the more programmatic team.

So that there's been an additional FTE on that team as well.

So there's been a couple there.

Yeah, two is it two?

Yeah, yeah.

And then a phase three goes in effect, then what happens?

Phase three was where we were looking at a dedicated flat work, I'll call it concrete crew, really dedicated and focused on the infill and sidewalk and connectivity and completing corridors.

Five is what we're looking at there.

We have our concrete crew today, and that's mainly our ADA ramp, and that's technical, so it'd be kind of this apprentice program.

If you if you're in the concrete, do that flat work, get those infill connectivities, and the ADA is that more experienced technical crew.

And and with this, Councilor Francosa, you know, you're kind of talking about where where did the money go?

It's it's going in a variety of places, programmatic equipment.

We have equipment in every biennium, and some of that's life cycle, some of us new on the expanding system, but a piece of it is street preservation to keep up with that inflation and keep going.

So when we increase that street preservation, that ADA ramp concrete crew is busier.

And so in that phase three flat work concrete crew, give us that additional capacity to keep up with all that, and it's additional winter operations help there as well.

So just our council's aware when we go and we do street uh street preservation, we are required to update the ramps at that point where we're doing that kind of the inlays and those type of street preservation things.

Oh sorry, I've seen it.

So I'm sorry, just to the personnel just a little bit more.

So five are in right now, those were programmed into the biennium, right?

Alrighty, because that that during the budget and they've all the extra five, they've all been filled with the exception of one.

Okay, and so then the extra five would be uh uh FD add during the biennium if we did that, right?

Um personnel funded through the extra five.

So full boat ten folks.

Yep.

Okay, thank you.

I appreciate it.

That was my same question.

So go ahead.

So I think um just also this is uh one of the reasons to keep talking about this is uh we've never had a pavement condition index this high.

Uh we're doing a good job on that front.

Um safety, I think is top of mind for everybody all the time.

We've had a high of seven in 2023, seven fatalities, and uh this year it's been zero so far on our public roadways, which is amazing.

If we can make it to December, that will be 12 months with zero fatal crashes on the public roadways in Bend, which is outstanding.

Um in 2018, we had a funding working group that looked at 17 potential funding sources that was part of the citywide transportation advisory committee effort.

I went and I looked at that memo to get a better sense of what kind of what's the whole world look like for funding, and turns out the world hasn't changed that much.

And we don't see it changing going forward very much either, just so council's aware.

Yeah, so I think uh you know, in terms of phase three, um, I'm willing to support a pause on phase three, uh, or at least look at some alternatives.

And some of the alternatives I think that might be the most palatable would be uh looking at things like so.

There's three that stand out to me anyway.

One is uh increase the general fund allocation to transportation.

Uh and we probably would need to talk about ways to make up for that, whether that's in the form of uh public safety utility fee or funding from external sources, but that's one that's on there.

Um it's easier to explain to the public what a you know public safety utility fee is.

We don't have to worry about administering the complicated methodology that we have for transportation, etc.

I do think that it's worth looking at parking fees as a source of revenue, uh not registration fees, but for people who drive, whether you drive an electric car or a gas car.

I support the idea of giving residents a discount.

Visitors ought to be paying their fair share, and I do think that there's a way to provide a framework for that to demonstrate that people who are paying taxes already are paying something, and visitors have the ability to pay some nominal rate.

High schools are doing it for things like football games, you know, football game, you get front row parking.

Uh Mount Bachelor does it for skiing, and I think City of Bend ought to think about ways of doing that for um the city of Bend as well.

And the last one is the idea of a seasonal gas tax.

Uh, this would have to be passed by voters, but this is again back to the idea that visitors would be paying something, and if we time it right, well, hopefully, we can think about it in terms of the whole burden that uh residents already are experiencing, and I recognize that the state is already increasing its gas tax, so maybe not, but those were the three alternatives that stood out to me.

Okay, um, okay.

So hearing pause on phase three, are you thinking just pause indefinitely and have these other conversations?

I think that we were thinking I think pause indefinitely to have another conversation.

Other thoughts, anyone have a different point of view or want to chime in agreeing with that?

Not necessarily the tools Ariel mentioned that he liked, but just the idea of pausing right now on phase three.

Am I seeing some of the things?

Yeah, I think so.

I mean, I think you know, we can we have other funding sources that look like they're coming in, and acknowledgement that there's going to be some other hits that people are gonna be taking in other areas.

I just think it's a good time to re-evaluate.

Okay, yeah.

And if it phase two is a very speaking of the BDAP liaison, it's a very cumbersome process.

Um, and um, I think we we really got it to somewhere um that the business community felt was at least they would listen to, and uh we we caused sort of the least um impact that we could with the fee, and so I'm fine with with staying with phase two for now.

Okay, yeah, yeah.

I appreciate the deep research in the 2017 uh memo.

Thank you very much, Cantor Mendez, for that.

And and the only one that I would probably pause on your pause is the seasonal gas tax, but the other ones I would be very interested in in further pursuing okay.

Yeah, down here the appreciation for doing that research and laying that out for us.

Um, and yeah, I'm I'm in favor of an indefinite pause, and I'm appreciate I'd love more detail on parking fees.

I was wondering about that myself.

You um hopefully the next conversation.

Yeah, yeah, okay.

So I think we have unanimous because I agree as well, unanimous consensus that we're not going to implement phase three the next year.

Um, I think we want to do people want to talk about these other revenue streams that are local, and what timeline do we want to talk about those on?

I think that's the next big question for us.

And I think Russ alluded to this that we have the home committee talking about funding tools for housing.

We have a water rates discussion that is really about kind of conservation and balancing rates, but that's going to change people's bills, right?

That they're seeing every month.

Um, I'm particularly worried about the economy and cuts to health care and social services that people are going to be feeling next year.

So I support, and I think there's been some good ideas.

I actually really like a vehicle registration fee.

There were some folks during the tough discussion that brought up hey, there's people that live just outside the bend, and they're not paying this, and they're driving on all roads all day long, or trucks that come in, like heavy trucks.

I feel like that is maybe a tool where we can capture a little bit of that.

So I would add that to the list, but I'm not sure this biennium we should be having this conversation given everything else we're doing.

But I would love to hear other people.

Can I ask a question?

Just a question about um my first time going through the budget process, overall city budget process and kind of related to the general fund allocation to transportation idea that our councillor Mendels mentioned.

So, what is the process for council and the budget committee to kind of check in on the budget over the biennium?

Well, and and so that actually was a that's a good lead-in because we will have a budget committee meeting, um, kind of revisiting we promised to come back.

We were going to have that on September 17th, which is the day of this vote.

So we've just pushed it back a few weeks to be on October 8th.

We'll check in on kind of the major revenues, some of the things that we're watching, um development related, tourism related revenues.

Um there's always opportunities to rebalance the general fund.

