REPORT OF THE

CHANCELLOR’S AD HOC PARKING

COMMITTEE

February 20, 2006

Gregory R. Fox, Chair

Tom Bacig

Josh Breyfogle

Steve Chilton

Meghan Keil

Joe Michela

Karen Stromme

INTRODUCTION

In response to ongoing questions regarding the appropriateness of building a parking ramp at UMD and other campus parking concerns, Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin appointed Vice Chancellor Greg Fox to chair an ad hoc committee for the purposes of addressing the ramp and other campus parking issues. 

Vice Chancellor Fox appointed faculty members Tom Bacig and Steve Chilton, students Josh Breyfogle and Meghan Keil, and staff members Joe Michela and Karen Stromme.  

The committee met five times and held three public forums, exploring needs and principles that should govern parking policy.  The committee is making a number of parking recommendations in this report.  In developing these recommendations the committee was guided by the following principles:

·    Parking policy should be directed at providing equal access to all areas of the campus and all campus constituencies.

·    Faculty and staff who need to have guaranteed access at all times should be accommodated, but should not produce inefficient use of available space.

·    Better parking access for visitors and guests attending special events was required.

·    Better provisions for overflow parking during the first weeks of the fall and spring semesters were necessary.

·    Number of different classes of parking permits should as small as possible and the number of designated reserve places should be kept to a minimum.

·    Parking policy should be structured to support increased use of public transportation to get to the campus.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.                  After reviewing the public input and examining the costs involved in constructing a ramp the committee finds that there is no real campus support, and thus no recommendation or endorsement for the building of a parking deck or ramp on campus.  However, the site identified in the earlier parking study (over Lots E & G) appears to be appropriate and should be maintained.  No other construction should occur on this site.

2.                  There is tremendous campus support for continuing the busing programs available to the campus (DTA, Jefferson Lines, and Campus Park).

3.                  It is very important that Parking Services balance the dual roles of customer service and parking enforcement.

4.                  Parking Services will make every effort to ensure that parking signage is adequate to inform drivers of the location of parking lots and meters, and holds an eventual goal of electronic monitoring and signage to assist drivers in locating available spaces.

5.                  The University will encourage and work with the City of Duluth to place crosswalks and/or flashing safety lights on Junction Avenue, College and St. Marie Streets.

6.                  The Committee recommends the following specific changes occur before or during the 2006-07 academic year:

a.      Campus parking lots will be monitored during day and early evening hours only and will offer open/free parking in all lots after 6:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday and 5:00 p.m. on Fridays.  Since there are some women’s basketball games that occur at 6:00 p.m. during the week, the Committee recommends either not enforcing the parking rules or utilizing “Event Parking” signs in the pay lot for these events (and there may be other occasional events when this practice could also be used).

b.      In keeping with the plan to become a system of single-color lots and in recognition of the school colors, non-resident lots and permits will be Maroon (general) and Gold (faculty/staff).  All current Red permit spaces will be converted to Maroon.  Residence permits will stay Green.  Changes proposed will result in an increase of 200 general spaces and 120 meters for 2006-07.

c.       All current Designated Reserved permit holders will receive first option to purchase Gold permits, then current Red permit holders will be given the option to purchase Gold permits.  Currently the Red permit costs $208 and the Gold permit costs $337, but it is understood that the cost of Gold permits will be reduced.  Employees will continue to be able to purchase their permits with pretax dollars (resulting in a typical savings in excess of 30% of the decal cost).

d.      Designated Reserved permits will be significantly reduced, restricted to Deans and those employees with demonstrated and ongoing external university work commitments.  An application process with criteria will be developed and all Designated Reserved permit holders will have to reapply for space.  It is possible that not all needs will be met and the priority process will be used. 

e.      All parking in front of the Solon Campus Center will be changed to Visitor meters, with the required number of Handicapped spaces.  This change adds 39 metered spaces.  This will eliminate Admission reserved spots as well as individual Designated Reserved spots.  However, if Admissions desires, they could either buy permits for space in Gold lots or purchase Designated Reserved spots in other areas.

f.        Maintain as much metered parking as possible along Kirby Drive, both during and after the Labovitz School of Business and Economics construction project.

g.      Signage will be placed by the banks of meters stating that all meters may be used free of charge, for up to 3 hours, by vehicles displaying a Handicapped permit.

h.      Eleven meters will be added in Lot C against the stadium fence to accommodate those persons wishing to use the Sports and Health Center early in the morning or purchase tickets to sporting or fine arts events.

i.        Lot A will become a Gold (faculty/staff) and meter lot.  Lot B will be a Maroon (general) lot only, which will add 130 general permit spaces over what currently exists there.  If needed in the future, meters could be added in Lot B along the row facing the road, where current Designated Reserved and Red spaces are.

j.        Lot T-3 will become a Maroon (general) permit lot.

k.      Departments will continue to be able to purchase visitor parking for the Lot G (pay lot) or Lot A (faculty/staff). 

l.        Parking Services will develop a new system to renumber/letter/name all parking lots, with a goal of making identification more logical and intuitive.

m.    Parking Services will improve informational maps of the campus by providing maps based on the type of permit purchased (e.g., a Maroon permit map would show all Maroon lots and meters).  These maps will be provided at the time of permit purchase and will also be available on the Parking Services website.

n.      A permit sale for faculty and staff will occur in spring semester for the following fall.  Faculty and staff will be able to upgrade or renew permits at that time.

o.      Installation of security cameras will be completed in all housing lots by Fall 2006.