HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/25/24 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT (183 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
POST-MEETING AGENDA
BAKERSFIELD REGULAR MEETING
PHF SOUND COIF�A091U),i^' ,�.
April 25, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
City Hall North Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue
Committee Members:
Manpreet Kaur
Bob Smith
Bruce Freeman
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Agenda Item Public Statements
b. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
a. Adoption of November 14, 2023 Special Meeting and February 8, 2024 Regular
Meeting Minutes
Staff recommends adoption of minutes.
4. REPORTS
5. DEFERRED BUSINESS
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Offsite Review Requirements Nexus of Proportionality
Review proposed changes to Municipal Code related to a referral on offsite review
requirements which is now being called the "Nexus of Proportionality."
Provide direction to staff on any changes recommended to the Municipal Code
related to what would trigger offsite conditions on projects within the City and the
downtown Core.
b. Downtown and Old Town Kern Parking Analysis
Staff recommends Committee receive and file the analysis and consider the
recommendations to assist and encourage more demand and profitability to the
parking garage for a future enterprise endeavor.
7. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
8. ADJOURNMENT
•
BAKERSFIELD
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 25,2024 AGENDA CATEGORY: Adoption of minutes
TO: Planning and Development Committee
FROM: Julie Drimakis, City Clerk
DATE: April 12, 2024
SUBJECT: Adoption of November 14, 2023, Special Meeting and February 8, 2024, Regular
meeting minutes.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of minutes.
BACKGROUND:
Adoption of meeting minutes
FISCAL IMPACT:
No impact on the General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
1. November 14, 2023 Special meeting
2. February 8, 2024, Regular meeting minutes.
Page 2 of 102
BAKERSFIELD
"PIKE SOUND OFF
Staff: Committee Members:
Gary Hallen, Assistant City Manager Manpreet Kaur— Chair
Bruce Freemen
Bob Smith
MEETING OF THE SPECIAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Of the City Council — City of Bakersfield
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
5:00 p.m.
City Hall North — Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
Meeting called to order at 5:01 p.m.
1. ROLL CALL
Committee Members Present: Manpreet Kaur— Chair
Bruce Freemen
Bob Smith
City Staff Present: Gary Hallen Assistant City Manager
Julie Drimakis, City Clerk
Chris Boyle, Development Services Director
Viridiana Gallardo-King, Deputy City Attorney II
Ashley Zambrano, Deputy City Attorney II
Paul Johnson, Planning Director
Phil Burns, Building Director
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Agenda Item Public Statements
Kevin Oliver spoke regarding item 5.b.
Page 3 of 102
b. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
None
3. ADOPT August 22, 2023, AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
Motion by Committee Member Smith for approval of minute.
Motion unanimously approved.
4. REPORTS
None
5. DEFERRED BUSINESS
a. Update on Chronic Nuisance and Properties Progress and Consideration of Vacant Building
Registry Ordinance
(Staff recommends receive and file report and provide direction)
Phil Burns spoke regarding 5a.
Motion by Committee Member Smith to move item a. to full Council.
Motion unanimously approved.
b. Discussion of Short-term rental property policy
(Staff recommends receive and file report and provide direction)
Gary Hallen and Dustin Reilich spoke regarding 5 b.
Motion by Committee Member Smith to bring back a Redline ordinance, including what the
top 10 cities are doing.
Motion passed with Committee Member Freeman voting no.
6. NEW BUSINESS
None
7. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
Chair Kaur confirmed the cancelation of the regular planning and development meeting on
12//7/2024.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:34 p.m.
Manpreet Kaur, CHAIR
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Special Meeting of the Planning ancFba�S p4gE gre2nittee of the City Council—City of Bakersfield
Tuesday, November 1,2022,12:00 p.m.-Page 2
ATTEST:
JULIE DRIMAKIS, MMC
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio Clerk of
the Council of the City of Bakersfield
Special Meeting of the Planning ancFlbag6r&gE gre2nittee of the City Council—City of Bakersfield
Tuesday, November 1,2022,12:00 p.m.-Page 3
U 1,21
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
` u MINUTES
�^ mrroau�.,
REGULAR MEETING
February 8, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
City Hall North Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue
1. ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm
Members Present: Bob Smith
Members Absent: Manpreet Kaur, Bruce Freeman
Staff Present: Gary Hallen, Assistant City Manager, Christopher Boyle,
Development Services Director, Julie Drimakis, City Clerk,
Viridiana Gallardo-King, Deputy City Attorney II
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Agenda Item Public Statements
None.
b. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
None.
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
a. Adoption of November 14, 2023 Special Meeting Minutes
No action taken due to lack of quorum.
4. REPORTS
None.
1
Page 6 of 102
5. DEFERRED BUSINESS
a. General Plan and Housing Element update
Development Services Director Boyle made staff comments and provided
written materials.
No action taken due to lack of quorum.
1. Corrected Staff Report
2. Written materials provided by Development Services
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Downtown Housing Capacity Analysis
Eric Bagwell, Econowest, provided comments and a PowerPoint
presentation.
No action taken due to lack of quorum.
1. PowerPoint presentation
7. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
None.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6.22 p.m.
MANPREET KAUR, CHAIR
JULIE DRIMAKIS, CITY CLERK
2
Page 7 of 102
•
BAKERSFIELD
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 25,2024 AGENDA CATEGORY: New Business
TO: Planning and Development Committee
FROM: Gregg Strakaluse, Public Works Director
Christopher Boyle, Development Services Director
DATE: April 21, 2024
SUBJECT: Offsite Review Requirements - Nexus of Proportionality
Review proposed changes to Municipal Code related to a referral on offsite review requirements which is
now being called the "Nexus of Proportionality."
RECOMMENDATION:
Provide direction to staff on any changes recommended to the Municipal Code related to what would
trigger offsite conditions on projects within the City and the downtown Core.
BACKGROUND:
This report is in response to a referral regarding a Nexus of Proportionality when requiring off-site
improvements for projects located within the City and the "Core Area" of Bakersfield as depicted on the
attached map.
Discussions with both staff and developers have emphasized the importance of understanding and
applying the Nexus of Proportionality principle in new development and redevelopment projects. When
a development project is proposed, it can have various effects on the surrounding environment, such as
increased pedestrian/vehicle traffic or strain on public services like water and sewer. Developers are
required to ensure that the impact to these services do not adversely diminish the level of service to the
system. Additionally,new and redevelopment projects are required to address other offsite infrastructure
as defined by Bakersfield Municipal Code Chapter 12.36(Curbs,Gutters,Sidewalks, Driveway Approaches,
Connecting Pavement, and Canal Fencing). This Section provides guidance on how new and
redevelopment projects are currently analyzed for improvements (Section 12.36.010) and exceptions
from these provisions (Section 12.36.030).
A Nexus of Proportionality approach helps ensure that a balance between the size and scope of the
development project is proportional to the need for bringing offsite curbs, gutter, sidewalks, driveway
approaches,connecting pavement,and canal fencing up to City Standards. Staff's presentation will review
examples of development projects and the nexus of proportionality approach.
Following collaborative discussions between the Public Works and Development Services Departments,
the following amendments (shown in underline and strike-out) are outlined for deliberation by the
Planning and Development Committee.
Page 8 of 102
•
BAKEIRSFIELD
12.36.010-Construction by Builder
A. Any owner, lessee or agent constructing or arranging for the construction of any of the following:
1. A new building;
2. Any building altered or expanded in excess of 25%of the value of such building„(, Q°%__mi the_ ore
aria„ , as indicated by the assessed valuation;
3. Any building in which there is a change in occupancy !.!I:,D Li!,,Li,,cessib.a;es-a_,,i';e,_,V IIIari_R w rµ
n d ii fi o ri��111 Use� Permit ����, ����� ����� ��.: r ��� ��i,��, ���, ��-� ����� I-1 4D, ,�. , , 4�D, �,-,-a._,4,u',� d,,I, ���.fa� ,i�: ���,�
4. Any property required to be used for off-site parking as set forth in sections 17.58.10 through
17.58.050 within the city,
shall provide concrete, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, streetlights, driveway approaches, connecting
pavement and canal fencing :,Dmm ,immu :.ilui ilyilmww _in accordance with approved "City of
Bakersfield Standard Drawings and Specifications" on file in the office of the director of public works
and dedication of all required street rights-of-way. nmplllianc—e_, t- -'the, ,u�mernsica _,w, ith_,Disa fill fie
Act-is-m- ri��latory.The foregoing is applicable in all zones of the City as established By Title 17 of this
code.
CONCLUSION:
Based on the foregoing, it is recommended the Planning and Development Committee deliberate on the
Nexus of Proportionality concept, consider any additional amendments, and instruct Public Works staff to
coordinate with the City Attorney's Office to draft amendments to Chapter 12.36 for City Council
consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT:
To be determined on a project-specific basis.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Economic Opportunity for All
ATTACHMENTS:
Core Area Map
PowerPoint Presentation
Page 9 of 102
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•
BAKERSFIELD
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 25,2024 AGENDA CATEGORY: New Business
TO: Planning and Development Committee
FROM: Christopher Boyle, Development Services Director
DATE: April 17, 2024
SUBJECT: Downtown and Old Town Kern Parking Analysis.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends Committee receive and file the analysis and consider the recommendations to assist
and encourage more demand and profitability to the parking garage for a future enterprise endeavor.
BACKGROUND:
In 2023, the City embarked on a parking demand and supply analysis for two different areas, The
Downtown and Old Town Kern areas.
With the anticipation of growth in development in downtown and parking demand likely to increase in
the future due to organic growth in population, but also with a goal to have new residents moving into
Downtown Bakersfield (as part of the city's densification goal to have 10,000 persons in Downtown
Bakersfield by 2045). Also,the movement the City is seeing by the commissioning of the High-Speed Rail
system to arrive as early as 2030. For these reasons, the City commissioned this parking study to
understand the demand and supply of parking in two neighborhoods in the City — Downtown and Old
Town Kern. The study was conducted between May 2023 and March 2024. This report is an exposition
of the methods, results and recommendations that emerged from the study.
Study Area Descriptions
Downtown Area: Bounded to the south by Truxtun Avenue,to the west by F Street,to the north
by 24th Street (aligning with CA 178) and to the east by Union Avenue. Among the two regions
in the study area, Downtown features a regular gridded network of streets with square blocks
measuring about 350 feet on each side.
Old Town Kern Area: Old Town Kern (OTK) area is bounded to the north by CA 178, to the east
by Beale Avenue,to the south by E Truxtun Avenue and to the west by Union Avenue.This region
is divided by a Union Pacific railroad alignment with only three streets connecting both sides—
Union Avenue, Baker Street and Beale Avenue.
Study Objectives
This parking study is founded on three core principles: review, study and recommend. First, the study
reviews existing parking policies not only in the City but also in three peer cities in California. Parking
area utilization is the primary metric for assessing parking demand in Bakersfield. During the "Study"
phase, the analysis focuses on estimated future parking demand driven by demographic changes and
new developments. The study concludes with a summary of recommended policies and a compilation
of best practices.
Page 23 of 102
•
BAKERSFIELD
Data Collection
Parking on the streets of Bakersfield is free. Parking regulations are based on lengths of time indicated
on signs posted along streets. Further,there is one City-owned garage at the intersection of 18th Street
and Eye Street.To understand the supply of parking, a field survey was conducted to count the number
of on-street parking slots available on all streets in Downtown and Old Town Kern areas. Further, the
number of slots in the parking garage was also determined by a field survey.
Parking Demand
Parking Demand was estimated using in person field counts on three separate occasions: a regular
working day (Tuesday) between 10 AM and 3 PM; a regular Saturday between 10 AM and 3 PM; and a
first Friday of the month between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM to incorporate demand due to the "First Friday
of the Month" event which is a monthly occurrence. Demand of parking was counted every 30 minutes.
