City council meetings can be tedious to watch especially when the issue is pretty well split down the middle as it is with increasing the parking meter time limits to two hours on Broadway (from one hour). But that is democracy in action. Last night the city elders spent an hour hashing out the issues of space turn-over rates, pricing (B'way is CHEAP to park), doing a parking study and way-finding (that's traffic talk for having more intuitive signs). Ancillary issues like the decline of pure retail as a percent of the businesses, giving the off-B'way lots real addresses so GPS can locate them for out-of-towners, updating the Access Burlingame app, and the validity of a "poll" or petition that originates with one merchant on behalf of the BID also took up a substantial part of the slow-moving hour.
A few things are pretty clear. B'way has plenty of parking, it's just not all on the main street. What is not on the main street is even more plentiful and longer-term and people who need more than an hour can get it cheaply. I do that several times a week myself and can vouch for its availability. We are apparently going down the route of adding EV charging stations somewhere on B'way, but hopefully that will only be one or two spots for the special few. We also have not had a parking study done in more than 20 years on B'way and no one really knows how they are conducted these days or what would be learned for the $50K it costs (!!!). About 40 minutes in, Mayor Brownrigg finally asked the obvious question that I asked myself five minutes into the discussion: "How many parking tickets are issued on B'way and is that number up/down/same as it has been historically?" It would have been helpful to prep the BPD chief a week before so he could answer it during the meeting, but that critical question was left hanging.
In the end, the council decided to kick the can down the road. They directed staff to work with John Kevranian (of Nuts for Candy and the BID president, pictured below) on better signage, assigning addresses to the lots and whatever other improvements can be made without going to two hour limits. Council will revisit the issue in the spring after the holiday rush is over. So for now, the one-hour limits stay in place and if you need more you just slyly refeed the meter or park where you are supposed to (off-B'way).
P.S. Before the city spends $50K on a parking study, let's upgrade the chambers' video feed to HD, please.
There are good reasons to have longer term parking off the main street, allowing for greater turnover of the parking spaces in hopes of generating more customers for all Broadway businesses.
As it turns out (and unbeknownst to most of the residents and business owners in the area), Broadway has north of 250 parking spaces and something like 60% to 70% of them ARE two hours or longer.
Mr. Kevranian makes the point that people "want convenience" and he believes longer term parking on Broadway provides convenience. On the other hand, it may make it less convenient for those motorists who can't find a parking space while someone is spending a couple of hours nursing a coffee and playing around on their mobile device.
One might describe the current dynamic of 24, 60 and 120+ minute parking meters as fairly equitable.
Certainly signage may help guide those who wish to linger on Broadway to the extended time limit spaces off the street.
Parking Enforcement Officers (two of them anyway) suggested the two hour spaces on Broadway is not a wise idea.
A number of business owners are not in favor of the two hour proposal, either. Many customers who patronize my little establishment have been decidedly opposed to possibly having a slimmer chance of finding a nearby space.
We have found, by the way, the customers who come from the farthest distance (San Francisco, San Jose, Marin County, the East Bay) will find a parking space either on Broadway or in the nearby lot behind the AVR Realty office. They don't complain.
Those who often complain are people who live relatively close by and who find walking one block to be quite inconvenient.
Mr. Kevranian asked why Burlingame Avenue has two hour meters on its main street and Broadway doesn't. Broadway is about 75% as long from California Drive to El Camino as Burlingame Avenue. Burlingame Avenue's side streets (and Howard Avenue and Chapin Avenue) have far more businesses and restaurants as Broadway. There are far more window shopping opportunities on Burlingame Avenue than on Broadway.
Further, a few of Broadway's eating places are not open at lunch time. Keep in mind, too, parking is free after 6pm so evening parking is not impacted by changing the parking meters.
I'm not sure we need to spend money on a study. An accounting of parking meter revenue and traffic citations would give a bit of information on this.
(And it seems parking enforcement on Broadway may be less vigorous than in the Burlingame Avenue area.)
The Traffic, Safety and Parking Commission was seemingly lukewarm to the idea of changing the meters, with two commissioners initially saying they were not enthusiastic for the idea but if Broadway's business leaders say they need this change, then, well, okay. One commissioner advocated not having any time limits on meters (just what we need with SFO commuters already using various Burlingame locations as an airport parking lot). The chairman of the commission kept pointing out the significant percentage of two hour meters and he was quite opposed to changing the parking time limit.
So it may be kicking the can or perhaps we can put that can back on the shelf in the cupboard where it belongs?
Posted by: Gerald | October 17, 2018 at 07:03 PM
Conidering the amount of business' on Broadway, the parking spaces are relatively few.