That's I mean, that that can happen in supplemental budgets.

Our big look is typically through the biennial budget process that we just went through.

And so if you're really wanting to reshuffle how the general fund gets allocated, it's best to do that there because it's it's sort of underwrites a lot of the the financial health of the city and underwrites our core operations, which the general fund 90% of our operations that it funds are police, uh fire and streets, and with fire, for example, it's locked in with a contract, so it's not very that's harder to change with police.

I think there's more discretion.

So going back to councillor Mendez's uh point about a public safety.

If you were to say we'd like to have a dedicated funding source for police in the form of a public safety utility fee, and maybe that's the by then freeing up some general fund dollars.

So there's a lot of interdependencies between these conversations around fee for service versus general fund contribution.

Um that's just really up to council of when you might if you want to have that midstream of the biennium, that's completely something you could have.

You could do that as a body of deciding where that fits within your work plan.

We haven't programmed for something like that, but that's something that you could could bring up.

And I also want to add just on the train in the transportation world, bringing up multiple conversations around transportation priorities in the transportation fund and the geobond fund over the next 12 to 18 months.

So we're gonna have one coming up in October.

That's pretty significant in terms of kind of laying out some of our key capital projects.

But if there's interest in creating some carve outs for smaller safety projects or multimodal projects, we can have the discussion there, and then we'll be having another discussion around transportation funding and priorities, just in the both of those funds next year as well, kind of looking towards that mid-biennium budget check-in.

Um, but we know that there's gonna be a lot of conversations around transportation projects and prioritization and funding that's going to be occurring over the next 12 to 18 months too.

I think the thing that I along with Consor Francis and the mayor, um, I I do wonder if there's some if there's some change we can get out of the cushions uh right now in our budget, and and what I'm I'm talking about specifically is we made assumptions on on what our uh our insurance costs were gonna be.

Um, and now those have those have settled down to real numbers.

We made assumptions on uh what our labor contracts were gonna end up at, and now those are settled to real numbers.

So I'm wondering if there are any pennies left in the in the in the cushions now that we can look at for a sort of a midstream reprogram for some of these uh ideas that we're talking about.

Well, let's talk about that on the October 8th.

So we'll kind of give you a sense of like the health of the general fund and what yeah, what things that were assumptions are now reality, and if there is some room.

I think what we also want to do is as Russ was saying earlier, we have the home committee looking at revolving loan funds.

And it's not just so it's not just for this conversation.

Yeah, that's right.

But just broadly speaking.

So you can kind of start to see emerge we're only a couple years, a couple of months into the so it's not a lot of certainty.

So I want to just caution everybody to but um some of those things were bigger assumptions that that have that we can have some certainty on, like health insurance and wages.

Uh but I want to make sure that you are when you're prioritizing, you're not just thinking about you're thinking about all the things, totally all the things you have transportation, all the other goals that you have.

So I I would I think it would be good to discuss that in October.

I would lean towards if we're gonna take action, we do it at that mid-biannium budget adjustment, so we're at least halfway through next year.

Totally to see what the economy is doing.

Yep, just really nervous about it, right?

And so um that might be a good time to come to that and say, okay, yes, we do have this extra cushion that of things that we could reallocate.

Um, but I think that's worth looking at.

And that may be like our short-term thing we could do.

And then I'm still wanting council to articulate do you want to have this?

Okay, let's look at all these funding tools conversation this biennium.

Do you want to push it out?

What do people think?

And just so council's where just on the transportation fee the phase three, that's really your amending.

If we're not changing the methodology and if just structurally, you're just you're really updating the fee resolution to hit the revenue target.

So it's theory, it's a simple process, but it has bigger implications in terms of impacts to utility bills and outreach and things like that.

I think we've we've said unanimously we're pausing that.

But if you ever want to come back to that, I'm just saying that's a that's an easier.

But I think we're not planning on doing that at the moment.

So and council, just from my perspective and staff, just thank you for the support on phase one and two.

Yeah.

Uh I mean the biennial budget that we have adopted now felt good about, right?

We're not going backwards.

That was my big thing.

We've been working really hard for the last 10 years to dig out of a hole, right?

And so we're doing that.

Um, and so the pause on phase three, supportive of it.

Uh, again, feel good where we're at, you know, the three dedicated legends crew that is not just legends and arrows on the that's the green paint you see, that's the delineators, all those things for me are safety related to to Councilor Mendez's, and I want to keep that trend going on those numbers.

Um, and so pausing and seeing what the state does, if that 2.7 million dollars that was on the screen becomes reality, I think we're at a really good spot for this biennium for sure.

Yeah, and and we can visit and see what coins are left on the cushion for the next biennium.

And say if the state doesn't move forward to the 2.7, then we're all we can always come back and say, okay, what it what are our and hopefully we'll know that by that October budget meeting.

So we'll be able to get moving on there.

Were we planning if we did phase three for it to cook off next next July?

That was the plan.

It was a three-year implementation.

That's why we wanted to check in with you to just to make sure that we're directed.

We wanted to.

We didn't put it in the budget.

So we were concerned about the budget.

That was that's kind of the where it would land if we were it was it was because we we uh purposely put in that that check-in point, which is where we're at now between phase two and phase three.

Yep.

Okay, so I think I've got good direction.

We're gonna kind of pause here.

We're we'll have more information on the budget meeting on the eighth about what happens at the state and that the implications of that locally.

Um, we'll have a continued prioritization of um transportation in the context of that revenue, if we have it or not, and then how that plays with health of the general fund, some of these other ideas that we'll continue to explore kind of more into the future.

We're not doing anything in this biennium, but it's more of just keeping that list of ideas.

I just want to be explicit when we're talking about gas tax, what's on the screen here?

Um public safety fee, vehicle registration fee that uh we're agreeing as a group that that's not a discussion.

We're gonna delve into this biennium, but that we do have some other options with the general fund budget, and also I think parking parking revenue discussion, we can do that without um because that's something that's related to the parking improvements we're doing anyway.

So I'd see those two as sort of this biennium, and then maybe those other options are next by a conversation.

Okay, do we feel okay with that?

Yeah, okay.

Yes, okay.

So we're yeah, so we're not pausing all of these discussions through the biennium.

There are some.

There's some I think we can continue, and I think the sort of the big lifts, we probably want to look at those holistically in the future, maybe next biennium.

Our whole thing is if you want to do any of those bottom three, we need to start allocating some of our staff to figure out how we would do that.

I think we have enough other things, yeah.

Okay.

All right, that sounds good.

So the the next uh piece on on as we're talking about the transportation fee and transportation funding, we did receive a request over the summer from uh Ben Parks and Rec.

And so we see board members and staff here today, and um, so they have asked for an exemption for from the fee.

And so we'll I'm gonna have Russ explain kind of what the fee is and what the exemption request is, and then I'll come back to um some council.

We as staff, we don't have the ability to provide exemptions.