Methods of Analysis
Using existing supply and demand of parking from field collected data, the study first classified road
segments in the study area based not only on high demand but also the length of time that demand was
high. Future demand for parking was also estimated using three methodologies: 1. new developments
outside the study area bringing new vehicles into the study area; 2. densification of Downtown
Bakersfield; and 3. commencement of the High-Speed Rail service. Demand was calculated for the short
term (2023), medium term (2030), and long term (2045).
Peer Cities Review
In June 2023, a peer comparison analysis was conducted, and is included as Appendix A of the report.
Three peer cities were selected for review of parking policies using a compare-and-contrast approach to
conduct a qualitative analysis.The cities included were Oakland, Sacramento, and Pasadena.
Results
The study found 5,738 parking slots in the study area with 59% in Downtown and 41% in Old Town Kern.
70 of these slots were ADA compliant; and 4 were for electric vehicle parking only. In addition, 502 slots
were counted in the City-owned garage of which 331 were available for public use.
Parking demand was found to be concentrated in the core of Downtown Bakersfield (F Street to K Street,
and Truxtun Ave to 22nd Street) where 71% of the parking slots were found occupied on a regular
weekday. Overall, in the study area demand was lower at 47% occupancy. Inside the garage, parking
demand was lower still at 38%.
On a regular weekend, parking utilization on the streets in the commercial core of Downtown Bakersfield
(F Street to M Street between Truxtun Ave and 22nd Street) was found to peak at 40% during the lunch
hour. At the same time, parking demand in the garage was only 29%. However, by the end of field study
period (around 3 PM), parking utilization was nearly equal as parking utilization on the streets fell from
40%to around 33%.
During the First Friday of the Month event however, as the number of slots near the parking garage were
restricted, utilization in the garage exceeded that of the street with nearly 75% of the slots in the garage
full, while on the streets in the vicinity of the garage, only 66%.
Page 24 of 102
•
BAKERSFIELD
In the future, as demand is likely to increase, the number of parking slots needed will exceed the supply
by 732 slots in 2045. Demand is likely to exceed supply before 2045 if growth is higher than expected.
However, the study team found that demand was not equally distributed across the study area and that
nearly all the growth was in Downtown, and none in the Old Town Kern area. The study shows also that
parking demand in the Old Kern area does not exceed supply.
Recommendations
Staff received recommendations based on the study parking demand and supply for two different areas,
Downtown and Old Town Kern to identify whether the demand could justify the creation of an enterprise
fund. After review of the Bakersfield Parking Study— Downtown and Old Town Kern (Ardurra, 2024), the
consultants have identified the following conclusions/recommendations:
1. At this time, data does not indicate that demand could sustain the creation of a parking
enterprise fund.
2. Develop a continuous parking data collection plan to monitor parking needs for the
Downtown and Old Town Kern Areas to identify when demand data would sustain a parking
enterprise fund for either or both areas.
3. Restrict street parking for up to at least one block around the parking garage. Dedicate street
parking in this area to ride-share pick-ups/drop-offs, loading/unloading of freight and
emergency vehicle use only.
4. Provide some additional electric vehicle parking slots enabled with recharging facilities to be
at par with the density of charging stations in peer cities.
5. Introduction of parking fees at least at par with the parking garage within the area bounded
by Truxtun Avenue, 22nd Street, F Street and K Street.
6. Increase enforcement of parking within the area bounded by Truxtun Avenue, 22nd Street, F
Street and M Street.
7. Increase garage parking fee to $1.25 per hour for a maximum of$12.50 per day to align with
inflation.
FISCAL IMPACT:
COUNCIL GOAL:
Reliable Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Parking Study PowerPoint Presentation
2. 2024 Parking Study
Page 25 of 102
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BAKERSFIELD
THE SOUND OE5%f1,Pij j?00v
Bakersfield Parking
Study Downtown and
Old Town Kern
FOR THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
PREPARED BY ARDURRA
3/27/2024
ARDURR.
Page 44 of 102
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BAKERSFIELD
Table of Contents
ExecutiveSummary ..................................................................................................................ES-1
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 City of Bakersfield Profile................................................................................................ 1
1.1.1 Downtown .................................................................................................................2
1.1.2 Old Town Kern ..........................................................................................................3
1.2 Study Objectives..............................................................................................................5
1.3 Report Design..................................................................................................................5
2. Literature Review: Previous and Ongoing Studies................................................................7
2.12018 Parking Study.............................................................................................................7
2.2 Bakersfield 2045 General Plan ..........................................................................................8
2.3 ECONorthwest Bakersfield Housing Study.........................................................................9
3. Peer Comparison ..................................................................................................................11
4. Methodology..........................................................................................................................15
4.1 Study Area Zone Demarcation ..........................................................................................15
4.1.1 Zone 1..........................................................................................................................16
4.1.2 Zone 2..........................................................................................................................17
4.1.3 Zone 3A .......................................................................................................................17
4.1.4 Zone 3B.......................................................................................................................18
4.2 Existing Parking Utilization................................................................................................20
4.2.1 Garage.........................................................................................................................20
4.3 Future Parking Estimation.................................................................................................21
5. Results...................................................................................................................................24
5.1 Existing Parking Supply .....................................................................................................24
5.1.1On-Street Parking Supply............................................................................................24
5.1.2 Garage Parking Supply...............................................................................................26
5.2 Existing Parking Utilization................................................................................................26
5.2.1 Weekday......................................................................................................................26
5.2.2 Special Case I - Friday Evening.................................................................................28
5.2.2 Special Case 11 - Saturdays .......................................................................................29
5.2.3 In Garage Parking Demand........................................................................................31
5.3 Hotspot Identification........................................................................................................33
5.4 Future Parking Utilization..................................................................................................36
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Bakersfield Parking Study—March 2024
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BAKERSFIELD
5.4.1 Parking Demand Sensitivity.......................................................................................38
6. Policy Discussions ................................................................................................................41
6.1 Parking Fees..................................................................................................................41
6.1.1 Zone 1 Parking Fee.....................................................................................................41
6.1.2 Parking Fee Escalation ...............................................................................................41
6.1.3 On-Street Parking Near Parking Garage....................................................................41
6.2 Equity Policies................................................................................................................42
6.2.1 Additional EV Charging Station Equipped Parking Slots ..........................................42
6.2.2 Long Term Parking Fee...............................................................................................42
6.2.3 Residents' Parking Passes.........................................................................................43
6.3 Parking Enforcement.....................................................................................................43
6.3.1Telescopic Parking......................................................................................................44
6.3.2 Reduction in Enforcement Zone/Parking Security...................................................45
6.4 Parking Demand Management ....................................................................................45
6.4.1 Continuous Parking Data Collection Plan .................................................................45
6.4.3 Develop Alternative Modes of Transportation ..........................................................46
6.4.4 Special Events Handling.............................................................................................47
7. Conclusions...........................................................................................................................49
List of Figures
Figure 1: Incorporated Cities in California....................................................................................2
Figure2: Downtown Bakersfield ...................................................................................................3
Figure 3: Angled parking in Downtown .........................................................................................3
Figure4: Old Town Kern.................................................................................................................4
Figure 5: No Striped Parking in Old Town Kern ............................................................................5
Figure 6: Goals and Objectives of the Study................................................................................5
Figure 7: Utilization of Select Private Parking Lots ......................................................................8
Figure 8: Proposed Route of the HSR through Bakersfield.........................................................9
Figure 9: Parcels with positive RLV.............................................................................................10
Figure 10: Peer Comparison Cities .............................................................................................11
Figure 11: Various Spatial Boundaries for Special Consideration............................................16
Figure 12: Zone 1 Boundary with respect to the Study Area....................................................17
Figure 13: Zone 2 Boundary with respect to the Study Area....................................................17
Figure 14: Zone 3A Boundary with respect to Study Area ........................................................18
Figure 15: Zone 3B with respect to Study Area .........................................................................18
Figure 16: Analysis Segments in the Study Area .......................................................................19
ii
Bakersfield Parking Study—March 2024
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BAKERSFIELD
Figure 17: Street View of the City-owned Garage.......................................................................21
Figure 18: General Parking Demand Generation and Distribution Model...............................22
Figure 19: Supply of On-Street Parking......................................................................................25
Figure 20: Supply of ADA-Compliant Parking Slots....................................................................26
Figure 21: Demand for Parking, Noon, Study Area....................................................................27
Figure 22: On-Street Parking Demand by Time .........................................................................28
Figure 23: Demand for On-Street Parking, FFM Event..............................................................28
Figure 24: Demand Growth in Zone 1 during FFM Events........................................................29
Figure 25: Demand for On-Street Parking on Saturdays...........................................................30
Figure 26: Demand for On-Street Parking on Saturday.............................................................31
Figure 27: Hotspots in Study Area, Weekday .............................................................................34
Figure 28: Hotspots on Friday Evening (FFM Event)..................................................................35
Figure 29: Hotspots in Zone 2 on Saturdays..............................................................................35
Figure 30: Medium Term Future Growth (2030)........................................................................37
Figure 31: Long-Term Future Growth (2045)..............................................................................38
Figure 32: Parking Demand in Study Area -Sensitivity Analysis ..............................................39
Figure 33: Sensitivity Analysis Results, by Zone........................................................................40
Figure 34: Time Regulations in Bakersfield Study Area............................................................44
Figure 35: Telescopic Parking Regimes in Sacramento............................................................45
Figure 36: Bike rack in public right of way in Pasadena, CA.....................................................47
List of Tables
Table 1: Comparative Table of select Socio-Economic Variables..............................................12
Table 2: Key Takeaways from the Peer Comparison Memo ......................................................13
Table 3: Categories of Hotspots..................................................................................................20
Table 4: Increase in Parking Demand due to HSR Construction ..............................................22
Table 5: Supply of On-Street Parking..........................................................................................24
Table 6: Parking Demand in Garage, Weekday..........................................................................31
Table 7: Garage Utilization on Fridays and Saturdays, compared to Zone 1............................32
Table 8: Reduction in Utilization post-Max Utilization, Garage versus Zone 1.........................33
Table 9: Future Conditions Demand in Study Area, by Zone.....................................................36
Table 10: Future Demand Estimation due to New Development..............................................36
Table 11: Summary of policy and practices. ..............................................................................50
List of Appendices
Appendix A: Peer Comparison Report
Appendix B: Future Parking Estimation Methodology
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BAKERSFIELD
Executive Summary
Introduction: Bakersfield is one of the largest cities in California, especially among inland
cities. It has a growing population that is largely car dependent and each of those vehicles
demand parking. The City of Bakersfield (the City) expects parking demand to increase in the
future due to organic growth in population, new residents moving into Downtown Bakersfield
(as part of the city's densification goal to have 10,000 persons in Downtown Bakersfield by
2045), and the commissioning of the High-Speed Rail system in 2030. For these reasons,
the City commissioned this parking study to understand the demand and supply of parking
in two neighborhoods in the City - Downtown and Old Town Kern. The study was conducted
between May 2023 and March 2024. This report is an exposition of the methods, results
and recommendations that emerged from the study.
Data Collection: Parking on the streets of Bakersfield is free for any length of time. Parking
regulations are based on lengths of time indicated on signs posted along streets. Further,
there is one City-owned garage at the intersection of 181" Street and Eye Street. To
understand the supply of parking, a field survey was conducted to count the number of on-
street parking slots available on all streets in Downtown and Old Town Kern. Further, the
number of slots in the parking garage were also estimated using a field survey.
Demand of parking was estimated using field counts on these occasions: a regular working
day (Tuesday) between 10 AM and 3 PM; a regular Saturday between 10 AM and 3 PM; and
a first Friday of the month between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM to incorporate demand due to the
"First Friday of the Month" event which is a monthly occurrence. Demand of parking was
counted every 30 minutes.
Methods: Using existing supply and demand of parking from field collected data, the study
first classified road segments in the study area based not only on high demand but also the
length of time that demand was high. Parking policies in Bakersfield were compared against
those of three peer cities - Sacramento, Pasadena and Oakland - to identify best practices.
