AGENDA TITLE:
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Adopt a Resolution Directing the City Manager to Temporarily Increase the Time Limit from 90-Minute to 4-Hour Parking Without Penalty for the 2024 Winter Holiday at Parking Spaces in Downtown Lodi to Encourage Residents and Visitors to Visit and Buy from Local Retailers and Downtown Businesses (ED)
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MEETING DATE:
November 6, 2024
PREPARED BY:
Luis Aguilar, Economic Development Director
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution directing the City Manager to temporarily increase the time limit from 90-Minute to 4-Hour parking without penalty for the 2024 Winter Holiday at parking spaces in Downtown Lodi to encourage residents and visitors to visit and buy from local retailers and Downtown businesses.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2023, businesses located in the City’s Downtown expressed concerns about parking limits discouraging customers from doing their holiday shopping in the Downtown. Downtown merchants voiced their support for increasing the parking time limits within the Downtown during the winter holiday season. As a result, on December 6, 2023, the City Council authorized the reduction in parking restrictions within the Downtown district during the holiday shopping season.
The Downtown Lodi Business Alliance requested that the City increase parking time limits within the Downtown area during the upcoming holiday season again this year.
Studies indicate that for every $100 spent at local, small businesses, approximately $68 stays within the community and contributes to the local economy. Downtown retailers and restaurants are typically classified as local, small businesses. The City of Lodi realizes a financial benefit from the sales taxes generated by residents and visitors shopping and dining locally, including Downtown businesses.
The City of Lodi currently posts signs indicating a 90-minute time limit on street parking in the Downtown district. However, other nearby cities with active downtown retailers, including Sacramento, historically designated free, non-time constrained holiday parking zones to encourage residents and holiday visitors to shop, dine, and enjoy festivities. The City Council Strategic Vision prioritizes Downtown Lodi with the goal of realizing a lively mixed-use, walkable commercial Downtown district, as well as boosting both community revitalization and economic development.
To continue encouraging shopping local and increasing traffic for Downtown businesses during the peak holiday shopping season (defined as the day after Thanksgiving through December 25, 2024) staff requests that the City Council adopt a resolution reducing parking restrictions in the Downtown district to encourage residents and visitors to shop and dine locally, and buy from the Downtown businesses this peak holiday shopping season.
STRATEGIC VISION:
1A. Downtown: Community and Economic Development.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The potential loss of revenue from parking ticket issuance may be offset by reduced administrative costs of processing such tickets and enforcing parking time limits.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.
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Luis Aguilar
Economic Development Director
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Scott R. Carney
City Manager