We would this is just needs to be a council uh decision point.

So I'm gonna have Russ kind of explain the mechanics of it, then I'll kind of come back and talk about some options for you to consider.

Yeah, so we've been engaged with um BPRD staff for six months on this, just trying to make sure that the data is correct.

Um they originally brought this this question up.

So our staff and their staff met, and what we're really what we were really trying to figure out is okay, where we're putting some of our key routes and the bin bikeway system, we're using park facilities as part of that transportation network.

So the question that came up from the park district is there is there any relief or assistance in joint maintenance of those facilities since we are now directing people to those those key route systems and the bin bikeways as part of our overall transportation system plan.

So, with that, we just wanted to make sure that we had the correct data that we could present to council for this decision.

Um, and then we're also here to answer any questions.

So, just to um just to make sure council's aware, the way we kind of calculated the fee for parks is we really used a factor of um off-street parking as how we developed kind of how we're gonna assess parks.

Um, that was in conversations um with our consultant or fee structure part, just everybody came up with a fee.

That resulted of a phase one fee of just under 17,000 dollars, which um BPRD has that got invoiced uh earlier this year, and BPRD has paid that.

The next fee uh for phase two is 28,000.

That's the estimate.

Um, we will build that uh towards next summer.

Um then so that's just kind of where the the fee structure came out from the methodology, and then we had our staff and their staff meet to try to come up with well, what is this maintenance cost that we're talking about?

This joint facilities about 11 miles of joint facilities throughout the city.

Um we agreed on kind of what an annual maintenance number of that.

So the total maintenance number for that was around 22, 23,000.

So we just wanted to come and say, is there interest?

BPTR has asked for this.

They're asking for a full waiver of that transportation fee.

And we were looking for guidance from council on how to work through that request.

And we already answer any questions you might have on how we calculate it in that.

Okay.

Thoughts?

Well, I mean, I feel like as a as a former parks board member and as now a city counselor, I uh deeply value the partnership that we have with the parks district, and I think that um working closely is incredibly important to meet the service goals for the community.

Um I do feel like I I tend to not want to be too transactional oriented for something like this, and I think um given the amount and the importance of collaboration, especially in this area.

Um I would be open to certainly uh an exemption uh um of half, if not if not the full amount.

Um so I think it's I think it's justified, and and certainly in the spirit of working together and moving forward, I'd I'd like to keep that momentum going.

Yeah, it's it's interesting because our fee is about the same as the maintenance cost, and that's just a cool.

That's a pure pure coincidence.

That fee actually represents a lot of work and data on the impacts to our transportation system and the reason I think we landed on and charging for only four parks that have a parking lot, which for instance wouldn't include Drake Park.

Um, but is that that idea that if it has a parking lot, you're inducing driving and people are driving on the roads and there's impact.

So I'm a little wary of a full waiver just because I think there is some impact from parks and traffic that goes to them that's that we're trying to capture there, and then we're not we're not really capturing the ones that don't have parking lots, but there's still people that drive to those.

But I also want to re uh recognize the sort of joint effort on that on that trail system that both I think people we would consider BPRD constituents and Ben constituents use, and we hope to have them use more.

So I think like half sees sounds good to me at this point to sort of represent there is some impact on our transportation system from the parks, but also that there is this partnership that we're both trying to maintain that system.

Well, and I will say to you that the school district we did a 50% exemption, so there is some precedent.

So I think you could follow a similar, you know.

I think that being that the school is all there's a lot of linked trips there too.

And we looked at other cities, so you're not just going to the school and back.

There might be you know other things going on in the community, and to what to account for that.

So I think there could be a simple um solution with a 50% reduction that we could reflect in an IGA with parks if you're willing.

Make sense to me.

I guess I'm gonna speak up.

This is our deliberation time.

Um for it.

Okay, so I uh our city is amazing uh because of the joint work that we that the parks and rec and that the city does uh and a lot of other things that that make us great.

Um and so I I just want to be cautious also with our public dollars here when we're giving an exemption.

I I guess my my question is are there costs that Ben Parks and Rec uh uh assesses the city in a similar fashion that are some kind of some joint facilities or things like that that we are paying going the other other direction?

Yeah, there's some there are a lot of different kind of collaborations and projects that we have going back and forth.

Um, and there are fees that we do get assessed for temporary construction easements or you know, uh permanent easements on parks properties.

I mean, there's things that we can talk with parks through, trying to figure out a collaboration on this and to make sure, yeah, that there's there's kind of a joint effort here.

But there are there are, I mean, sometimes there's we have we have bigger contributions to to major capital projects.

That's kind of a different realm, but I would think there's a lot of interaction and work between our especially our engineering team and I'd like to um I think there's an opportunity for us to really build a stronger partnership, stronger collaboration.

Uh, we're planning a joint meeting in February, so maybe we can take some of these ideas and think through kind of more holistically about how maybe getting away from the transactional and getting into more of a partnership model.

Um I think it's just hard to do that right here and now, but maybe for for now we could sort of agree on this uh if it sounds like there might be some agreement around this 50%, and then let's come back to you about maybe a more holistic solution that recognizes both parties in the contributions that they make and how we can sort of account for that moving forward.

We've we've been having discussions about trying to kind of collat not class, kind of bring a bunch of the different bin park and rec and city IGAs that we have.

We have a lot of different agreements with them into one larger master agreement for a lot of these, and that might provide an opportunity to talk about some of these issues as well in a collaborative nature.

Yeah, I mean I'd like to see that as part of our discussion to have together as boards in February.

And I think we should also acknowledge, you know, um all of our taxing districts.

We've been doing a lot of work on TIF, we've been doing a lot of work on affordable housing, we've used over a lot of partnership there, and we do have um good partnership with BPRD on those areas.

So that's why I'm okay with reducing, even though it's public dollars.

I'm okay with reducing it, um, and then continuing that conversation on how we keep being collaborative.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that our staff is in contact with PPRD staff, not daily every other day on something going on in the city.

Yeah, I appreciate the more holistic approach to it going forward.

Okay, yeah.

And I I mean, I I think we should take a more holistic approach too, because I I think there's I think it is it's very complicated relationship.

We have the part of district as a large organization in town.

The voters have um agreed to a lot of uh bonds and funding for the district uh to allow it to grow and provide these incredible facilities that everyone enjoys tourists alike.

Um, you know, tourist revenue comes to the city.

Uh, you know, I think in part my my nieces and nephew come from Texas, and their favorite thing to do is to go to the pirate park.

So yeah, and they were gonna come and testify before council and say that, and I was like, oh, the city doesn't manage send us.

So that that is that is to say, that's the kind of preface and say I I see this a little bit though as kind of a one-to-one that um you know our our ideal for our bike network is to have you know grades separated, um, separated from car vehicles, uh trails, and that's very expensive for the city to build.