Future demand for parking was also estimated using three methodologies: 1. new
developments outside the study area bringing new vehicles into the study area; 2.
densification of Downtown Bakersfield; and 3. commencement of the High-Speed Rail
service. Demand was calculated for the short term (2023), medium term (2030), and long
term (2045). All demand was distributed to the road segments using statistical methods
described in Section 4.
Results:The study found 5,738 parking slots in the study area with 59% in Downtown and
41% in Old Town Kern. 70 of these slots were ADA compliant; and 4 were for electric vehicle
parking only. In addition, 502 slots were found in the City-owned garage of which 331 were
available for public use.
Parking demand was found to be concentrated in the core of Downtown Bakersfield (F Street
to K Street, and Truxtun Ave to 22nd Street) where 71% of the parking slots were found
occupied on a regular weekday. Overall, in the study area demand was lower at 47%
occupancy. Inside the garage, parking demand was lower still at 38%.
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On a regular weekend, parking utilization on the streets in the commercial core of Downtown
Bakersfield (F Street to M Street between Truxtun Ave and 22nd Street) was found to peak at
40% during the lunch hour. At the same time, parking demand in the garage was only 29%.
However, by the end of field study period (around 3 PM), parking utilization was nearly equal
as parking utilization on the streets fell from 40% to around 33%.
During the First Friday of the Month event however, as the number of slots near the parking
garage were restricted, utilization in the garage exceeded that on the street with nearly 75%
of the slots in the garage full, while on the streets in the vicinity of the garage, only 66%.
In the future, as demand is likely to increase, the number of parking slots needed will exceed
the supply by 732 slots in 2045. Demand is likely to exceed supply before 2045 if growth is
higher than expected. However, the study team found that demand was not equally
distributed across the study area and that nearly all the growth was in Downtown, and none
in the Old Town Kern area. The study shows also that parking demand in the Old Kern area
does not exceed supply.
Recommendations: Based on the analysis and results and a review of policies in three peer
cities, the following proposals are recommended for parking in the study area.
Parking Fees Introduction of parking fees at least at par with the parking garage
with Zone 1
Parking Fees Restrict street parking for up to at least one block around the
parking garage. Dedicate all street parking in this area to ride-share
pick-ups/drop-offs, loading/unloading of freight and emergency
vehicle use only.
Parking Fees Increase garage parking fee to $1.25 per hour for a maximum of
$12.50 per day to align with inflation.
Parking City must add at least 40 more electric vehicle parking slots enabled
Equity with recharging facilities to be at par with the density of charging
stations in peer cities
Parking Introduce a premium parking rate category for longterm garage
Equity parking to reflect the true cost of providing extended parking
services.
Parking Establish a Residents Parking Pass program offering reduced rates
Equity for overnight parking in the garage.
Parking Reconsider time-base parking to telescopic parking with three
Enforcement parking regimes, each with their escalating fee structures capped at
a maximum amount. (Suggested maximum hourly cap is $3.75)
Parking Enforce parking in Zone 2 only.
Enforcement
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MKZ�� ggested Policy
Parking Consider shifting focus from parking enforcement to parking security.
Enforcement
Parking Develop a continuous parking data collection plan.
Demand
Management
Parking Contract with a mobile phone-based application system for
Demand managing parking demand and collecting parking fees.
Management
Parking Collaborate with all interested parties to encourage alternative
Demand modes of transport like HOV trips, pedestrian trips, ride-sharing
Management services, bike trips and transit.
Parking Regularly communicate with organizers of special events to plan for
Demand big events. Strategies could include providing high-frequency buses
Managementto/from the event venue, shuttles to/from parking lots (both public
and private), event passes.
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1. Introduction
Bakersfield is one of the largest cities in southern California and one of the most important
centers of population and economy in the interior parts of the state. The City of Bakersfield
(the City) aims to densify and become a transit hub. Looking toward the future, the City
commissioned this study to assess both current and anticipated parking requirements in the
urban core of the city, focusing on Downtown and Old Town Kern areas. This report
documents the results of that study by summarizing the context, methods, and outcomes.
During this study, the team regularly communicated with city officials and informed them
about the outcomes.
1.1 City of Bakersfield Profile
Located in Kern County in the southern part of California, Bakersfield is a developing city
with a population of around 400,000. The City is experiencing significant growth, marked by
a notable increase in traffic and a high demand for parking facilities. The City is traversed by
major transportation routes including four state highways - CA 58, CA 99, CA 178, and CA
204 - facilitating movement of freight and people, enhancing accessibility and connectivity
with major population centers like Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and more. Figure 1 shows the
location of Bakersfield in the context of other cities in California.
Per the High-Speed Rail Station Area Vision Plan, with the construction of a high-speed rail
(HSR) station on Golden State Avenue, the City will be transformed into an important railway
transportation hub. The downtown core of Bakersfield serves as the city's economic hub.
Given the lack of uniform parking standards in the City, it is necessary to identify locations
where parking demand exceeds available spaces and to examine deficiencies in the City's
parking policies and management.
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Figure 1:Incorporated Cities in California
Within the City boundary, the study is concentrated around two neighborhoods: Downtown
and Old Town Kern (OTK). The following subsections describe the nature of development in
these neighborhoods.
1.1.1 Downtown
Occupying half of the study area, Downtown Bakersfield is bounded to the south by Truxtun
Avenue, to the west by F Street, to the north by 24th Street (aligning with CA 178) and to the
east by Union Avenue. Figure 2 shows the area of Downtown Bakersfield. Among the two
regions in the study area, Downtown features a fairly regular gridded network of streets with
square blocks measuring about 350 feet on each side.
Downtown Bakersfield is divided on the east side by Kern Island Canal between R Street and
V Street. Along this canal lie the Federal Courthouse and the Mill Creek Park/Bakersfield
Museum of Art complex - two significant traffic attractors in the area. The only city-run
parking garage is also located in this region at the intersection of 18th Street and Eye Street.
Downtown Bakersfield serves as the center for economic and recreational activities, hosting
the Fox Theater at the intersection of 20th Street and H Street and the Mechanics Bank
Arena at the intersection of Truxtun Avenue and N Street.
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ptllm i',,C.
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Figure 2:Downtown Bakersfield
One of the distinctive features of parking in Downtown Bakersfield is the presence of
diagonal parking along several major streets. Figure 3 shows an example of a diagonal
parking layout. This type of parking arrangement increases the capacity of the same block of
road and allows more vehicles to park. Among the two areas, only Downtown features
painted and well-maintained pavement markings.
OPW
e
i
Figure 3:Angled parking in Downtown
1.1.2 Old Town Kern
Old Town Kern (OTK) is the other study area, bounded to the north by CA 178, to the east by
Beale Avenue, to the south by E Truxtun Avenue and to the west by Union Avenue. This region
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is divided by a Union Pacific railroad alignment with only three streets- Union Avenue, Baker
Street and Beale Avenue. Of these, only Baker Street features an at-grade railroad crossing.
OTK lacks a regular grid pattern, characterized instead by a mix of residential and industrial
land uses. Notable traffic generators include the Bakersfield City School District office at the
intersection of Baker Street and Niles Street and the Kern County Youth Center at Niles
Street and King Street. Figure 4 shows the OTK area covered in this study.
�r.
5.
R IIIIIII I%NW
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Figure 4:Old Town Kern
Unlike Downtown, OTK lacks well-maintained pavement markings to indicate parking slots
along street sides. Several surface parking lots, associated with private businesses, exist in
this area. The City does not own any garage parking facility in OTK. Figure 5 shows an
example of on-street parking in OTK.
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r„
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4
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Figure 5:No Striped Parking in Old Town Kern
1.2 Study Objectives
This parking study is founded on three core principles: review, study and recommend. First,
the study reviews existing parking policies not only in the City but also in three peer cities in
California. Parking area utilization is the primary metric for assessing parking demand in
Bakersfield. During the "Study" phase, the analysis focuses on estimated future parking
demand driven by demographic changes and new developments. The study concludes with a
summary of recommended policies and a compilation of best practices. Figure 6 shows this
information diagrammatically.
•Existing Parking policies Parking demand for a •Parking infrastructure and
•Utilization of Parking growing population management policies
Garage •Enforcement and -Optimal use of parking
•Policies in peer cities maintenance strategies space for now and future
•Demand from businesses with focus on affordability,
and walkability
IIIIIIIII � � !
Figure 6:Goals and Objectives of the Study
1.3 Report Design
This report is structured into sections, leading to the final recommendations. Section 1
introduces the report and sets the context for the content that follows. Section 2 reviews all
previous and ongoing studies that have been analyzed and incorporated into this analysis.
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Section 3 briefly discusses a review of three peer cities: Sacramento, Oakland and
Pasadena. Section 4 details the methods used in assessing parking in Bakersfield. Section
5 focuses on the findings. Section 6 addresses policy recommendations and Section 7
concludes the report with final recommendations.
Prior to this report, two short memos were written: one on a peer comparison of three cities
and another on the methodology for estimating future parking demand in Bakersfield. Both
memos are attached as appendices to this report's end. All other significant
communications and documentation are also included as attachments.
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2. Literature Review: Previous and Ongoing Studies
This section reviews previous and ongoing studies related to parking in the City. Three
reports have been included. It summarizes the findings from these reports and uses them
as the foundation for further analysis, building upon the work already completed. The City
provided the 2018 Parking Study and the ECONorthwest Housing Study, while the
Bakersfield 2045 Report is available to the public.
2.12018 Parking Study
The City commissioned a Downtown Bakersfield Parking Study in 2018 to assess parking
demand within two distinct areas: one between F and Q Streets and Truxtun Avenue and
24th Streets, and the other between F Street and Chester Avenue, and 24th and 28th
Streets. The study analyzed parking capacity, regulations and utilization in these areas,
identified issues and estimated future parking demands before suggesting strategic
improvements. Key findings from the report are below:
1. Field observations conducted from October 2017 through January 2018
2. Weekday parking typically peaked between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
3. Parking during the First Friday of the Month event was notably higher than on other
weekdays or weekends.
4. Observation times ranged from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, with the First Friday of the
Month event specifically observed between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
5. Recommendations on Parking Strategies:
a. Introduce a Parking Shuttle Service connecting downtown with major activity
centers such as schools, parking lots and the courthouse.
b. Establish a Business Improvement District to organize and coordinate private
parking lots to increase shared parking availability.
c. Form an advisory body for downtown parking management consisting of elected
and appointed members.
d. Implement a demand-responsive parking pricing strategy for on-street and off-
street parking using the latest technology.
e. Promote the use of transit and High-Occupancy Vehicles to decrease parking
demand.
f. Enhance enforcement efficiency through the use of license plate reading
technology.
g. Maintain consistent parking data collection to accurately estimate turnover rates.
Importantly, the study estimates the utilization of select private parking lots, with Figure 7
showing the peak utilization detailed in the report.
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Nits Oapacfty Cam parked d Empty Spaces Percent Use
Charm Building j(17th St.) 90 64 2.6 7 '
F rn Co,School UIF NT. 290, 235 _ 1
Kern Co thIld Supiport Center 440 ,20120 73%
Book orica t 10yel 100 1 3 0, 60%
Surfma pot Wo K-Chestor 75 60, is, 0
J HospRall parking Sidi . 41 G 320 90, 8
Hospital soh Parlidng 2W 160 12 ' %
Tho W1011 in title oOf IBC 230, 150 $0, 5%
Averaque Pemnit U '71%
Figure 7:Utilization of Select Private Parking Lots
Source:April 2—Final Bakersfield Downtown Parking Study(Quantum Consulting,41512018)
2.2 Bakersfield 2045 General Plan
The Bakersfield General Plan - Existing Conditions and Background Report, also known as
"RISE," was completed in August 2022. This report offers a current overview of the City and
its community, emphasizing potential future changes. A key insight from this report is the
anticipated growth in housing that is expected in the Bakersfield area. The data point used
from this report was the City's plan to house an additional 10,000 persons in Downtown
Bakersfield by 2030.
