HomeMy WebLinkAboutX-C-02 Downtown Parking Report
To: Mayor Fasbender and Hastings City Council
From: Lindsey Duggan, Community Development Intern
Date: August 19, 2024
Item: Downtown Parking Analysis
City Council
Memorandum
COMMISSION ACTION REQUESTED
Staff will present an analysis of existing Downtown Parking conditions at the meeting for review
and discussion.
BACKGROUND
Purpose
The parking analysis was conducted to determine the following:
An updated inventory of available public and private parking.
Parking usage during various time periods and days of the week.
Areas of higher concentration of use.
Recent development’s effect on parking utilization.
Changes in utilization and to the study area since previous downtown parking studies
conducted in 2017, 2021, and 2023.
Study Area
The research area is a span of 20 blocks, with the Mississippi River to the north, the Canadian
Pacific Railroad to the east, 5th Street to the south, and Eddy Street to the west, while including
the relatively new Confluence Hotel parking lot.
Please see Figure 1: Study Area
Zoning
Within the Study area most commercial, residential, and mixed occupancy buildings are zoned
either C-3 (Community Regional Commerce), or DC (Downtown Core). Most single-family
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residential areas are zoned R-2 (Single Family Residential) while higher density residential areas
are zoned R-4 (High Density Residence) and RMU (Residential Mixed Use). This area also
includes a small area zoned as I-1 (Industrial).
Please see Figure 2: Zoning Districts
History
Similar parking studies have been executed in previous years. In 2017, John Hinzman the
Community Development Director completed a research study, and it concluded that the
downtown parking supply has not reached saturation to a point where no parking is available.
Grady Timmerman and Madelyn Swanson, previous community development interns,
completed two more studies in 2021 and in 2023 and their findings provided evidence that led
them to the same conclusions.
Prior research revealed underutilization of parking, or that parking is frequently accessible and
often open, except in very few specific locations downtown. According to the study's findings,
parking seemed to be available in Downtown Hastings during both peak and regular hours.
Downtown parking has not been used to its full potential. Additionally, it was determined that
existing buildings can be transformed into bars, taverns, and restaurants without significantly
straining the available parking spaces.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Parking Supply
There are 1,558 parking spaces withing the study area. This includes on and off-street parking as
well as parking lots but excludes residential driveway spaces. The public parking supply is 1,012
spaces, and the private parking supply is 546 spaces.
Please see Figure 3: Existing Parking Supply
Since 2023 the study area has been redesigned in a few ways:
Added parking spaces to study area: (128 Spaces total)
o Caring Hands Massage – 5th & Vermillion: 7 Spaces
o 5th – Vermillion to Sibley: 14 Spaces
o Confluence – Front Lot – 2nd Street: 4 Spaces
o Artspace Parking Lot: 58 Spaces
o Lake Isabel Flats Parking: 45 Spaces
Removed Parking Spaces from study area: (Total 26)
o Alley – N of Country Nites: 7 Spaces
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o West Side Vermillion – 3rd to 2nd: 8 Spaces
o 4th – Bailly to Tyler: 11 Spaces
Existing Land Use
The study area includes a variety of land uses common to a historic downtown, such as
warehouse and office space, restaurants, retail, residential, and industrial. These uses are often
mixed within the same buildings. Many downtown buildings rely on on-street parking and
adjacent public lots to accommodate the needs of their customers, residents, and employees
rather than having separate off-street parking spaces.
This area contains approximately 536,165 square feet of commercial space and 255 apartment
units. The is about 870,956 Square Feet in total. Specific land uses are as follows: (Please see
figure 4: Land uses and intensity in a block-by-block breakdown)
Downtown Land Uses
Office & Events 187,663 sq ft
Retail & Service 126,332 sq ft
Restaurant & Bar 61,195 sq ft
Warehouse 186,847 sq ft
Apartment 255 Units
Provided Parking & Requirements
The City of Hastings has certain parking requirements under the City Code Chapter 155.09-
Appendix B: Required Number of Spaces. The ordinance outlines the amount of spaces needed
per square feet of a certain land use. A simplified version includes:
Use Units/s. f. In Study
Area
Parking
Requirements
Required Parking
Residential 255 2 spaces per Unit 510
Retail 126,332 1 space per 200 s.f. 632
Office/Event 187,663 1 space per 300 s.f. 626
Restaurant 61,195 1 space per 50 s.f. 1224
Warehouse 186,847 1 space per 1000 s.f. 186
The total required parking for the study area is 3,178 parking spaces while we only provide
1,558 parking spaces. This shows that about 49% of the required parking is provided.