And so for the parks district to um be maintaining and to have constructed them and to be expected to continue to keep them in good working order, like long into the future.

To me, I think is a you know, is uh is a big very and very important partnership and really not worth um a $30,000 fee.

That to me feels a little nickel and dimey um compared to the other stuff that we're doing together, which is a lot big bigger dollar value amount.

So um, so I I would be in favor of a full waiver, um, a full exemption, I guess, is what we're talking about.

So, anyway, that's where I stand on this.

Other thoughts?

I think I would support a full waiver, but I'm also um supportive of 50 percent.

Okay, how are the sin?

Half seas or whole C's good.

Given the the Ben Lapine um precedent, I think I would I would be in a half in the half camp.

Yeah, I think I'm okay with that too.

So I think let's continue the conversation though.

Maybe we can revisit and bring it to our February conversation after that.

Because we don't have to we don't have to print an IG right now.

We've got a little bit of time to figure this out, but it's a good thing.

Right, and they will our agreement is they don't get billed until next June.

So we have time we want to adjust this further.

Okay, but I think that's where we're at today.

So thank you, um, directors and Michelle for being here.

Appreciate you coming to the discussion.

Um that's it for that.

And then we'll transition to our next topic, which is parking.

So David's thinking uh Russ can introduce this.

You running it from here.

How many you feel?

Are you feeling okay?

Or all about the park.

That was all about the channels right there.

Yeah, like no.

I don't know.

Extra important.

Here we go.

All right, parking.

Parking.

So I'm here with uh Toby Marks, who's our parking program manager who is our expert on all things parking.

What I'm gonna do is just kind of give you uh a high-level update on where we are with kind of parking concerns in the city.

Um Toby's gonna go through with more specificity about if you remember we just adopted uh recently a new parking code that um helps us kind of work through the more current and relevant issues that we're seeing as density as we see more density um uh occurring in the city.

Um parking management strategies are uh are very important in concert with kind of how the city is growing.

Um and then what we're gonna be doing is as part of that process.

I'll go through that.

Um we're seeking council direction to actually begin developing creating some um some management plans in a couple areas, and we'll prioritize those as we go through this presentation.

So, and I'll have Toby jump in as if I if I miss anything here, but why is parking management important?

It is a resource within town, right?

Um, and it has in different areas, it has different purposes.

Um, if you think of downtown getting parking turnover and getting uh people in and out so they can get to businesses and patrons uh to restaurants and things like that.

Um, it's really important.

It's also important like where the customers parking and where the employees parking, where's where deliveries coming?

So as you get in those really big um developed urban environments, the the um the the curb space becomes highly highly desired capital um for a variety of reasons.

We also have a changing transportation system, so there these things evolved.

If you go to a lot of other cities, you'll see areas where Uber and Lyft have specific drop-off and pick-off points.

Um, as these new technologies kind of come through or autonomous vehicles, it's like where do where do I go?

Where is a place where I'm assigned to go and do that?

Um, as we're currently seeing as you drive around town, and especially areas that are seeing more residential density, you're seeing there's there's tighter traffic um and and tighter parking that goes on in that area, and we're going to continue to see that, especially council is part of the state very aggressive in removing parking minimums to encourage different types of development, which we are seeing around the city.

That's just causing a higher load on that limited parking resource that we have.

And then, as we are all aware, that turns into what we call livability issues of just um these tensions that occur sometimes between residential and commercial areas, um, where we're trying to do two things with that same resource.

We're trying to provide places for people to park to go to the commercial areas, but also residents want to park there as well.

So there Toby has a lot of tools in its toolbox to manage these situations, but we need to do that through um kind of really developed plans.

So, what we do when we go through this, and Toby will talk about this in a little bit more specificity with each one of these areas is we really look at data as we start to develop these plans.

What's going on in these areas, who's using the parking, why are they using the parking, where are the conflicts occurring, what are we trying to achieve out of that, and then there's different tools and strategies that we can apply based off of what what the data is showing and what we're seeing in those areas.

And so, what Toby's gonna go through is on each one of these areas, he will talk about in this specific area.

This is what we're seeing, and kind of here are some of the tools that we're thinking of using, and then we'll start to talk about how we how we develop those those plans.

So, just real quick to get everyone kind of baselined.

Um, here are the areas that we're gonna be talking about.

So the green dots that you see on the screen, those are the existing parking districts that we have now in town.

They're the downtown parking district over by veteran, um, everything downtown, old bend parking, which is basically from Drake Park to Broadway.

Um, and then we also have smaller districts down by the McKay parking area, as well as that pageant veterans park.

Um, then you'll see the different colors for red for phase one.

Those are the areas that Toby's going to talk about that we see as the highest priority right now, and then right after that would be phase two, those would be the dots in the orange, and then phase three is something that we'll be monitoring as we go forward, and Toby will go through each one of those.

So, with that, I'm going to turn it over to Toby to start talking about what's going on in all the different areas around town.

Great.

Um, Toby Mox, parking services division manager.

I have the honor to talk about the really fun stuff now, parking.

Um, thanks, Russ, for leading into this.

So, starting with downtown, downtown is an um established district, it's working generally fairly well.

I think our biggest problem in downtown or challenges that when we get busy, we get really, really busy, and that then makes parking a very low resource.

We did as a little note have very successful trial that we did last weekend for first Friday because it we popped in with the D BBA and the D B B B A, which did a like celebrate local theme.

And I think we uh uh actually guided, we used our new technology to guide people into the garage that worked very successful.

I think between 3 p.m.

and 11 p.m.

we had about 600-ish cars that went in the garage.

That was in addition to the already 300 that were in there, so it was pretty packed for the first time, which was great.

I shall said the technology we have can make that possible.

We also didn't charge for the day.

I think that made it probably had a 50% impact on that.

Um, but there are some minor changes that we want to do moving forward in downtown, mainly that our permit system has changed, and we want to recognize that.

We want to maintain that monthly parking is a valuable resource that should be affordable for our workforce in downtown.

Um we also want to recognize that other areas that might be a little bit more premium could be aligned more with the market price that's being paid outside downtown and private developments.

Um we are doing the trifield mobility hop pilot, which will hopefully get going very soon.

So that will change some dynamics.

Also give some more opportunity for access by partnering with CET and our new bike share program, which has been very great.

And then there's an ongoing discussion with uh DBBA about um the future of parking, what that means.

Um we have received uh an email just a few last days where the DBBA is actually partnering with DPEC, the downtown parking advisory committee to consider what could changes to parking, like how what could progressive parking paid parking look like in downtown at the moment to actually celebrate for me.

I got goosebumps.

Not about the paid parking, I think that I mean that's a different story, but that the business community is actually asking for that.

I think that I mean that's a different story, but that the business community is actually asking for that.

We all have done to like loop them back in and build a great relationship.

So I think that's something that we will probably bring back to you soon.