Further, the report confirmed the planned route and development of a High-Speed Rail (HSR)
line through the City. Figure 8 shows a map of the area with the proposed HSR route.
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I
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2.3 ECONorthwest Bakersfield Housing Study
ECONorthwest conducted a Bakersfield Downtown Capacity Analysis for the Bakersfield
Economic and Community Development Department in 2019. The study found that while the
City aimed to accommodate 10,000 new residents, only 3,600 housing units yielded a
positive Residual Land Value (RLV), indicating these units could be constructed without
requiring subsidies from the government or other investment sources. This data has been
instrumental in estimating future parking demand for the current study. The analysis
excluded housing east of Union Avenue, focusing solely on potential new housing
information in the downtown area. Figure 9 shows the distribution of housing units with
positive RLV (called "feasible") in green.
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Parcels in zones that
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were under 3 acres
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financially feasible.
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3. Peer Comparison
In June 2023, a peer comparison analysis was shared, and is included as Appendix A in this
report. This section summarizes that analysis. Three peer cities were selected for review of
parking policies using a compare-and-contrast approach to conduct a qualitative analysis.
The cities included were Oakland, Sacramento, and Pasadena. Figure 10 provides an
overview of all the cities and the salient reasons for their selection.
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•Mid-range •Nearness of •Recommended •Closeness of
Population Population through City Government
-Inland City •Coastal City consultation Funds
•Mid-sized •Inland City -Opposite
Budget Perspective-
Population and
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Figure 10:Peer Comparison Cities
Oakland was selected for its population size, which is closest to Bakersfield's, although it
notably differs as a coastal city. Pasadena, while similar to Bakersfield in terms of treasury
size, contrasts in both population and area. Sacramento was included based on the City of
Bakersfield's recommendation as a model for emulation and shares the characteristic of
being an inland city with Bakersfield.
Despite the lack of formal parking studies from Sacramento, at least two reports from both
Oakland and Pasadena were reviewed. Three of the five reports reviewed were specifically
focused on Downtown or Central Business District conditions, one addressed a specific
neighborhood (Chinatown in Oakland), and another was a citywide study (in Pasadena).
The cities were analyzed using a rubric that considered three core aspects: People, Policies
and Processes.
1. People: This category encompasses entities that contribute to parking demand,
including businesses, event venues and public spaces, as well as individuals who
utilize parking slots and parking facilities. It also covers agencies responsible for
supplying, enforcing and managing parking resources.
2. Policies: This includes the rules by which parking is governed. These rules are often
made by city governments in compliance with local, state and federal laws. These
policies aim to optimize parking utilization and ensure equitable access for all
downtown users. Additionally, policies may influence secondary effects, such as the
densification of downtown areas.
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3. Processes: This includes the methods through which parking regulations are enforced
and the procedures for obtaining parking permits. It also involves the coordination
between parking facilities and adjacent residential areas, as well as the mechanisms
for parking payments.
Table 1 shows the distribution of various socio-economic metrics measured for all four cities.
Table 2:Comparative Table of select Socio-Economic Variables
• • '
n7,045 11,223 24,222 23,556
ow
Area of C13D, sq mi 2.92 1.29 2.55 1.87
Population Density,
� -
2,414 8,714 9,491 12,568
persons
Total Employment2 1,713 5,458 12,276 13,050
- $11.43 $13.01 $15.66 $19.84
Downtown, $18.78 $35.19 $37.43 $35.64
Hourly Income3
Percent Transit UserS4 5% 6% 21% 5%
Percent Carpool
11% 3% 4% 5%
Percent Bike+Walk6 0% + 2% = 2% 5% + 29% = 2% + 12% 2% + 13%
34% =14% =15%
Source:
1 US Decennial Census 2020
2 Estimate of Persons Employed in Civilian labor Force in 2021 from American Community Survey 2021 Table B23025
3 American Community Survey 2021 Table S2001.Average annual work hours=2,080 hours.
4 American Community Survey 2021 Table B08301
5 American Community Survey 2021 Table B08301
6 American Community Survey 2021 Table B08301
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Some noticeable points from the peer comparison are provided below in Table 2.
Table 2:Key Takeaways from the Peer Comparison Memo
Downtown Bakersfield's anticipated population of 10,000 is seen as
reasonable, with its current population density significantly lower than
that of the most densely populated peer city, Pasadena.
Income levels in Downtown Bakersfield are about half those in peer
cities, suggesting sensitivity to parking fees among residents.
• Bakersfield had the lowest rate of transit, and bike/walk commuters
but the highest rate of carpool users highlighting opportunities for
I
to encourage alternative commuting methods.
Only Oakland has another water body running through Downtown.
All cities have railroad lines running through the Downtown region.
Only Bakersfield has heavy railroad lines, all other cities have light
rail/subways. Oakland's BART lines are underground.
• However, these constraints, while similar in function, vary in form and
that creates different outcomes.
On-street parking in peer cities is metered and garage parking
generally costs more than in Bakersfield.
• When adjusted for per capita income, Bakersfield's garage parking fee
is lower than comparable parking in peer cities.
•, All cities offer discount programs for residents and businesses.
Creating programs that generate revenue is useful, especially when
accompanied by the creation of a Parking Benefit District.
Cities are moving away from time-regulated parking and towards a
tiered parking structure.
• Areas immediately around parking garages have shorter time
•' regulations to incentivize the use of the garage.
Consolidating time regulations increases ease of compliance and
enforcement.
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Peer cities have a higher number of Electric Charging Stations (ECG)
which are distributed throughout their downtown areas.
ECS are also located in peer cities near transit stations to allow ease of
movement across various modes of transportation.
As the sale of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) increases, construction of
new ECS will become indispensable for the growth of the area. Per the
California Energy Commission, the increase in sales of BEVs in
Bakersfield has been exponential.
Peer cities have programs to manage high foot traffic in concentrated
areas.
•
Nearly all venues in peer cities are accessible by rail transit lines
• (within 0.5 mi of transit stations). Pasadena also runs shuttle buses to
ferry people from lots/garages to businesses.
Design of specific parking plans for each venue helps provide
• information to patrons about their choices and costs.
For a more detailed analysis, please refer to Appendix A at the end of this document.
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4. Methodology
This section outlines the methodology employed to estimate current parking utilization within
the study area. The first section shows the method used in estimating the four zones that
will be used as the spatial building blocks of the study area. A summary of the existing and
projected future parking utilization follows. Only public on street parking, and 181" Street
Parking lot were included in this analysis; no privately owned parking lots were analyzed as
part of this analysis.'
4.1 Study Area Zone Demarcation
The entire study area comprising Downtown and Old Town Kern (OTK) - as outlined in
Sections 1.1.1, and 1.1.2, was further divided into four zones. Downtown and OTK were
separated by Union Avenue, with zones assigned numbers in ascending order based on their
respective sizes. Figure 11 shows the criteria used to determine the boundaries of these
zones within Downtown Bakersfield.
Several boundaries, drawn from multiple sources, were overlaid to delineate the study area.
The green boundary indicates the location of the First Friday of the Month Event, which takes
place in the evenings on the first Friday of every month in Downtown Bakersfield. Therefore,
an influence of the event's parking demand is marked in purple and labeled "FRIDAY."
For the analysis of weekend parking, specifically on Saturdays, the boundary of the core
shopping district was created using Google Maps' land-use styles. This was labeled
"Downtown Commercial Core per Google Maps". An area influenced by Saturday parking
demands is highlighted in red and labeled "SATURDAY".
To ensure consistency with previous findings the "FRIDAY" and "SATURDAY" areas were
compared with the "Confined Area for Special Events" identified in the 2018 Parking Study.
The comparisons showed that the extent of these areas generally aligns.
It is important to note that both the "FRIDAY" and "SATURDAY" parking influence areas are
entirely within Downtown Bakersfield.
7 Reasons for limiting study to public parking: 1.There are several private parking lots which gaining access to which would
have been a time-consuming process,2.Since they are privately held,any unforeseen change in regulation restricting their
public use would have rendered conclusions from this report unpredictable.
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0
FRIO Y SATURDAY
. .................
18 STUDY
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Figure 11:Various Spatial Boundaries for Special Consideration
4.1.1 Zone I
Zone 1, also identified as "FRIDAY" in Figure 11, was specifically designated for gathering
parking data during the First Friday of the Month event from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This
data collection timeframe was based on findings from the 2018 Parking Study. Located
entirely within Downtown Bakersfield, Zone 1 encompasses thirty city blocks in the
southwest corner of the study area, bounded by Truxtun Avenue, 22nd Street, F Street and K
Street. Figure 12 delineates Zone 1's boundary, which includes a publicly held parking lot.
Data collection occurred at 30-minute intervals, recording the total number of vehicles
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parked during each period.
ZONE1
Figure 12:Zone 1 Boundary with respect to the Study Area
4.1.2 Zone 2
Zone 2, identified as "SATURDAY" in Figure 11, was specifically designated for collecting
parking data on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This data collection timeframe was
determined based on the 2018 Parking Study. Zone 2 is entirely within Downtown
Bakersfield. Zone 2 consists of forty-two city blocks in the southwest corner of the study
area bounded by Truxtun Avenue, 22nd Street, F Street and M Street. Zone 2 encompasses
Zone 1. Figure 13 shows the boundary of Zone 2, which also contains a publicly held parking
lot. Data was collected at 30-minute intervals, noting the total number of vehicles parked
during each period.
a
.F,
i
ZON
F
Figure 13:Zone 2 Boundary with respect to the Study Area
4.1.3 Zone 3A
While Zones 1 and 2 were designed for specific data collection efforts, Zone 3A
encompasses the entirety of Downtown Bakersfield. Zone 3A is bounded by Truxtun Avenue,
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241h Street, F Street and Union Avenue as shown in Figure 14. This is the primary activity
center in the study area and all of Bakersfield. Data collection in this zone occurred from
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on a weekday in June 2023. The frequency of data collection was
every 30 minutes. Total number of vehicles parked every 30 minutes was gathered as part
of the study.
a
DOWN
..I..
ZONE 3A
Figure 14:Zone 3A Boundary with respect to Study Area
4.1.4 Zone 3B
All the study area not contained in Zone 3A was included in Zone 3B, also known as, Old
Town Kern (OTK). Zone 3B is bounded by Truxtun Avenue, Beale Avenue, Union Avenue and
CA 178 as shown in Figure 15. Zone 3B is split in half by a railroad line with only three
connections between the two halves - Union Avenue, Baker Street and Beale Avenue. Data
was collected in this zone between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on a weekday in June 2023.
The frequency of data collection was every 30 minutes. Total number of vehicles parked
every 30 minutes was gathered as part of the study.
n„0ovnw,Unuu y
�mr�mmmmmmmmm/r�r���erd nnarr�rmautr�
e
�
11 G 1,3u
Figure 15:Zone 3B with respect to Study Area
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To perform a granular analysis at the block level, the whole study area (Zone 3A and Zone
313 combined) was divided into 715 individual segments for which parking metrics were
calculated individually. Analysis was conducted only on segments where parking is permitted
by ordinance. Anywhere parking was disallowed was left out of the scope of analysis with the
assumption that parking there was illegal and as such would be a matter of enforcement.
Figure 16 shows the various road segments that were designed for the purpose of analysis.
Each segment was given a unique name based on the following method:
1. Identifythe southwest corner: of the block whose part the segment is which is to be
named.
2. East-West Code: If the east-west road at that intersection is a number, use the
number of the street (e.g. "17" for 17th Street). If the road is a named road (le. g.
