South Grand Parking Study
August 16, 2001

6:00 Introductions

6:05 Review of Agenda - anything to add?

6:10 Review of Minutes from August 2, 2001

6:20 Role of Harris-Stowe Intern, Nolan Rogers

6:30 Review & Discuss DRAFT RFP
Questions that need to be answered:

• How often & at what point(s) during the study does the committee want to meet with the consultant?
• How will we organize volunteer data collection?
• How will communication with the consultant work?
• How will the steering committee participate in the selection of the consultant?

7:10 Next meeting

7:15 Adjourn

Meeting opened by Emily Andrews SLACO

Self-introductions around room, in attendance were:
Fran Fanara, Commerce Bank
Alderwoman Jennifer Florida, 15th Ward
Dave Drebes, Tower Grove East
Brian Marston, Tower Grove South
Mark Abbott, Tower Grove South
Nolan Rogers, Harris Stowe Intern
Patrick Moore, Tower Grove East
Dave McCreery, S. Grand Business District
Michelle Taylor, Commercial District Manager
Ray Lai, St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency
Alderman Ken Ortmann, 9th Ward
Joe Ogier, Tower Grove Heights & SLACO Board Member
Emily Andrews, SLACO

Mark Abbott introduced Nolan Rogers, a senior in Harris-Stowe's Urban Education Program. Mark is a professor at Harris-Stowe and Nolan's supervisor for his internship. Mark sees Nolan's internship including the following:

1. Data collection: an accurate count of current parking spots (in lots, on the street, at meters along Grand)
2. Parking absorption rates
3. Survey, which would include interviews with business owners, patrons, residents, etc.
4. An internet search of other studies
5. A 5-7 page report of results for the steering committee and the consultants use.

Michelle Taylor - a Washington University class might be interested in helping out by participating and putting together an Arcview database project.

The steering committee discussed other data collection and survey possibilities.

Ray Lai - we'll need at least 10 volunteers to collect data, conduct surveys, etc. Nolan and a Washington University class will be excellent resources.

Ken Ortmann - asked if we could get a copy of the map of S. Grand to keep at Commerce Bank, so we can refer to it during meetings.

Ray -- passed out copies of a ROUGH DRAFT Request for Proposals (RFP). The elements the steering committee has discussed have been included, and there is room for more details. The scope of services is fairly open to allow for the consultant to show us their creativity and their approach.

Ray - we don't need to wait for the consultants for the following:

• detailed inventory of existing land use
• inventory of existing parking spaces
• existing patterns (no left turns, one-way streets, etc.)
• number of lanes

The committee looked over the rough draft of the RFP and shared comments:

Michelle - make sure that scope of services examines parking demand for future and changing uses.

Dave Drebes - make sure that we ask for parking solutions.

Brian Marston - should include an assessment of peak usage of current parking spaces.

Dave McCreery - make sure that we look at the present uses, the projects in process, the proposed projects, and the probable/possible projects.

Joe Ogier - categorize the businesses on S. Grand into service, restaurant, retail and office space and determine the parking needs for each.

Jennifer Florida - we can use the land use inventory from the CID (Community Improvement District) proposal.

Patrick Moore - the University City parking study failed to analyze traffic patterns and flows. We want to make sure to include that information.

Joe - consultants should include the structure of their process in the proposal.

Brian - in the background section of the RFP, we should include the fact that S. Grand is an important mass transit corridor, that TGH is a pending Historic District, that TGE is eligible, and that we value the unique architecture of the area.

Jennifer - thought that we established a bias within the parking study at a previous meeting: that we value our historic architecture.

Discussion of architectural value continued, steering committee agreed that a sentence should be added to the background section of the RFP to convey this.

Michelle gave an update on the proposed Bread Company expansion: City Property purchased the building at 3538 Arsenal. The revised plan is to demolish the 3538 Arsenal and 3541 Hartford (rather than 3541 & 3539 Hartford) for expanded parking. Mark - gave Nolan a homework assignment to count existing parking spots along S. Grand (in lots, at meters). Ray will provide a base map for Nolan to use.

Steering Committee should look over RFP in detail and get any comments to Emily by 5 PM Friday, August 24, 2001.

At next meeting, steering committee will discuss how often and at what point(s) we want to meet with the consultant (this will be included in the RFP).

NEXT MEETING:
Thursday, September 6th
6:00 pm
Commerce Bank