Um but I think with downtown right now, there's there's there's some minor changes that Toby will be doing just within kind of the parking the parking areas and things like that.

And then we'll be working with the with the downtown businesses around this the concept of what they're asking for around paid parking, because we want to make sure before we bring it to council that it's fully vetted by the downtown businesses, and they are coming working in concert with Toby, kind of developing a good plan that is a little bit has a little bit of buy-in so that council can make a very well-informed policy decision on whether or not to move forward with that.

So that's the direction we give we've given to the downtown association is yeah, yes, we will we're more than happy to be in this conversation.

We think we're getting to the point where paid parking may start to make sense, but we want to make sure that it's vetted and we have a very good plan that we can bring forward because we know it'd be it'll it'll be controversial when it comes in, and there'll be people for and people against it.

So we want to make sure it's we have to tell me visualize where the parking will be for Troy Field mobilities in the parking lot on the far side of the field.

Is that where it's on the north side?

On the north side, it's in the north half of the Troy Field parking lot.

Okay.

All right, okay.

Yep.

All right, thank you.

And that's in that that's actually in kind of development right now.

We're gonna do land use approval on that.

We just um David's team went through when we did the chip seal, they they did they chip sealed that.

It's not we haven't restricted it because we're waiting for that land use to come out, so we can actually stripe it to the mobility hub closest to Louisiana, closest to Louisiana.

Right across from McMahon.

Yeah, okay, thank you.

Yeah, and have elements for for bus for buses, bikes, um, those type of things.

Okay, yeah, great.

Thank you.

Um, so we did this was on the map, pageant park.

We just wanted to mention that real quick.

So we had years ago done some adjustments along Veterans Park for river parking because there was very like a lot of challenges for the neighbors there.

We had a similar situation happening on the opposite side at Petchin Park.

This is a good example for how we want to work with the new parking code where we can just implement parking strategies on a block face or one or two block faces, then we feel we need to do that without necessarily having an entire parking district.

So we did this with a memo from the city manager's office, and we're able to implement that really quick, and we already see a difference from that.

Um we just did like a couple two-hour parking spaces, have some no parking, so that's the stuff we hope we can do when we need to without big impact on the majority of the city.

So if you remember the part in the parking code, there's two major kind of pathways.

One is if it's kind of a couple, if it's a small area, kind of simple parking strategies to put in there, that's what parking management that staff can just go do.

And then once we get into more of a neighborhood or multiple blocks, now we're talking district, and that's where we want to make sure we're we are in concert with council with policy direction on what we're trying to achieve.

So this is one where we're this is just an example of an area where we would just go out and yep, we're gonna use a parking management strategy here.

This makes sense.

Um, the rest of these are more, I think we're talking more district type of uh type of areas.

Yeah.

And so that's where it becomes fun.

So phase one of what we think we really need to take a look at is the Arizona Colorado Industrial Couplet, so basically the box factory area, the jackstraw with the opening of the Jackstress too soon, um, and old Bent neighborhood expansion.

Focusing on the Jagstraw, why is that?

Because I think we really want to come to a point where we're proactive.

We already know this is a very dense, a very heavy used area with the ex with the now with the addition of the new development.

Um, although Kenya and Pacific is building parking, but they will also start for the first time to manage parking.

So that will actually be the first paid parking, private paid parking area in Bend, like for hourly parking will exist there.

And so we can see that a little bit the impact from that will be everybody who's working there, will have to buy a permit.

They're probably already parking on Arizona and Colorado, they will now probably drift a little bit more.

Um so in phase one, we really would like to proceed and create a parking management plan for that entire area where we would use we probably would build in timber yard as a geographic area as well without doing anything there, but just to be prepared that when that is happening, we can be proactive and take action.

Um Old Venn, this this is a request that came from the old band parking committee and from the old Old Bend Neighborhood Association, also in relationship to box box factory and jackstraw, that they want to be proactive with what's happening there.

Um basically the uh strategies we're looking to analyze and implement they are very very similar to what we all know.

Time-limited parking, two to four hours.

We would probably involve the community really to figure out what would be best.

Um do some short-term parking, especially around the box factory loading zones.

We actually implemented some around the box factory a while ago that have worked really really well in the morning.

Um, and then we need to see how we actually can manage employee parking for the workforce that works there in an affordable way, um, so that they have a dedicated area where they can park.

We did this if you recall in Old Bend, where we did like an in-distring parking permit, which was very affordable and that has worked great.

So I think there's a lot we can learn from that.

Um and it might be something, especially in in Old Bend where we look at residential parking, um, to expand that.

And um, so that's phase one.

Phase two, then would be, and for us, I think one thing is important to say all these areas are kind of like really important right now.

They're like building up, there's a lot of tension just from a staff level, how we can implement that.

We feel we needed to structure this a little bit.

I don't think it's necessarily that we think one is more important than the other.

It's really that this is where we have a lot of geographic geography, so we want to start with that.

So Galveston is something that we hear more and more about.

We have an active um request from the neighborhood association as well to look into that.

Um I personally think that's gonna be a little bit more involved, and I think we need a good runway to really have good community engagement with everybody who lives in the area to figure out how we do with this best, because it's easy it looks looking along Galveston, it doesn't look as easy anymore once you go down the other way.

Um there's a lot of live space and mailboxes and all other kinds of things.

Um but I think there's a way to do this, and I think the great opportunity for us is to engage in the neighborhood soon and then align that with the improvements that will be done to Galveston to actually align a kickoff of a district potentially with that.

And we know there's some other new developments happening too that probably they have already reached out to to the city too to wanting to participate and do the right thing, which is great.

And then Wood River Village, I think you all are aware there's has been a lot of shifting.

Um Wood River Village is if you are not familiar with Reed Market, it's kind of like the cuts through cuts cut through between uh wheat market roundabout and Brooksbit for everybody who lives southwest, um, especially when they're coming home from Summit High School.

Um so no pun and ten rushes like my dollars did all the time.

Um so that is I think what we we always had some issue there, but mainly around the first rapids or the kayak park there.

This year this has gotten more extreme.

And what while we don't have the data to 100% say what I'm saying is now accurate, just take it with a grain of salt.

What we have observed is that with since the parking lot on Columbia next to Hayden Homes for the new development was taken out of the mix, we have seen an increase over there.

And even that might be only anecdotal and felt, it is quite obvious.

And so knowing that uh that there's more than that will happen in the next few years.

There will be more lots that are currently used for parking taking out of the mix, so that will shift more.

Uh, we see this more as probably a combination of that, so a lot of more recreational parking moving into the area, then there's substandard streets, meaning they're very narrow.

Um, so there and there's cut through traffic.

So that's probably more a seasonal thing with like no parking on the side roadways that we can do, but we want to put this on your mind so that that's something we are entertaining.

That was gonna be my question, Toby.

Can we do something that's like from May to September?