Truxtun Avenue), use the first three letters of the name (e.g. "TRU" for Truxtun
Avenue). Let this be called the "East-West Code" (EWC)
3. North South Code: If the north-south road at that intersection is a letter, use the letter
of the street (e.g. "F" for F Street). If the road is a named road (e.g. Chester Avenue),
use the first three letters of the name (e.g. THE" for Chester Avenue). Let this be
called the "North-South Code" (NSC)
4. Direction Indicator: Finally, use a directional code to indicate which side of the block
the segment is in. If, for example, the segment is at the bottom of the block, use
South; East for right; West for left, and North for top. Let this be called the "Direction
Indicator" (DID)
5. Finally, combine the three codes thus: <EWC>_<NSC>_<DID>. Some examples of
unique IDS, are: '17_F_West- (for the left side of the block whose SW intersection is
17th Street and F Street), or 'Mon_Iny_North- (for the top side of the block whose SW
intersection is Monterey Street and Inyo Street).
All segments were thus named using the same principle to maintain consistency.
-
__1JLJ IJJ►J 1J A__1_]'OfLl
l
N9 V V I I �N YI 7 u
sir 7r iu ui 1 ��i� . ...... �� ��� hr� ��' t���✓
i� .a uu i ii �fV� is �
ILJ �L_. �L �i �y J J� Il 11 Vi....� 1
.�dJJLI� —m ._....Jew r l
Figure 16:Analysis Segments in the Study Area
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4.2 Existing Parking Utilization
The primary metric evaluated in this study was parking utilization, defined as the percentage
of available parking spaces occupied at any given point in time. Since the frequency of data
gathering was 30-minute intervals, the study estimates utilization at every 30-minute
interval for each of the segments shown in Figure 16. Parking space utilization is analyzed in
three distinct ways:
1. Peak Utilization Estimation: The maximum utilization value for a given road segment,
or a group of roads-segments.
2. Hotspot Identification: By combining the percentage utilization with the duration of
utilization, the study estimates "hotspots" where parking demand is consistently high
for a majority of the data collection window. Table 3 shows the designation of
hotspots based on the number of hours that utilization is higher than 85%.
Table 3:Categories of Hotspots
Weekdays/SaturdaysDesignation • .
(out of 5 hours) • of 2 hours)
Uncritical 0 — 1.5 hours 0 —0.5 hours
1.5 —3 hours 0.5 — 1 hour
3 —4 hours 1- 1.5 hours
4 —5 hours 1.5 — 2 hours
4.2.1 Garage
Per information received from the City of Bakersfield, there are 502 slots available for
parking in the garage located at the intersection of 18t" Street and Eye Street. Of these, 171
slots located on the 5t"floor and above are designated for city fleet services. This leaves 331
slots available for public use, with 16 reserved for disabled users and/or electric vehicle
users. This leaves 315 slots for general public usage. Figure 17 depicts the garage as viewed
from the intersection of 18t" Street and Eye Street.
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r
,rr.
D
/ r
/
/r /
�rrrrr�ii�
HQcT
nwgxs; ,
f
l
VC
I
Figure 17:Street View of the City-owned Garage.
To estimate parking utilization within the garage, a field survey was conducted in September
and October 2023. The survey counted the number of vehicles using the garage following
the same schedule as the on-street parking field survey: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on
weekdays and Saturdays, and 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays to coincide with the First
Friday of the Month event. Surveys were conducted at 30-minute intervals.
The results of all the surveys and associated maps are provided in Section 5.
4.3 Future Parking Estimation
For estimatingthe demand for parking in the future, the following assumptions were made:
1. This analysis does not include privately held parking lots.
2. New housing developments outside the study area but within the City are expected to
increase parking demand based on current trends.
3. A total of 2,622 new parking spaces will be required by new construction within the
study area; with all demand concentrated in Downtown. This construction will consist
of medium density housing, with all new parking demand anticipated by 2030.
4. High-Speed Rail is projected to be operational by 2030, generating additional parking
demand as detailed in Table 4.
5. Background growth rate of parking demand is projected at 2% annually between
2023 and 2030, and 1% annually from 2030 to 2045.
6. Areas currently experiencing high parking demand are expected to attract a greater
proportion of the new parking demand.
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Table 4:Increase in Parking Demand due to HSR Construction
HSR Parking Demand Regime Street Name Percentage Increase
Major Infill Chester Avenue +10%
Eye Street +10%
K Street +5%
Spillover Effect 17th Street +5%
181h Street +5%
19th Street +5%
Parking Garage Parking Garage +5%
Figure 18 shows the general model used for developing future parking estimation.
New High:creedr"Iew De vff�'aprren New Elev ,Crn
en
imcral stuflon
OUTSIDE 5 Rudy Arpa MOE SPudV,kea
Dernuind
.....................V1 I...... .......................V'2..........................
Addifiond Pariding
Dernord V3
..........
D D2
F—D 1��C-112
"MMMMMM4
EaOing N!ok'urQ Addtiand Porking AddihiorejE Parkang
Ic 2031-19t S 2045 21
Figure 18:General Parking Demand Generation and Distribution Model
New parking demand in the study area is generated both by developments within the area
and by the incoming population from outside. As new construction progresses and more
people move into the City, parking demand is expected to increase. This demand is
attributed to vehicle trips made by residents in these new developments. For the purpose of
this analysis, the total new vehicles requiring parking spaces within the study area are
represented as V, where:
V = V1 + V2
V, represents the number of vehicles originating from outside the study area but requiring
parking within it.
V2 represents the number of vehicles originating from within the study area.
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This new demand, when added to the existing demand (E), creates the short-term parking
demand (STPD) as follows:
STPD = E + V
The study also aims to estimate how all the new vehicles, V, will be distributed within the
study area. There are two options for parking in the City - on-street, or in a garage. If D1 is
the number of new vehicles that will park on the streets, and D2 be the number that will park
in the garage, then:
V = D1 + D2
STPD is assumed to be the parking demand for the year 2023. STPD will be grown at a
certain rate of growth,gl, of 2% annually until 2030 when the new High-Speed Rail station is
expected to become functional. New parking demand within the study area generated
because of the HSR station is denoted by V3. , leading to Medium-Term Parking Demand
(MTPD) equation:
MTPD = STPD * (1 + g1)7 + V3
No other large-scale developments are anticipated post 2030. Thus, Long-Term Parking
Demand will be estimated from MTPD by using a growth rate, g2 of 1% annually until 2045:
LTPD = MTPD * (1 + 92)15
For our purposes gi is 2% and 92 is 1%.
A comprehensive explanation of this process, including the calculation methodologies and
assumptions, is provided in Appendix B attached to this report.
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5. Results
This section outlines the results of the parking analysis conducted using the data and
methods listed above. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in the City, drivers tend to prefer on-
street parking over using, the garage located in Zone 3A. Currently, parking availability meets
demand, but with the introduction of new housing and the High-Speed Rail (HSR) facility,
demand is anticipated to exceed supply in Zone 3A. However, this imbalance is not expected
in Zone 3B. The study finds that by implementing new policies and practices, the need for
constructing additional parking can be mitigated. This approach aligns with the City's and
the county's (as well as the Metropolitan Planning Organization's, which overlaps with the
county's) vision to transform Bakersfield into a city with multi-modal transportation options.$
5.1 Existing Parking Supply
5.1.10n-Street Parking Supply
There are 5,738 parking slots on the streets in the study area including 70 designated for
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance and 4 exclusively for electric vehicles. Of
these, 3,403 are located in Zone 3A and 2,335 are in Zone 3B. 50 of the 70 ADA-compliant
parking slots and all four electric vehicle slots are situated in Zone 3A.
Within Zone 3A, Zone 1 has 1,035 parking slots accounting for 19% of the total on-street
parking slots in the study area. Table 5 provides a detailed breakdown of the available
parking within the study area.
Table 5:Supply of On-Street Parking
TOTALRegular ADA EV
Area
Zone 1 1035 31 0 1066 19%
- 1421 33 0 1454 25%
- 3349 50 4 3403 59%
- 2315 20 0 2335 41%
• 5664 70 4 5738 100%
It can be seen from Table 5 that Zone 3A comprises nearly 60% of all parking slots within the
study, including 70% of ADA compliant slots and all slots designated for electric vehicles.
Zone 3B lacks slots exclusively for electric vehicles and none of the electric vehicle parking
slots are equipped with recharging facilities. Figure 19 shows the distribution of parking
supply indicating that most (78%) of the segments accommodate 10 or fewer vehicles.
However, one location, labeled "20_MiI_West" offers space for 52 vehicles. This high
capacity is attributed to its proximity to the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the nearby lake, and
the Federal Courthouse. The block encompassing this road segment totals 198 parking
8 Explanation:Several factors beyond the scope of this study must be evaluated before deciding on the construction of a
new parking lot.Some of them are- evaluating demand of parkingjust outside the study area,changing policies regarding
parking nearthe existing parking lot, reducing parking demand through expanded/new transit,etc.
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slots.
i � J1,
a F.......IF] HH
...............
............ ..
°' " ULLE
fli�.
......................
........
IC rov
... a ,
i'7Y1 CW A!"'Y'V L
5 0.5 Mlille SUpply,Number of Slots 11 20 31 4a N
„..,,„,,, ,,,,,,,,,,�,,,,,,,,,„,,,,,,,,,� 0-1,0 2'1_30 41-52'
Figure 29:Supply of On-Street Parking
Additionally, within Zone 1, certain east-west streets—specifically 18th Street and 19th
Street have parking capacities ranging from 11 and 20 slots. This increased capacity can be
attributed to the implementation of diagonal parking along these streets. Across the study
area, each road segment on average has 8 parking slots.
Figure 20 shows the distribution of ADA-compliant parking slots on the streets highlighting
areas where several contiguous city blocks lack ADA-compliant parking. Zone 2, which
accounts for nearly 25% of all parking slots in the study area has half of all the ADA-
compliant slots.
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r„
yvkrcn' —Lifn
is �P
�'�
0 0.13 0.25 0.5 Mlilles SLI ly,ADA Compliant 1
Y ..... ........ �.. .#... q w.... 1.... p� 0 ...........2 r
Figure 20:Supply of ADA-Compliant Parking Slots
5.1.2 Garage Parking Supply
The City-owned parking garage is located at the intersection of 18t" Street and Eye Street.
offers 331 parking slots for public use, with an additional 171 slots reserved for City fleet
services. Of the 331 parking slots, 16 are designated for ADA-compliance and are equipped
with electric vehicle charging stations, leaving 315 slots available for general use. Notably,
all electric vehicle parking slots feature recharging facilities.
5.2 Existing Parking Utilization
Weekday parking demand across the study area averages 47%, indicating that supply
exceeds demand by a 2:1 ratio. At peak times, 2,722 of the total 5,738 slots are occupied.
Zone 1 experiences the highest utilization at 71%, while Zone 313 has the lowest at 41%.
5.2.1 Weekday
On an average weekday, parking in the study area peaks at noon with a maximum utilization
of 47%. Demand increases from 41.6% at 10 a.m. to 47.4% at noon and decreases to 41.4%
by 3 p.m., indicating a quicker rise in demand compared to its decline At maximum
utilization, 757 of 1,066 parking slots in Zone 1 were found to be occupied (71%), 960 of
the 1,454 slots in Zone 2 (66%), 1,784 out of 3,403 in Zone 3A (52%), and 954 out of
2,335 in Zone 313 (41%) were found occupied.
These findings not only confirm the assumption that Zone 1 is the core of the study area
where most people congregate for work, but they also show that Zone 313 has the least
demand due to a lack of employment density. Figure 21 shows the distribution of parking at
noon on a typical weekday.
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Lj
170
I k
�� ' LL_ OF
. I�d'
& IL ,
. ..................
Hb77� .................. ...I � .,
u u . a„
i �
13 Noon Weekday 2 5 16 15
0 ' S '10 1s 21
Figure 22:Demand for Parking,Noon,Study Area
As the figure shows, demand in Zone 1 is high. Demand is also high on the southeast side of
Zone 3A. This surge is attributed to the presence of government offices, the art museum and
local attractions like Central Park at Mill Creek, along with several small sized offices.
