ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and Interim Director of Public Works with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 26 of the CODE of the City of Peoria Regarding COMMERCIAL USES OF RIGHTS OF WAY.
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BACKGROUND: This request seeks to update the City’s existing commercial right-of-way use ordinance to expand from Sidewalk Cafés to also include Commercial Parklets - extensions of the sidewalk into a designated parking spot to provide additional usable space for an adjacent food service establishment or retail food market, similar to those that are common along Prospect Avenue in Peoria Heights and throughout the country.
City staff has received requests to evaluate the applicability of parklets in the City of Peoria. The Innovation Team spearheaded a parklet prototype on West Main in 2018, which was generally well received. This program is slightly different in that the proposed parklets will be associated with (and paid for by) a specific adjacent business. While there are many potential applications and alternatives the initial program is being proposed for commercial parklets to be associated with existing restaurants and retail food markets within the Heart of Peoria area on streets with marked parking spaces and speed limits of 30 miles per hour or less.
Per the requests made by Council at the First Reading, the proposed ordinance has been updated to include landscaping requirements similar to what was previously required for sidewalk cafes.
In addition to the proposed code changes, a draft application packet is attached for your reference. This packet has not been updated to reflect the changes made based on the First Reading but will be updated to reflect the final adopted code.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: It is proposed that the Sidewalk Café permits will continue to be issued at no charge. Commercial Parklet permit fees are recommended at $350.00 per parking space (maximum 2 spaces) for unmetered spaces and $1,450.00 per space (max 2) for metered spaces. These fees are commensurate with permit fees charged for other right-of-way uses and include the cost of wheel stops and flexible delineators that will be provided by the City to enhance the safety of the parklets. The higher fee for metered spaces also seeks to recoup lost revenue from meter fees and was calculated using the monthly meter hood rental fee used for other right-of-way permits.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Businesses in the City have expressed interest in these applications. Depending on the level of interest there may be issues with multiple business owners wanting Commercial Parklets in the same spaces, particularly where storefronts are closely spaced. Safety is always a concern as well. Safeguards such as locating parklets in appropriate speed zoned areas & providing wheel stops and delineators are incorporated.
Some residents have expressed interest in non-commercial parklets as a potential traffic calming application. While this is another application for parklets, it is the intent of this initial program rollout to begin with a more limited scope, with the option to expand the program further in the future once the proposed program has gained traction and lessons learned may be gleaned.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: Business owners in the Heart of Peoria will have an additional opportunity to provide expanded services to their customers and the City will have the opportunity to see increased vibrancy along City streets and pedestrian ways.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The existing Sidewalk Café Permit program will remain in effect and no Parklets will be allowed in the City.
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Grow Peoria
2. Financially Sound City
3. Beautiful Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Grow employers and jobs.
2. Keep taxes and fees competitive.
DEPARTMENT: Public Works