Right.

Parking rules, right?

Because this is the heavy time that people are there.

And just and on the right are all the kind of different strategies that Toby were looking at, doesn't mean we're gonna implement all these in all these different areas.

It's just like these these could be tools in the toolbox that may work here.

Yeah, okay.

And then parking areas to evaluate, just this is really more like hey, we want you to know, plant the seed in your mind because it's something that we're paying attention to.

It's definitely OZU cascades with the growth of the campus with more residential development around that.

That's something that we had always taken have an eye on.

I think this is something to consider and to observe.

Uh Columbia Park area, just uh what I mentioned right now.

Um, so that's that is something that is that's growing and saying we're having conversations with uh BPRD and Old Mill about that.

And I think so.

Columbia area, that's something where because these lots are not being used for parking anymore, they're not even developed yet, but they will be developed.

So I think that's already putting a lot of strain on there, and I think that's something where we need a multi-agency, multi-agency is not the right word to say response between all the partners to say how do we manage this in the future.

So, nothing that we want to do very soon, just wanted you guys to know.

And I think that is the same than conversation.

How do we manage concert parking in the future?

How do we manage RV parking in in the future?

And when we're saying RV parking, we're not we're not we're talking camping of all kinds, we're really focusing on Ben lifers that come for a day and then are gone, right?

So, how do we touch that?

So, I think those are the things.

Um, just you know, Toby and I met with both PPRD and the old mill just to get an idea of okay, where what are you seeing?

What are your plans in this area?

Because it's good, it is, it's Toby mentioned development's gonna continue down there, and it's just gonna become more and more of a resource.

You know, we've um especially as more concerts come in, that road gets blocked off right in front of the venue, so there's no parking there.

Um, and that's what I call the squeeze the balloon where you start seeing them going to Wood River Village and and other areas.

But um, I know this has been counsel Council Mendes has brought this up.

Toby brings this up all the time in our conversations of we're probably gonna start to engage with businesses and the old mills.

Like, well, what other opportunities do we have out there for shared parking?

You know, because there's opportunity, there's revenue opportunities out there for private businesses to open their parking lots on weekends and other times.

How does that work?

Like, you know, all those different factors.

Toby's got different models.

I think is that's another tool in the toolbox to try to address.

Um I don't think it's gonna it's it's gonna increase year on year um all the activity that's going on down there.

Yeah, and one more thing on that.

There's also an opportunity to read this can move from parking to also mobility now that we have a couple of new services in town to partner with the old mill, the DBBA to like see what we can do, especially for events to park people more in different areas and then to shuttle them, right?

So, but that takes some time in planning.

But I think there's some willingness to explore that.

Yeah, we we had conversations, they have that gravel parking lot right by the venue.

It's like, well, having a concert, why don't you open that up because people drive and rent they park, they try to float, they park if you know they can't find a place to park, they probably take advantage of it.

So all right.

So those are the areas that are kind of in play now that we're seeing around the city from both input we're getting from the community and also kind of observations from from our parking team.

So here's here just to kind of reorient the process before we gonna ask for direction from council.

This is uh a map kind of a flow map that we did when we did the um the new parking code.

There's two entry points.

One is staff proposes the district or council can propose a district to us.

That's coming from input from the community.

So basically, we're kind of at that point where yep, we we we have we have different in inputs coming in from the community and what we're seeing around town.

Um Toby and his team, they looked at these different areas.

So now we're at the point where we're having that first work session asking council, do you want us to start to move forward with these areas and actually developing a parking plan that Toby and his team would develop um in the code?

That's supposed to take 60 days, then we put that out for public comment for another 60 days, and then that comes back to council for approval.

So we're at that point where do you want us because it's it's a lot of work to develop these things.

We want to make sure council's on board with moving forward, and once that once you say yes, then what Toby will do with his team is they'll develop a map, what parkings and tools and strategies will be used where they'll be used, all kind of the specifics around all all the rules and regulations of the district.

He will also do outreach to the community as he talked about, try to get the different voices in and try to figure out how to manage all these different convening needs, and then we will put that out for comment um and then come back.

So for phase one, what that looks like is in you know, if we get direction now, kind of now through October, Toby and his team would start to developing um what we're asking for is let's do phase one first, which is that area, the Arizona couplet and the and the uh the east area of the old neighborhood, develop that in October, probably have a come back and have a touch point with council in November to make sure we're on on point with what Toby's discovered before we put that out for public comment in December and January.

Come back to council in January for adoption, and then February, March, April time frame actually implementing the the kind of the whatever comes out of that plan.

And then on the heels of that, once once that phase one area is done, then Toby would start to move the phase two projects through that process with the goal of trying to get those implemented prior to next summer.

Um, so it's just we just we can't do it all at one time, so we just want to kind of phase this in.

Um, and then transportation and mobility and Toby's team will oversee the implementation of all these different plans.

So, what we're asking for from council at the high level, first of all, is do you do you want us to start to move forward with developing parking plans in districts?

Um, do you are you on board with staff's recommendation of we're gonna focus on phase one and phase two between now and the summer?

We're gonna and we'll continue to track phase three, and we'll probably have another check-in point with you at some time in the future if we want to move forward with any additional phase three areas.

Is there any if you do want us to move forward?

Is there any specific uh direction you want to give uh myself and Toby around stakeholder and community engagement in these different areas?

Um, and then just you know, we will continue to to be doing parking management strategies around town.

So you may be seeing changing in signage in certain areas, you know, like two-hour parking showing up in some commercial areas and things like that on a smaller scale around town.

And I think that we probably for us we probably keep you advised of those things maybe through Eric's weekly memo that you get where just so you're aware if you'd like to hear about those things.

Okay, anyone want to start with thoughts on moving forward with these?

Yes to the first question.

Yes to the first question.

Um Toby's look great.

I'm excited about moving forward with these.

Um I'm interested in enforcement once they're in place.

Capacity for that.

I mean, this is a lot more.

How does that happen with the city man power?

Yeah, so the timing for that full face planning is really good to cut um because our current parking management enforcement contract that we have had with our contractors tend to expire at the end of the year.

So sometime in October we're going out for a new RFP to secure a new one, and we could actually build build this future areas into that, and so that we can actually build the resources to be able to enforce sufficiently.

Do we have contract off?

We contract do we have the budget for that process?

It's revenue the revenue that we get all space for this.

That's what I just wanted to be clear about.

Yeah, okay.

And Toby will look at that through the plan.

If like is it going to be cost neutral?

Is it actually going to actually create revenue or or does it need to be subsidized?

Because if we're if we don't have permits or other types of things, then you know, or is it or we're going to get enough enforcement to actually pay just be clear?

Parking is enterprise funds.

So there's no general fund control parking or anything like that.

It is completely that service is paid for by the fees and not just the citations, but also permit fees that we get for folks using our longer term lots as well.