Interestingly, in Zone 2, parking demand was notably higher along east-west streets
compared to north-south streets. This pattern may be partly due to angled parking spaces,
as depicted in Figure 3. It might be worth investigating if this could also be due to several
businesses having storefronts along east-west streets and whether creating more
storefronts on north-south streets might redistribute parking in the future.
In Zone 3B, demand for parking is higher on streets south of the rail line. There are two
reasons for this: the limited number of bridges connecting the two sides of Zone 3B and the
continuation of high-demand streets from Zone 3A into the southern part of Zone 3B,
making them primary targets for parking, especially during spillover from Zone 3A.On the
north side of Zone 3B, parking demand is concentrated around the Bakersfield City School
District office which is the block around Niles Street and Kern Street.
Figure 22 shows the progression of parking on a weekday.
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2300 43.0%
�IIIIII
47.0%
2700 11
111
17° 46.0%
100
2600 f1u111 f
III IIIIIII I 45.0%
11j11u1
-ca If'Iuu''� 44.0%
2500 1 43.0%
1
III 42.0%
2400 41.0%
2300 40.0%
39.0%
2200 38.0%
10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00
AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM
�Oi n Street Parking Demand —U iIIlizatioi n
Figure 22:On-Street Parking Demand by Time
5.2.2 Special Case I — Friday Evening
The parking demand on the First Friday of the Month was specifically analyzed on June 2,
2023, between 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Zone 1. Of the 1,066 parking slots, 750 were
occupied, resulting in a 70% utilization rate. Demand grew from a high base of 67.5% at
6:30 p.m., peaked at 71.3% at 7 p.m., remained nearly constant until 8 p.m., then
decreased to 66.2% by 8:30 p.m. The initial demand exceeded 60% indicating the event's
popularity. Figure 23 shows the distribution of parking in Zone 1 at 7 pm.
E] Elp
0 r____1 E
Li
EDE-11
............0 1 ............. L I
..............I..............
L-10 F H
w�� .... .....
IN
,1 ....� � I°
I I �
� III
II II I� I.................. IIIIII I�
e W
' .... ..,..I „. ......CI� � � N�.....
7 PM First.Friday
0 CJ.0S il.h 0'.2 Mill"
Figure 23:Demand for On-Street Parking, FFM Event
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Again, it is observed that parking demand is particularly high on east-west streets, with a
focus on 18th Street, 19th Street and 20th Street. This area coincides with a high
concentration of businesses. Figure 24 shows the build-up of demand in Zone 1 on Friday
evenings.
Fridaiy Demand
760 72.CN,
750 71 .CM,,
740
730 6 9.C
710 6 7.C
700 6.Z'-, 6 6.CN,
680 6 4.C�%
670 63.0,1,'S
6:30 F1 M 7:00 FIM 7:30 PM 8:00 F1 M 8:30 PM
Figure 24:Demand Growth in Zone 1 during FFM Events
5.2.2 Special Case 11 —Saturdays
As a second special case of parking demand analysis, data was collected on Saturday, June
3, 2023, between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Zone 2. At its peak, utilization in Zone 2 was found to
be 40% at 12:30 p.m. Demand grew from 33% at 10 a.m. to peak at 12:30 p.m. then
declined to 27% by 3 p.m. In this way, unlike on a weekday, demand on a weekend declined
faster than it grew. It must be noted that demand reduced after the typical lunchtime on a
Saturday, and this might be one of the reasons. Figure 25 shows the distribution of parking
at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
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...........
.............
............
..............
. ................... L_J
..... . .. ................
.......... F
L-i L_J I
............... IL............
F
.............. .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... ...................
0 0.0,5 0.1 0.2 1'M5 12':30 PM,!Saturday 2 5 10 15 N
— 0-2' S 10 IS 21
Figure 25:Demand for On-Street Parking on Saturdays
Figure 25 illustrates a notable concentration of parking demand around 19th Street, in
contrast to adjacent blocks or road segments perpendicular to, but intersecting with 19th
Street, which does not experience the same demand. This disparity could reflect the
perceived availability of space attracting more demand. Strategies to redistribute such
demand to side streets can greatly help in reducing the congestion of vehicles on one street.
Blocks at the periphery of Zone 2 do not experience any parking demand despite them being
only 3-4 blocks away from areas of high demand. Increasing access to a safe pedestrian
route from the periphery to businesses around 19th Street could be an effective solution.
Introducing visible parking guide signs and employing smart parking technology to indicate
available parking slots are also viable strategies for managing parking demand more
efficiently. Figure 26 depicts the progression of parking demand in Zone 2 on Saturdays.
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Saturda�y Demand
700 45.O o
4 0.1
3. 35.0`,:0
6.7 04ec�..a,�
eyi1��,J
c 30.0N�,
�
4..�0 25. .E„0`,'S
��,0`�0
20+: l
10.0; 0
100
0 0.,()r�a
10::00 1 030 1 1 ,.00 1130 12,.00 12:30 1,.+00 1:30 2.+00 2:30 3:00
,AM ,AM ,AM ,AM F'M F'M F'M F'M F'M F'M F'M
Figure 26:Demand for On-Street Parking an Saturday
5.2.3 In Garage Parking Demand
Parking utilization inside the garage located at 18th Street and Eye Street was calculated for
the same periods as on-street demand. For an average working day, Table 6 shows the
utilization of parking inside the garage as compared to on-street demand in Zone 1 as well
as across the entire study area, encompassing both Zone 3A and 313.
Table 6:Parking Demand in Garage, Weekday
Time In Garage Zone I Study Area
• • • AM 36% 60% 42%
• • 34% 59% 43%
• • 35% 65% 45%
• 34% 69% 47%
• • 40% 70% 47%
• 41% 71% 47%
• I 44% 67% 45%
• • 38% 65% 45%
• • • 40% 65% 44%
• • 39% 60% 42%
• • • 39% 61% 41%
C. 38% 65% 44%
UTILIZATIONMAX 44% 71% 47%
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The data reveals that garage utilization is approximately 30 percentage points lower than on-
street parking in Zone 1 but closely aligns with the overall parking utilization in the study
area, differing by only an average of 6 percentage points. Notably, when maximum utilization
is compared, garage utilization is only 3 percentage points lower than utilization as a whole
in the study area. This leads to the conclusion that the tendency of users in the study area to
park in the garage is no different than their tendency to park in general (in the study area)
and that users might find it more preferable to park on the streets as compared to the
garage for several reasons. Supporting this, Table 7 provides a detailed comparison of a
garage versus on-street parking utilization in Zone 1 during the First Friday of the Month
Event and on Saturdays.
Table 7:Garage Utilization on Fridays and Saturdays,compared to Zone 1
First Friday of the Month Saturdays
TimeIn Garage Zone 1Time In Garage Zone 1
58% 67% 24% 43%
61% 70% • • 27% 47%
70% 27% 48%
70% 31% 45%
65% - 30% 45%
• ' 31% 49%
• • • ' 32% 48%
• • ' 30% 42%
• • • ' 32% 35%
• • ' 30% 33%
• • • ' 30% 32%
70% 68% 29% 42%
UTILIZATIONMAX 79% 70% MAX UTILIZATION32% 49%
As Table 7 shows, the parking patterns observed on weekdays are repeated on Saturdays
with similar incentives for garage use. However, during the First Friday of the Month Event,
parking garage utilization surpasses that in Zone 1 after 7:30 p.m. and continues to stay
above until 8:30 p.m. This suggests that modifying the incentives can effectively encourage
users to park inside the garage over on-street parking.
Table 6 and Table 7 illustrate that once peak utilization is reached, the decrease in garage
utilization is more gradual compared to on-street parking. Table 8 summarizes these
findings.
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Table 8:Reduction in Utilization post-Max Utilization,Garage versus Zone 1
WeekdaysFirst Friday of the
•
Month
In Garage • - 1 In Garage Zone 1 In Garage Zone
Max
44% 71% 79% 70% 32% 49%
StudyUtilization
At End of
39% 61% 76% 65% 30% 32%
Peri
• • , -6% -3% -5% -2% °-10/o -17/o
Analysis from Table 8 reveals that on all days examined in this study, the decrease in
utilization from the time of maximum utilization was lower in the garage than on adjacent
streets. Possible explanations include:
1. On weekdays, users of the garage are more likely employees of businesses in Zone 1
who do not leave the study area after maximum utilization is reached.
2. Garage users plan on spending longer hours in Zone 1, exceeding the 2-hour limit
typically allowed on the streets. This is borne out by the large decline in on-street
utilization on Saturdays versus the merely 2% decline in utilization in the garage.
3. Users prefer the garage over street parking to avoid the risk of receiving a parking ticket,
as garage parking allows them to pay at the end of their stay without fear of being fined.
5.3 Hotspot Identification
Section 4.2 discussed the process used to identify hotspots in the study area. Figure 27
indicates the locations of hotspots in the study area on a weekday. Of the 715 road
segments, 57 were found to be "Urgent" meaning parking utilization on those road segments
is higher than 85% for 80% of the time. This suggests, that not only is the absolute number
of vehicles trying to park in those segments high, but it also continues to be high for 4 out of
the 5 hours for which data was collected. Zone 1 has the greatest number of "Urgent" road
segments. A further 34 segments were found to be "Critical" suggesting utilization is higher
than 85%for 60% of the study period. Combined with "Urgent", both these categories reflect
13% of all road segments and focusing solution strategies on them might help solve the
immediate problems of parking.
Solution strategies are discussed in Section 6. Zone 313 contains the greatest number of
uncritical segments, indicating that demand for parking is concentrated in Zone 3A. Areas,
where several segments are critical/urgent, should also be monitored for road safety since it
is likely that vehicles might circle surrounding blocks in search of parking several times
before finding a spot.
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,
................d
..
i I 1�444,M HQ: ___j
B.-J",
1u
t
� ,., ... ......... ......... ........ ......... ... ..... .. ...............�,�,�,
Hrtspt&DnaWeekday Semi-Critical wwww.....Urgent.
� D.1 5 �..3 ��Miles
UncritocaV Critical
Figure 27:Hotspots in Study Area, Weekday
Significantly, hotspots do not extend beyond two blocks, indicating a preference among
users to park as close as possible to their destination, often avoiding walking more than two
blocks. Addressing the reasons why users are averse to walking less than 1,000 ft (roughly 3
city blocks in Bakersfield) is crucial.9 Outside of Zone 2, the concentration of hotspots
seems directly linked to a few specific buildings attracting several users. It must further be
noted that road segments immediately around the parking garage are all "urgent" meaning
that at the location of the parking garage, demand for parking is high. This underscores the
trend of individuals opting for street parking over garage parking upon entering Downtown
Bakersfield. Figure 28 shows hotspots on a Friday evening during the First Friday of the
Month event, revealing that the majority of road segments are deemed as "Urgent" (67 road
segments), particularly those between G Street and K Street and from 18t" and 20t" Streets.
It is under such circumstances that users are pushed to find parking in the garage as shown
in Table 7 above.
9 From Figure 27, it can be seen that hotspots are not longer than two blocks at any location.Therefore, it can be said that
whatever the users' destination might be,concentration of vehicles'demand usually recedes within two blocks. In other
words, users seem to be comfortable parking no more than two blocks from their presumed destination.
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1 1
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...........
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................. ... ...... ... ..........
Hnspu—F,,, S.�.y
G, G,05 D.1 GIMiles .i Urgent!I!...A.. ....1 1 un—r"C.1 Cr,1 to11
Figure 28:Hotspots on Friday Evening(FFM Event)
Figure 29 provides an overview of parking on Saturdays in Zone 2, identifying seven road
segments as "Urgent" and an additional ten are "Critical". With few exceptions, these critical
and urgent segments were found to be concentrated around the intersection of Chester
Avenue and 19th Street, highlighting the correlation between popular business locations and
the preference for nearby parking. Notably the parking garage situated 2 block lengths away
(a walking distance) from Chester Avenue at 19th Street, shows a mere 29% utilization on
Saturdays. This indicated that excess demand for on-street parking on Saturdays can be
moved to the parking garage without users having to walk more than 1,000 feet to their
destinations.