Broadway, in every way, will never have the parking space needed/required, due to being "Smack Dab" in the center of "High Density" neighborhood.
Posted by: [email protected] | October 17, 2018 at 08:32 PM
City issues letter to shop owners. Please do not allow employees to park in front spaces reserved for customers. Shame those who violate the request.
At least, you should allow citizens to select their own time up to two hours in increments of 30 minutes. Your crazy if you don't at least make this change. Why would anyone risk getting a $40 ticket after they just spent $20 on a lunch or breakfast? People know they can get a nice lunch or breakfast on Burlingame Ave or San Mateo Downtown for the same price and not risk a ticket for going over on a one hour meter.
There seems to be way too much Government involved in this issue and it is beginning to concern me. You guys should just call Parking and demand they change the meters to two hours and leave those obsolete 24 minute meters as they are. Project complete.
Posted by: Sal Guh | October 25, 2018 at 06:27 PM
If you need an extra 5-6 Quarters, and have not added that to your Budget, you can get a special license at City Hall to put on your dashboard.
Posted by: Hollyroller | October 25, 2018 at 07:28 PM
We have 60, or so, meters which allow parking for one hour. We have 20-something meters allowing 24 minutes. These are on Broadway to encourage greater turnover for the convenience of motorists who need to stop in to one or two or three businesses on the street and get going.
We have 180, or so, meters allowing two hours or longer.
Would you agree, Sal, that there is a sufficient number of extended parking meters in the Broadway area?
Posted by: Gerald | October 26, 2018 at 08:38 AM
The current design is a "Cluster___K" to say the least. People get dizzy figuring out your meter mix. Simplify it for the sake of our sanity. I can calculate the theory of relativity faster than I can figure out your districts meter strategy. Keep the 24-minute meters but other than long-term 10 hour meters every other meter should be 2 hours with 30 minute increments.
Customers visiting Broadway Ave. are broken down into the following categories:
Quick pick up: less than 30 min--Customers on a mission, banking, cleaners, espresso, drop off Iphone for screen fix, buy few grocery items, sandwich to go, printer visit, banking, etc.
Service needs: 60 min plus--Nails, hair, spa, eye doctor, psychiatrist. doors, windows, etc.
Eat and shop: 60 min plus--40 minutes for eating and at least 30 minutes to shop at Walgreens, Weimax, PotPourri, Shoes, Ice Creme, candy.
Mobile Warriors: 60 min plus--Sit at coffee shop or diner and do business; eat and spend time on mobile devices Becoming very popular in our high-tech world.
Eat & run: 30 min to 60 min--Just eat at diner, sandwich, etc and go.
Long term diners or drinkers: 90 min plus--Business meetings or friends & family Rocca, Figero, Duo, Broadway Grill or Bonne Sante, Irish Bar, Pizza, Weimax tastings.
Shop only: 3o to 60 min--PotPourri, NutforCandy, Sutterfields, Grocery stores, Resale shops, rugs, Weimax, shoes.
In summary; I suspect I may have missed some but the way I see the parking is as follows:
Your policies put visitors at risk of receiving a $40 ticket? The clear majority will never return if they get a ticket.
Most spenders on the street would like to have the flexibility to make their own decision on how many quarter/hours they need. Under your current plan, there is more incentive to leave your street rather than stay.
Please give us the freedom. We will help increase your City and shop revenue and leave with a good feeling rather than feeling pressured when we visit your street.
Remember; The Slower You Shop, the More You Spend
P.S. Lyft, Uber, & Taxi drivers are beginning to stage off of Broadway as they wait for riders. They were occupying about four spots in front of Starbucks one day.
Posted by: liz weh | October 27, 2018 at 04:46 AM
liz, your comments are spot on!
Well said.
Thank you for your thoughtful piece.
Posted by: Coniq | October 30, 2018 at 07:43 AM
Joe, I couldn't agree with you more on upgrading the recorded videos of city counsel meetings. The videos are such poor quality that they would be more useful as audio-only with no video. Finding links to the materials presented during those meetings is near impossible.
Viewing the meetings and the presented materials is so difficult that it makes me wonder if the city council has made it difficult on purpose to discourage resident participation.
Posted by: Charles Magnuson | November 08, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Assault occured on Broadway Monday by homeless person. Woman others call Shirley assaulted a person in front of Royal Donuts. Supposedly she has done this before and the association manager is aware.
Posted by: Nick B. | November 06, 2019 at 09:52 AM
Used to call her Crazy Shirley. Heard she’d wait for the fire trucks to get called out of the station and then duck inside to see what she could pilfer...
Posted by: Knowitall | November 06, 2019 at 03:58 PM