And so the fees would just go directly to, like you're saying, to maintain the program, not to bring any sort of excess money to the city.

It's just uh simply there is the topic.

We do have in the code parking benefit districts.

So like we have downtown, right?

And so I think that's what what you saw from that communication from downtown.

I think they see an opportunity that there's some revenue that then can be deployed to improve the area.

So that some of that money can stay within that benefit district.

Some does need to pay for the services.

So it it can't all be 100%, you know, for sort of the nice to have that an area might want.

But there is an opportunity to have those discussions within each of these districts to see some benefits.

So I think that's the selling point to those communities, you know, as it matures.

It doesn't always happen right away.

It takes some time, but as it matures, can make any not yet, they're still trying trying to figure out how to do that best.

Okay.

I I think if you look at the old Ben yearly permits for residents, they're they're pretty they're pretty low.

Yeah, everyone did we were piloting that, we were trying it out for some for the ability to park your car on the street in old Bend anytime you want.

There's you know, and I think we want to be careful of how we charge folks, but there is you know, it is a resource that is at a premium.

So I think we can try to balance those things, but I think I really like the the phases here and trying to get ahead of that box factory area and East Old Bend.

I agree with that a lot.

I'm wondering like what's the capacity for Galveston to like have engagement happening sooner?

Like, is there other conversations that are going that can be around our Galveston project that also incorporates talking about this?

So we have to do that.

I think we're trying to we're trying to loop the we're trying to connect those two conversations, the project conversation as well as the parking conversation to the to the the extent that we can.

Um yeah, I think we'll if we get direction from council, you know, that's why we develop the kind of work plan is it allows us.

I think there's some flexibility to say, yeah, we can have the starting to we'll we'll kick off phase one, but phase two is going to be running parallel, just a little bit behind it.

Sort of as you put phase one out for public comment, maybe then you can turn exactly stakeholder.

Exactly.

Yeah, and I think for phase two, especially for Galveston, I really see that so I think with the extra face one, that's not a send dung, but it's a fairly easy to-do project.

I think Galveston, there's so many different nuances to it that we have to be uh very aware that we're doing a solid community engagement.

And I think maybe the earlier we engage the neighborhood, the better, right?

Yeah, so I agree with that.

Especially if we're trying to get something implemented by next summer, right?

That we will start developing help.

I think that's very optimistic, but I like it.

We will see well, it depends what we're gonna do, right?

Right, that's complicated.

Yeah, and what strategies we're gonna do.

Yeah, yeah.

I'll take the phase one.

Sorry, sorry.

Just to clarify.

Yeah, go ahead.

The phase one, phase two, there's the 60-day window in the code.

Right.

And that's where I think is staff are trying to be careful not to take on too much, and then the 60-day clock is going on all of them.

For all of them, yeah, like phase one start the 60-day clock if this desert council, great.

As Toby said, these are all areas staff is hearing about.

Yeah.

And so the conversations with Galveston can start.

Yeah, yeah, great.

I would say sooner.

They have started the 60-day clock of like, oh, we've got to be back in front with a parking management strategy.

Yeah, yeah, that's a good point.

That's that's kind of that phase two.

That's great to see you so active that's right.

So other comments, yeah.

This is this is great because ultimately this is about trying to meet people's needs.

There's there's problems that people are having, whether it's trying to park or businesses concerned about their customers accessing them.

And this is uh this is a creative way to try to meet those needs.

Uh so I I do think that um it's it's appropriate and I'm excited about the direction of it.

I also think that uh a price is appropriate to have on on parking when there's an a lot of demand for it, but it should be easy.

And so I just wanted to ask whether there are opportunities for, especially when we see some of these private businesses that maybe are willing to put a a resource like a parking lot and open it up to the public, uh, that we don't miss an opportunity to try to streamline that so that if someone has the parking app that they're using for the city, can they use the same app or something like that?

You know, it it would be a I don't want to have a patchwork quilt of you know, well, if you're gonna park at OSU, you gotta use this app and you know I think that's what it is now, but yeah it would be nice to be able to do that.

So always use the same apps that the city of Ben is using.

So they use passport and hunk.

Um the dextra and the box factory will use the same apps that the city's using it.

Um so we have done a lot a lot of advocacy to make sure that then when we are we have a project that we have a conversation.

Um the Jextra also for the gated environments is looking at the same systems that we're using in the garage.

So there is a lot of conversation on that level to ensure that we all align.

Um that we're not bringing in another vendor for that.

I also want to just uh appreciation to those private developments and those property owners, they are engaging with Toby.

They're they're they are coming to us asking us saying, hey, we're we have these concerns.

We're seeing these things in this area, and they're working collaboratively with us to kind of figure out solutions to to try to try to work it out.

Yeah.

I'm also really enthusiastic about conversations about what we do during the summer with with the concerts and shuttles.

Floaters, like how can we do a better job of shuttling people around?

And it was really I I thought that was really interesting.

That the the piece that came out that said that the the shuttle didn't do very well this year, you know, and I've been sort of blown away by that, especially with the with that lot being closed now.

But I think we we all need to be doing better, all of our partners and there's gonna be future conversations on with transit coming up and future work sessions this year, you know, and the in the conversations with we had with the old mill and BPRD, especially the old mill, you know, one point structured parking is so expensive right now.

And so I think looking at all other options is not only nice, it's a necessity to try to manage this.

Yeah, and we did add a follow-up and there is a conversation.

I had a com we had a conversation with the county as well to see can we pilot this next year for the summer event season to guide people that come go south when they come off revere, can we park them in Lafayette at the county building, especially with some of the changes that county is doing?

And then have just a rotator shuttle that goes from there to downtown to the box factor to the alt mill to Hayden Homes.

And but you need the frequency.

Yeah, and you need to build it into the I think the easiest way is to incentivize people to so building it into the price of parking and then have the shuttle be free is probably a great idea.

But there's some conversations, so we hope we can get something off the ground like that, that would be great.

Or even have the bikes there and then say, look, if you park here, you get that right on on the bike for free.

Yeah, wow.

That's a great idea.

Yeah.

Great idea.

Okay.

Any other questions?

I'm um yeah, I'm good with um the phasing.

I think I think that's great.

And I like if I understand correctly, the before a plan is published for Wood River Village in Galveston, you'll actually do some community engagement and talk to the neighborhood and say this is kind of what we're thinking and make sure you get there buying a little bit.

Okay.

I'm glad to and and I think as we also develop the plan, we'll see kind of what the data shows and what ideas we may have a check-in point with council too to say, hey, we just want to make sure before we put this out, you know, are we okay?

Because there this we know this one may cause some consternation with some of the some of the neighbors in the in that area.

Um, or if we want to get policy direction to go this way or this way, we may do check-ins with you throughout the throughout the process.

That's great.

That's fine.

Yeah, I think just as long as you talked with the neighbor.