L
L_J: _j
F............ :1 LJO
J17 _J
_J11
I.............
2-
1�,�. ..........
4d
......................l'
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7
.............. .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... j
................... ......
0 O.G5 0.1 0.2 Miles Hat&pt&Dn SawrJay semi-Critical ..........Urgent.UncritocaV Critical
Figure 29:Hotspots in Zone 2 on Saturdays
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5.4 Future Parking Utilization
Using the methodology summarized in Section 4.3 Future Parking Estimation" detailed in
Appendix B, the study estimated future parking demand for 2023, 2030 and 2045. The
short-term parking demand for 2023, is influenced by new parking generated from recent
building permits issued by the City. This emerging demand combined with existing demand,
is projected to grow at an annual rate of 2% leading up to 2030, by which time. All new
housing and the HSR facility are anticipated to be operational.10 From 2030 to 2045, the
study forecasts all parking demand to increase at a more modest rate of 1% per year for 15
yea rs.
Table 9 shows the results of the analysis under expected levels of growth.
Table 9:Future Conditions Demand in Study Area, by Zone
ShortCapacity Existing - • Long Term
D- •
• - I 890 ::•
• 1454 939 1112
• 3403 1780 1933 ' r•,I, ^r. j, ',I
• - 2335 942 942
• 5738 2722 2875 ®® ® III III
331 144 155 lilt l! •j . .• l
According to Table 9 by 2030, Zone 3A will have exceeded its capacity, but the study area as
a whole will only have 112 spare slots. By 2045, the study area will be in a deficit of 732
parking slots. A large portion of this growth is driven by the 2,622 new parking slots that will
be demanded due to the inclusion of nearly 6,200 new residents moving into Zone 3A. The
study did not identify any projections for new residents moving into Zone 3B. Table 10 shows
the analysis conducted to determine the number of new parking slots needed due to new
developments (not including the HSR). Through evaluations of minimum, medium and
maximum growth scenarios, it was concluded that, under expected growth conditions, a total
of 2,622 new parking slots will be needed."
Table 10: Future Demand Estimation due to New Development
StudyBasis for Estimating New Population Inside Bakersfield Downtown Capacity
04Study
Persons10000 6000
Households 3125 3600
10 Effective growth rate will be higher than 2%since it would include demand from the HSR station,and the addition of
6,000 - 10,000 new persons in Zone 3A.
11 Expected=(MIN+4*MID+ MAX)/6
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Basis for Estimating New Population Inside Bakersfield Downtown Capacity
Study Area 2045 Study
Downtown 100% 50%
Study Area H H 3125 1800
Medium -nsity Parking Demand 4178 (MAX) 2403 (MID)
DensityLow - 1940 (MIN)
Figure 30 illustrates the projected distribution of new parking requirements across the study
area by 2030, while Figure 31 extends these projections to 2045. It is worth noting that
when compared to the existing conditions map in Figure 21, the maximum number of
vehicles demanding slots in any single road segment rose from 21 to 29 and 33.
muimi"N
Ll U
n'
III II 11U....� H �
�r
..�, ,r, i u � i i�
ti�ti "" ,�.��
V b ,�� !I„^
C1.'Y:3' �.�� Medium Term ......... S = iO.E& N
� � �.�Nulh'I�as n
Dernxni(20'-1 7 wowo l
Figure 30:Medium Term Future Growth(2030)
The maps reveal that while demand has increased overall, a corridor of low parking demand
has emerged between the western and eastern regions of Zone 3A. This corridor, highlighted
by a band of green between L Street and 0 Street corresponds with the general growth of
two activity centers within Zone 3A: one in the west anchored by all the businesses, and
another to the east anchored by the museum and additional civic facilities.
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a
oaY
��r .....
ran,
.................. #
Y.....Mr=� � ..........
� P�
sY
m ...........
i
o,,,,,,, .�L
mJ
Y
t
,a
0 0.13 0.25 .5 M9des
Lon TeamDemand �,..,.,y,,y .io,,r.
Q.r
Figure 32:Long-Term Future Growth(2045)
In the Old Town Kern area, or Zone 313, parking demand is expected to see a minimal
increase, primarily due to the absence of new residential developments or significant
business relocations to the area. Further, the HSR is not anticipated to impact this
neighborhood. All increases in parking demand from this region are attributed to general
background growth.
5.4.1 Parking Demand Sensitivity
This sub-section details results from an uncertainty analysis conducted to evaluate parking
demand under two contrasting growth scenarios:
Low Growth Scenario: Assumes a smaller influx of residents into Zone 3A, utilizing the
minimum (MIN) estimates from Table 10, coupled with a five percentage-point reduction in
HSR-induced parking demand.
High Growth Scenario: Accounts for a larger population moving into Zone 3A, based on the
maximum (MAX) projections from Table 10, along with a five percentage-point increase in
the impact of HSR-induced parking demand.
Results from the analysis are first presented in Figure 32.
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Growth and Demand - Study Area
9000
8000
7000
6000 NNNNNNNNNN
Study.Area - . . — . . . . -
Street apIacity
5000
2000
1000
0
EKST11NG IH4'mART TLII\M MID TERM LONG T EIR t
ILow Growth pest Gr wth �,���/ YHii h Gr Mlh
Figure 32:Parking Demand in Study Area-SensitivityAnalysis
According to Figure 32, the demand for on-street parking is expected to surpass supply
between 2030 and 2045 under expected growth conditions. In an aggressive growth
scenario, supply could be depleted between 2023 and 2030. Under a low growth scenario,
parking supply is projected to nearly match demand by 2045. While precise future growth
rates are uncertain, this analysis suggests that by managing the pace of new resident
occupancy in Zone 3A developments, it may be possible to regulate growth rates to ensure
that parking supply does not become a constraint. Finally, it must be noted that the
outcomes for parking demand are not equally distributed throughout the study area. As
Figure 33 shows, on-street parking demand in Zone 3A under any growth scenario is likely to
exceed capacity before 2030.In contrast, demand never exceeds supply in Zone 313. Further,
the graph for Zone 313 does not diverge under the sensitivity conditions, since all growth in
Zone 313 is driven by background growth, and not by new developments or the HSR facility.
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Growth and Demand - by Zones
8000
7000
6000 00, 00
5000
4000 Z ne 3A On-
3000 Street Cap�acity
2000
1000
0
EKISTING, SHORT TEIRtA tAI ID T E R M L C-)IN G T E R M
DEMAND IDEt"AAIND, 2023 DEMAND, 2030 DEtvIAND, 2045
—40—DOWNTOWN/ZONE 3A OLD TOWN KERN/ZONE 3B,
Figure 33:Sensitivity Analysis Results, by Zone
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6. Policy Discussions
This section focuses on identifying the existing and anticipated parking needs of Downtown
Bakersfield and Old Town Kern, aiming to propose effective policies and practices to
enhance parking revenue potential and maximize the existing supply's efficiency. The list of
policies and practices mentioned below are a compilation of those seen in peer cities,
adjusted to fit the study area. The following policy ideas have been carefully considered:
1. Incentivizing Garage Parking: Create and Develop incentives to encourage users to park
in the garage versus on the streets.
2. Future-Proofing Parking Supply: Adapt parking infrastructure to accommodate the
expected growth in Bakersfield due to the influx of new residents and the introduction of
the HSR facility.
3. Boosting Downtown Economic Activity: Implement incentives designed to attract more
visitors to Downtown, supporting the local economy and business growth.
4. Streamlining Parking Enforcement: Ease the pressure of enforcement of parking.
6.1 Parking Fees
6.1.1 Zone 1 Parking Fee
From all the evidence shown above, Zone 1 is most strained for parking demand. Zone 1 is
not only the economic center of the study area, and indeed the City itself, but also the
location where special events are held monthly. Zone 1 also houses the parking garage
which has a user fee, while all the street parking is free at all times and for all duration.
Given that more users must be incentivized to spend more time in Zone 1, this imbalance of
incentive - the garage is relatively far and chargeable, versus on-street parking is
immediately nearby and free - can be corrected by implementing a parking fee at par with
the garage itself. This will remove the monetary aspect of users choosing whether to park on
the street or in the garage. A parking fee higher than the garages is likely to incentivize users
to park in the garage.
6.1.2 Parking Fee Escalation
During this study, it was discovered that the parking fee inside the garage was set in 2014
and had not been updated despite increases in wages and prices since then. Therefore, the
marginal parking fee in the garage should be increased from $1 per hour to $1.25 per hour
with a daily maximum of $12.50. This is in keeping with consumer prices between 2014 and
2022 in Size Class B/C cities in the USA.12
6.1.3 On-Street Parking Near Parking Garage
This report demonstrates that users' tendency to park in the garage increases (evidenced by
the utilization of the garage becoming higher than the on-street parking in Zone 1) when
12 Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/cw
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parking on the streets becomes more challenging (in this case, due to the First Friday of the
Month event). It was also shown that the road segments immediately around the parking
garage were classified as "Urgent" in terms of them being parking hotspots. Therefore, it can
be concluded that while parking demand in/around the garage exists, it merely needs to be
incentivized to park inside the garage.
To encourage more drivers to use the garage, it is proposed to redesignate on-street parking
spaces near the garage (encompassing at least one city block in every direction) for specific
uses: ride-share pickups/drop-offs, loading/unloading of supplies and emergency vehicle
access. Painting the curb with an appropriate color and sufficient signage should be
considered to communicate this change to the public.
This approach mirrors a successful strategy observed in Sacramento. More details about the
same can be found in Appendix A.
The study team was made aware of a proposal to design bulb-outs and parklets on some
streets in Zone 1. All policies that will disincentivize parking nearing the garage are likely to
shift demand to parking inside the garage.
6.2 Equity Policies
6.2.1 Additional EV Charging Station Equipped Parking Slots
Advancements in vehicle technology, particularly the rise of alternative fuel vehicles like
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), necessitate corresponding enhancements in parking
infrastructure. Within the City, existing BEV recharging stations were found to be inside the
parking garage, with none outside. This has kept the availability of recharging stations lower
than in peer cities with only 1.56 stations per 1,000 residents as compared to the peer
cities' average of 4. As BEV ownership continues to grow among residents, the availability of
recharging stations must also keep pace. Currently, the study area is home to 7,045
residents, with an additional 10,000 more expected. To reach the same density of
recharging stations, the study area must add at least 40 new recharging stations.
Furthermore, the stations must be distributed all over the study area, including a few at
those locations with disabled parking. Coupled with a parking fee in Zone 1, this is likely to
incentivize new users who might not be traveling Downtown for fear of not being able to
recharge their vehicles and becoming an economic multiplier.
6.2.2 Long Term Parking Fee
The current fee structure of the City's parking garage is$1 per hour from the third hour of
parking, with a daily maximum of $10. In this way, vehicles parked between 12 and 24 hours
do not pay more than $10. Such a fee structure should be revised so that people who park
for longer hours pay more. It was shown from the garage parking data that users who use
the garage for longer than a full day (or 12 hours) pay an average of$11 per transaction
(which is higher than the daily cap of $10 since they park for multiple days). However, those
parking less than a full day pay $2.50 per transaction on average. This shows that the user
does not pay a "premium" for parking their vehicles overnight (or even multiple days) despite
getting the added protection of a gated parking structure overnight. Therefore, a premium
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category for parking overnight in the garage can be introduced with a premium parking rate
which is higher than the daily maximum amount.
This adjustment would more accurately reflect the cost of monitoring the garage overnight
and is likely to increase revenue.
6.2.3 Residents' Parking Passes
As Downtown Bakersfield evolves into a more residential and or mixed land-use area,
offering discounted parking rates in the garage for nearby residents can serve dual
purposes:
1. It frees up more on-street parking for visitors, enhancing accessibility and
convenience.
