South Grand Parking Study
August 2, 2001

6:30 Introductions

6:35 Review of Minutes from July 12, 2001

6:45 Review of Agenda - anything to add?

6:50 Update on Press Stuff

7:00 Prospect of an intern from Harris-Stowe

7:10 RFP - What next?

7:40 Soliciting input for the RFP

7:55 Next meeting

8:00 Adjourn

Meeting opened by Emily Andrews SLACO

Self-introductions around room, in attendance were:
Don Roe, St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency
Fran Fanara, Commerce Bank
Patrick Moore Tower Grove East
Brian Marston, Tower Grove South
Carole Jerome Tower Grove East
Paul Stefanski, Tower Grove South
Dave McCreery S. Grand Business District
Michelle Taylor Commercial District Manager
Ray Lai, St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency
Alderman Ken Ortmann 9th Ward
Jim Merkel, Suburban Journals
Emily Andrews, SLACO

Don Roe introduced Ray Lai with the St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency. Ray will attend meetings and help us get the Request for Proposals (RFP) out. He will also ensure that we get the best study possible from whatever consultants we hire.

Emily Andrews gave a few updates:

• The last two meetings' minutes were distributed on the Tower Grove listserve. She received a number of positive responses.
• www.south-grand.com has posted the minutes under "news"
• Robert Kelly from the South Post e-mailed expressing an interest in covering the process
• im Merkel (Suburban Journals) called for an interview
• The Carpenter Branch Library has a binder behind the desk of parking studies that St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency gave to the committee.
• Carole Jerome had much success in finding parking studies at www.google.com (a search engine -- type in "Parking Studies").

Steering Committee revisited the press issue. All agreed that Emily would remain the press contact, and if approached by the press, all members should represent the committee.

Discussion about an intern from Harris-Stowe being available to help with data collection and fact finding for the study. All were excited of the prospect of an intern. Mark Abbot, steering committee member and professor at Harris-Stowe, will fill us in with details later.

Ray reiterated his job: to help us put together and execute the RFP, to make sure consultants do as required. He provided the committee with a map of the South Grand area so we could determine a study area, and suggested that we use volunteers for data collection to defray the costs of the study.

Ray passed out copies of an RFP from Seattle and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from St. Louis. The Seattle RFP offered $80,000 (we only have $16,000), but was more complicated and covered a large, waterfront area in Seattle.

The components of an RFP are:

1. Background: requirements, criteria for selection, dollar amount, schedule, etc.
2. Scope of work
3. Advertise for consultants & wait for responses
4. Interview prospective consultants
5. Select consultant
6. Implement the RFP

Ray - there are many local firms who could do this. The Planning & Urban Design Agency has a list of 30 or 40 consultants. Working with a local firm would be less expensive because we wouldn't have to pay their transportation costs.

Ray - the committee should begin thinking about how many times and at what points during the study we'd like to meet with the consultants. For example, at the beginning of data collection? At the end of the study? Etc.

Discussion of data collection:

• Among other things, it will include # of public & private parking spaces, # of handicap spaces, weekday vs. weekend & day vs. evening use of business district and spaces
• Consultant will coordinate research, telling us what they want, providing survey tools, forms, etc.
• There are different models for data collection - we'll find one that best suits S. Grand
• We must take into consideration residential units on the street - between neighborhood associations & business districts much of this data has already been collected
• Will include how far employees, residents, customers & visitors are willing to walk
• Must forecast potential growth and changes in the business district

Ray - these regulations (i.e. spaces per building use) are an old ordinance

Paul - is this a realistic explanation for our situation? Can we really take the # generated by the formula as verbatim?

Michelle Taylor - we'll have to find the scenario that best fits the district.

Ray - the consultants will have to look at zoning regulations vs. the current parking situation and distribution of spaces, etc.

Fran Fanara - consultant should give us their recommendation of what should happen in a perfect world. Then we can evaluate their recommendations given our parameters, biases and future needs.

Paul - results should benefit all, should be a win-win result. We must also consider one-way streets, how closing off streets limits access and creates more traffic in other places. We must look at traffic patterns in general.

Patrick Moore - four things that need to be done:

1. Gather existing data and information
2. Look at parking characteristics & turnover
3. Analyze parking demand & need
4. Project future needs and be sensitive to neighborhood needs

Brian - there may be firms willing to take on this project at a reduced rate.

Paul - we should be sure to involve developers to make sure we know their thoughts and plans. Many developers use parking to determine potential for success.

Dave McCreery - green space & landscaping are important elements

Discussion on boundaries for the study. Decision: Crittenden to McDonald, Arkansas to Spring (both sides of street).

Ray will have a draft of the RFP at the next meeting.

At next meeting, the committee will discuss how many meetings we want with the consultant hired and at what point in the study we want those meetings.

NEXT MEETING:
Thursday, August 16th
6:00 pm (PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE!)
Commerce Bank