Yeah, we'll be talking to them.

So that they can give you their feedback instead of us by email.

Hundreds of emails to our inbox and district, there will be the check-in back with council for approval.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, and I can see it as something where if you uh should go ahead and engage the neighborhood, we can engage them.

We can come at every next touch point, we can give you a a check-in, like this is where we add, this is what we've seen, we need a little bit more time so that we don't start the clock.

And yeah, so yeah, I think I think that's a good plan if you if you're running into a lot of engagement and you're there's some thorny issues, like come to us before you start that 60 days.

Yeah, so that if there's anything we need to make a decision on or we need to hear, that's great.

But I think my my look at that timeline is by the time we get to the council decision, there's been a lot of input, right?

Right.

Um and it's not all coming at that last point, it's in that 60-day period, but really a lot of the people in the room.

When you are creating a plan, you're it's coming from community.

And these are all areas that community has c has let you know are problems, right?

So that's it's really starting from there anyway.

But I I will also say you you will probably council will probably be no matter what we do and how much engagement we do, council will probably be getting a lot of people.

I think we can do it.

I think we can have like just the nature.

I think we can have the neighborhood on board.

There's uh there's inherent there's inherent tension between commercial and residential parking um so yeah.

Um about the revenue, so I just want to make sure I understand because there are a couple things thrown out there, the enterprise fund, the parking benefit district.

So is parking an enterprise fund like water and sewer.

So parking fees collected can only be used on parking related, like what is the restriction there?

It's it's so clear with water and sewer now.

Yeah, just parking there is.

Commercial and residential parking um so yeah yeah um about the revenue so I just want to make sure I understand because there are a couple things thrown out there the enterprise fund the park and benefit district so is parking an enterprise fund like water and sewer so parking fees collected can only be used on parking related like what is the restriction there it's it's so clear with water and sewer now with parking there is I mean you can there's a little more flexibility it's it's unlike like a utility so I think as right now the there's not a lot of extra funds um so we and we have been reserving some funds for like the mid the Mirpond parking lot we put some money in reserves because we gotta redo that so the parking funds will help us with parking maintenance and operations pay for the enforcement we've been trying to cover the cost at this point yeah as we mature and as those costs uh are well below what the revenue I think there's some council policy discussions about how you want to use that revenue in addition I mean our our general vision is let's make sure to have the ability with these parking benefit districts so people can see a direct benefit but beyond that that's those are future conversations for council okay great I mean I'd love to talk about a shuttle and I'm love that we're thinking about that that's really that's really really awesome I think if if a paid parking model comes to downtown I think that's when we start having conversation like what are we doing with that revenue because that that will create revenue.

Yeah great and then about the so about with the parking benefit district so I read the policy you know I think I might have been on council when we voted on that too um I I'm not clear so will the neighborhoods have a choice on whether they're a parking benefit district or not or are we kind of going away from parking benefit districts or or how is that I think it really depends on the nature of the area that we're talking to.

I mean we're talking between an area that's majority residential parking I think we would all need always want to suggest a parking benefit district because we're asking those neighbors to contribute to that through an annual fee and we feel they should re reap a benefit from that.

If you're looking at a commercial area that has very little residential I think that's a different conversation right because there's a like the paid parking conversation opens in a not completely different revenue conversation and how that's being used is probably more up to the you all and everybody else who decide um the way that the benefit district policy is written that is that it needs to pay for the cost of operation of enforcement and everything and maintenance and then 60% of the remaining profits can be used to be used for small scale uh citizen suggested projects so we are not thinking I mean we never thought sidewalk info because we know that's not probably gonna be more but we thought like maybe there's a park that needs to be beautified or the old band a parking committee thought at times can they with that money fund a shuttle in the summertime doing mountain music.

So there are some of these conversations and I think they could decide how they want to do that.

Got it and I think like Galveston could be an area that's sort of a mix of commercial and residential so but we imagine that Galveston district going a couple blocks off of Galveston.

I would too right so that's that's where this kind of mixture comes in yeah I think that that's when you bring us the plan you will tell us okay we think this should be a benefit or it shouldn't and then we can ultimately decide right yeah can I can I clarify maybe this is a question for Toby.

So we've council's amended the code we no longer have the section of parking benefit districts we have a policy that underscored that former now repeal section with this question of whether this is considered a benefit whether a parking district is considered a benefit district and how exactly that would work is that something that would be fleshed out in the parking management plan once the district is approved so it's the mayor's point it's it's it's all similar I just think the framework is a little bit different.

Correct okay yeah so the plan would really outline everything that like what are we doing what's is there revenue coming there is it revenue neutral is it creating additional capital where is that revenue going if it's additional that's all kind of developed in that plan.

Do we want to just be really explicit counsel and just say when you bring us the parking management plans please tell us whether you think it should be a benefit district or not great.

Yep we we're already suggestion when you're talking with the communities about the parking districts is to talk to them when you talk to them about the benefit district get them thinking and brainstorming about well like what would they like to see like I mean personally me I'd like to see more bike racks on Galveston by parking if there is revenue where would you like that to go?

Right.

So they saw thinking about how hard it's gonna be to park and they start thinking about nice things that they like yes and that and that can be a benefit.

Yeah no it's good.

Okay.

All right okay I can almost guarantee we'll have ongoing conversations around parking in the future.

We'll extend the parking session and I will say like we we get comments and and I know there was a development meeting about the Galveston development and we do we were mandated by the state and we were already moving that way anyway to take away just minimum requirements for parking but the commitment that we made was we need to manage the curb and so that is why we changed the code that is why we're moving towards these districts as there's more pressure on street and right-of-parking we have to do something to manage it so I'm really excited about moving this forward because that's just the next step in having an overall good parking scheme for the city.

Great.

Okay all right thank you yeah all right those were our two topics today so then next we have just an upcoming meetings preview so we know what's coming up next.

Yeah, so on the 17th will be a regular business meeting.

Um we are though going to have a discussion around the temporary safe stay area and the future of what that looks like in preparation for the joint meeting that we have with the county of September 29th.

Uh we also have uh a few contracts in including the automated traffic enforcement contract that is that's we've been talking about, and then our consent agenda item is uh agricycle, which is the land application of solids on that in that meeting.

Those are the big items.

Okay, and then the 24th uh will be our work session only, and that will be midtown crossing focused.

And remember, we we are inviting both the transportation bond oversight committee and the core area advisory board.

We have selected representatives from those committees.

I'll be watching to hear counsel the questions that you have, how you want to engage with them, and then we have a special meeting scheduled for them on October.

September 29th, September 29th, and then we'll come back with their recommendation and more transportation uh conversations on October 8th.

And we'll also give you uh a quick overview of what's going on with the engineering reviews in the community development department along with Senate Bill 974 and kind of the what those changes mean.

Yeah, great.

All right, thank you everybody.

Thank you.

We are done.