2. It opens a new revenue channel for the parking garage by encouraging resident
usage.
Peer cities analyzed in this study have implemented residents' parking programs, achieving
several key outcomes:
1. Park overnight where overnight parking was not allowed.
2. Ensure space for their vehicles on a long-term basis.
3. Removed "lack of enough parking" as a disincentive for people from moving into high-
density areas.
4. Created a method for collecting residential parking demand data for the
City/monitoring authority.
6.3 Parking Enforcement
If supply and demand of parking is one pillar on which the parking system rests, the other is
undoubtedly parking enforcement. The City uses time regulated parking for enforcement
purposes throughout the City. The study recognized 12 differently timed zones for parking in
the study area. Figure 34 shows the distribution of time regulation measured in minutes
across the study area.
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j � ry /
ppy� IrI Ipryl IryI V66k4lPg . �
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................. — . — —_. ......... ......
0 0.115 0.3 0.6 Miles w� �m�i TMM .ra uo ^Y vup4
Figure 34:Time Regulations in Bakersfield Study Area
Some field collected evidence also suggests that enforcement of parking in the study area
was lax and vehicles frequently parked in restricted areas or exceeded the designated time
limits. Therefore, the following practices are recommended:
6.3.1 Telescopic Parking
Using a model currently in place in Sacramento and soon to be implemented in Pasadena,
the enforcement of parking can be greatly simplified in areas with paid on-street parking.
Independent of comments made in this subsection, this study has suggested that on-street
parking be made chargeable in Zone 1. Telescopic parking refers to the principle of allowing
users of a parking slot to park for as long as they want but charging them a fee structure
that reflects the number of hours they have parked. In this system, all on-street paid parking
areas are divided into "parking regimes". For example, a "1+" regime refers to areas where
parking fees do not begin to escalate until the second hour or a "3+" regime refers to areas
where parking fees don't begin to escalate until the fourth hour. Fees continue to increase
until reaching a predetermined daily maximum. Sacramento utilizes four such regimes: 1+,
2+, 3+ and 4+. Telescopic parking has the following advantages:
1. Eliminating the need to enforce timed parking, as fees compensate for extended parking
durations.
2. Generating increased revenue through exponential price increases after the base time of
each regime.
3. Encouraging garage parking by making extended on-street parking more costly.
4. Allowing users to "park once and forget", reducing concerns over parking tickets and
encouraging longer stays in the area.
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The City may decide on how many regimes to create and what the fee escalation structure in
each would be. Figure 35 shows an example of the four-regime structure in Sacramento13.
CAN,
�;M q,J141& W!ugtW4 mYk iNMW41:bti."i@IiWIf Gd Nfn 9NrPU@�91h #u 'NA4bi+M1'%'WM d'+nY lO��! dII JWtlUR,U Willk "WWII NWNI'WVIWf.P
"MU 1041 M.UrFNIb<iWqyrt,euw W 'N"Mi 4;N YtibPofi! '"!kM AW i^N ugWWN!W/gllA# 1l Iq kdYW14Ni�AMk M MP MiICAd A,
Figure 35:Telescopic Parking Regimes in Sacramento
6.3.2 Reduction in Enforcement Zone/Parking Security
The analysis indicates that parking constraints are primarily confined to Zone 2, where
parking demand exceeds supply. Outside of Zone 2, there's a surplus of parking availability.
Therefore, the City can focus on enforcement efforts only for spaces inside Zone 2. Such a
change will have a positive impact on building trust between enforcement and create a
sense of greater security, especially in areas where on-street paid parking will be introduced.
Further, using technology to change focus from parking enforcement to parking security
might also help in fostering a relationship where users feel secure in parking their vehicle
away from their destination. This could encourage a better spread of parking demand and
reduce the progression of "Urgent" parking hotspots.
6.4 Parking Demand Management
6.4.1 Continuous Parking Data Collection Plan
Using the principle of "what gets measured gets better", the City must institute a continuous
parking data collection plan. Incorporating technology, such as license plate reading devices
and radar-enabled spaces, will facilitate the monitoring of parking frequency and duration on
road segments. This approach enables the City to stay informed about the evolving dynamics
of parking usage and allows for the adjustment of policies, including parking fees, to better
align with current demand and usage patterns.
6.4.2 Use of Phone Applications
Information gathered during this study suggests that the City parking garage collects nearly
all revenue through card transactions. However, the use of mobile device applications has
become widespread in tracking and charging for parking. Among the peer cities, two phone
applications were found to be popular: ParkMobile and Passport. The City must investigate
the use of at least one such application for tracking demand and collecting revenue. Such a
system has the following advantages:
13 For more details, refer to:https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Public-Works/Parking/SacPark-
Tiered-Pricing-Sheet.pdf?la=en
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1. Unified Data Collection: Automatically creates a uniform data collection platform through
the study area.
2. Information Dissemination: Users can know the cost of parking before leaving their
homes. They can also know where parking slots are available for them.
3. Ease of Collection: Collection of fee becomes subsumed into the application, and this
creates positive feedback loop.
4. Ease of Use: In some cases, users can find and pre-pay for parking before arriving at the
study area thereby reducing their need to drive around City streets in search of parking,
while also creating a positive experience of driving Downtown.
5. Change Management: The City can disseminate information about changes to parking for
special events, maintenance, etc.
6.4.3 Develop Alternative Modes of Transportation
This study shows that the City had the highest proportion of High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV)
trips among peer cities. However, it also had the lowest proportion of transit, bike, or
pedestrian trips. Any long-term parking solution must be accompanied by incentives to
increase the proportion of non-motorized trips. Further, any incentive that increases users
parking choice towards the garage, would mean more demand for walking spaces to/from
their destination. Potential initiatives to consider include:
1. Active Transportation Plan: A comprehensive walk and bike plan for the whole City so that
users can enter and exit the study area without needing a vehicle.
2. Dense Housing: Creating denser and more mixed-use development that increases the
demand base for businesses, while also reducing the distance between them
3. Incentives for Mode Shift: Creating incentives for users to move to the transit system.
4. Biking Infrastructure: Creating bike racks on sidewalks in areas with high demand. For
example, Pasadena has an on-demand bike rack installation program where citizens can
request a bike rack on public right-of-way.14 Figure 36 shows an example of one such
rack.
i4 More details are available at:https://www.cityofpasadena.net/transportation/transportation-improvements/bike-parking/
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t
�tr
Figure 36:Bike rack in public right of way in Pasadena,CA
Image Credits:https.yZwww.cityofpasadena.net/transportation/transportation-improvements/bike-parkin/
To incentivize long-term bike parking, especially for residents of the study area, bicycle cages
can also be constructed at appropriate locations.15
6.4.4 Special Events Handling
Discussions with officials from the City, highlighted concerns about parking congestion
during large events, especially around the Mechanics Bank Arena on Truxtun Avenue, which
can accommodate over 1,000 visitors. Despite having a large parking lot, patrons often opt
for street parking Outside of this being an issue with parking enforcement, the study
suggests the following remedies for future events:
1. Collaboration with Event Organizers: Frequent meetings with organizers of large events to
build a plan for handling parking.
2. Collaboration with Private Lot Owners: Identifying roads or privately held parking lots that
would act as spillover lots should the Arena's primary lot reach capacity.
3. Collaboration with Transit Agency: Incentivize patrons who choose to arrive using the
transit; coordinate with the transit agency to run special buses before and after the event
to take people to locations out of the study area where parking is not an issue.
4. Dedicated Street Parking: For smaller events, like conferences, graduations, etc., the City
could institute an event parking system (which can be pushed through the mobile
parking application). In this case, the City could hypothecate streets where event
attendees could park their vehicles.
15 More details are at:https://cao-94612.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/documents/BicycleParking_Overview_July2008.Pdf
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5. Collaboration with Ride Sharing: Create incentives with ride-sharing companies so that
users see the value in using them versus driving their vehicles to venues; alternatively,
the City could formalize ways in which event organizers could run a paid valet service for
their events. An example of this can be found in Pasadena's ordinances.16
16 For details,see: htto://pasadena-ca.elaws.us/code/coor title12 ch12.14 sec12.14.060
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7. Conclusions
This study builds upon a previous analysis from 2018, offering deeper insights into the City's
parking dynamics and exploring policy adjustments informed by successful strategies in
Sacramento, Oakland and Pasadena.
Key takeaways from the peer comparison were:
1. All peer cities charged for on-street and garage parking; the City's rates were the lowest.
2. All peer cities had a higher density of EV charging stations.
3. Cities were interested in creating a pay-as-much-as-you-use system where parking fee
was tied to the length of parking and not dictated by a static time limit.
4. All cities had a residents' parking program which allowed residents of densely built
neighborhoods to safely park their vehicles overnight.
5. The use of transit and bikes (often in tandem) reduced the need for parking in the
present and the future.
6. All peer cities used mobile-based applications to monitor demand and generate revenue.
7. Cities had policies to subsidize parking for users who earned below a threshold.
Study Findings:
The report indicates that under existing conditions, parking supply is more than adequate for
the demand. Further, that few road segments in Zone 1 are stressed for parking demand so
that in the short-term, providing incentives for users to park further from their destinations
and walking to them could alleviate the issue by redistributing the demand within the same
space.
Looking ahead, the anticipated influx of approximately 10,000 new residents in the study
area, as well as the introduction of the HSR facility, on-street parking demand is projected to
surpass supply between 2030 to 2045. If the growth is lower than expected, then current
supply might be able to meet demand by 2045. However, new demand will
disproportionately affect Downtown Bakersfield, or Zone 3A. OTK, or Zone 3B demand is
unlikely to exceed supply under any condition of growth even by 2045. Creating incentives to
redistribute growth more evenly such that demand for new parking might also be spread out
more could reduce the stress on one neighborhood, versus another. Under expected
conditions of growth, 732 new parking slots will be needed by 2045. The current parking
garage is also expected to run out of capacity by 2030 if all new developments and the HSR
facility are built. Under expected conditions of growth, 266 new parking slots will be needed
in the garage by 2030 and 334 new slots by 2045.
Recommendations:
Section 6 of this report provides in detail, a discussion about the policies which must be
implemented to better manage parking in the study area. Table 6 provides a summary of the
same.
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Table 11:Summary of policy and practices.
Suggested Policy
Parking Fees Introduction of parking fees at least at par with the parking garage
with Zone 1
Parking Fees Restrict street parking for up to at least one block around the
parking garage. Dedicate all street parking in this area to ride-share
pick-ups/drop-offs, loading/unloading of freight and emergency
vehicle use only.
Parking Fees Increase garage parking fee to $1.25 per hour for a maximum of
$12.50 per day to align with inflation.
Parking City must add at least 40 more electric vehicle parking slots enabled
Equitywith recharging facilities to be at par with the density of charging
stations in peer cities
Parking Introduce a premium parking rate category for longterm garage
Equityparking to reflect the true cost of providing extended parking
services.
Parking Establish a Residents Parking Pass program offering reduced rates
Equityfor overnight parking in the garage.
Parking Reconsider time-base parking to telescopic parking with three
Enforcement parking regimes, each with their escalating fee structures capped at
a maximum amount. (Suggested maximum hourly cap is $3.75)
Parking Enforce parking in Zone 2 only.
Enforcement
Parking Consider shifting focus from parking enforcement to parking security.
Enforcement
Parking Develop a continuous parking data collection plan.
Demand
Management
Parking Contract with a mobile phone-based application system for
Demand managing parking demand and collecting parking fees.
Management
Parking Collaborate with all interested parties to encourage alternative
Demand modes of transport like HOV trips, pedestrian trips, ride-sharing
Management services, bike trips and transit.
Parking Regularly communicate with organizers of special events to plan for
Demand big events. Strategies could include providing high-frequency buses
Managementto/from the event venue, shuttles to/from parking lots (both public
and private), event passes.
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Appendix A
Peer Comparison Memo
A-1
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Appendix B
Future Parking Methodology Memo
B-1
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