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PARKING UTILIZATION
Methodology
Parking occupancy was surveyed 17 times between May 13th and August 6th to determine
utilization. Surveys were conducted during various time periods and days of the week as
follows:
Time Period # of Surveys Average Parking %
Weekdays (M-F) BEFORE 12pm 7 505.2 32%
Weekdays (M-F) AFTER 12pm 8 532.5 34%
Weekends 2 514.5 33%
Overall Parking Utilization
Figure 5 identifies the average parking utilization during all surveys conducted. Overall
parking utilization provides a basis for determining instances of higher demand of certain
parking areas. Areas where parking utilization was 50% or above were concentrated along 2nd
Street and the adjoining parking streets and parking lots within one block of 2nd Street and
include:
o 4th – Verm to Sibley
o 2nd – Eddy to Verm
o Parking Lot Under the Bridge
Overall Parking Utlization
700
594
600 571 579
505 524 515 515 535 551 535 544
500 482 491 488 481 450 465
400
300
200
100
0
Dates & Times
# of
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o American Legion South
o Block 3 – Levee Park Main
o Sibley – North of 2nd
o 2nd – Verm to Sibley
o 2nd – Sibley to Ramsey
o Ramsey – North of 2nd
o Tyler – 2nd to 1st
o Ramsey – 2nd to 3rd
o Olivers Grove South
o Sibley – 2nd to 3rd
o City Hall Parking Lot
Parking Utilization on Weekdays (M-F) Before 12pm
Figure 6 shows the average parking utilization on weekdays before 12pm. Higher concentrations
of parking (50% and above) were found in the following areas:
o Parking Lot Under the Bridge
o Block 3 – Levee Park Main
o Sibley – North of 2nd
o Ramsey – North of 2nd
o Ramsey – 2nd to 3rd
o Olivers Grove South
o Sibley – 2nd to 3rd
o 3rd – Sibley to Ramsey
o City Hall Parking Lot
o Mississippi Terrace
Parking Utilization on Weekdays (M-F) After 12pm
Figure 7 identifies the average parking utilization on weekdays after 12pm. Higher
concentrations of parking (50% and above) were found in the following areas:
o 4th – Verm to Sibley
o 2nd – Eddy to Verm
o Parking Lot Under the Bridge
o American Legion South
o Block 3 – Levee Park Main
o Sibley – North of 2nd
o 2nd – Verm to Sibley
o 2nd – Sibley to Ramsey
o Ramsey – 2nd to 3rd
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o Olivers Grove South
o Sibley – 2nd to 3rd
o City Hall Parking Lot
Parking Utilization on Weekends
Overall parking utilization on the weekends is most comparable to weekdays after 12pm. The
weekend utilization has an average of 33% of spaces being full while weekdays after 12pm have
a 34% average. Weekends appear to have some similar places with higher concentrations, but
there are also some distinct areas with higher and lower concentrations, including: (Please see
figure 8: Weekend Utilization)
Areas With Higher Weekend Utilization
o 4th – Verm to Sibley
o Downtown Tire and Auto
o Confluence – Lower Deck
o 2nd – Eddy to Verm
o Parking Lot Under Bridge
o Block 3 – Levee Park Main
o Block 3 Alley
o Sibley – North of 2nd
o 2nd – Verm to Sibley
o Sibley – 2nd to 3rd
o East Side Verm – 2nd to 3rd
Areas With Lower Weekend Utilization
o 4th – Verm to Eddy
o EDS Dental (Former Wells Fargo) 4th & Verm
o 5th – Verm to Eddy
o Eddy – 5th to 4th
o EDS (Former Wells Fargo) – Eddy
o Parking Lots – NE 4th & Eddy
o Health Solutions Center
o 3rd Street – Tyler to Ramsey
o 220 Ramsey St
o Police & Building Parking Lot
o Century Link
o Carlson Financial
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Utilization of Popular Downtown Parking Areas
Parking utilization of the top 10 most popular downtown parking areas are as follows:
PARKING AREA
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12
P
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AV
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%
#1 Sibley Street North of
2nd 7 8 5.6 5.4 6.5 80%
#2 Parking Lot Under TH
61 Bridge 43 41 30.6 33.5 36 72%
#3 City Hall Parking Lot 62 55 46.9 47 29.5 75%
#4 Block 3- Levee Park
Main 108 86 73.9 75.9 73 69%
#5 4th – Vermillion to
Sibley 15 15 9.9 9.5 11.5 66%
#6 Sibley Street – 2nd to
3rd 17 17 11 10.8 15.5 64%
#7 2nd – Vermillion to
Sibley 20 20 12 15 14.5 60%
#8 2nd – Eddy to vermillion 18 17 10.5 11.8 12 59%
#9 Confluence Ramp –
Lower Deck 34 20 9.5 10.2 19 32%
#10 Red Rock Parking Lot 100 43 32.6 30.9 20 30%
Please see figure 9: Popular Downtown Parking Areas
ANALYSIS
2023 Versus 2024
From 2023 to 2024, the existing parking supply increased from 1,456 to 1,558 parking spaces.
Out of the new parking space total 1,012 of those parking spaces are public and 546 are private.
The cause for this increase in parking supply is due to new developments and areas studied. In
2024, the overall average parking utilization was 32%, roughly equivalent to 519 parking spaces.
This is comparable to the 32.95% utilization reported in 2023, indicating that the average
number of utilized spaces has remained relatively stable. Additionally, the data reveals an
increase in downtown parking, with several lots showing utilization rates of 50% or more. The
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increase in available spaces over the past year has facilitated downtown parking growth while
keeping the overall average utilization consistent. In 2024, the category with the highest
utilization shifted from weekdays between 8 AM and 2 PM to weekdays (Monday through
Friday) after 12 PM. Overall, it is evident that many areas of the downtown parking supply
remain underutilized.
Effects of Recent Developments
Since the 2023 study, the area has undergone several revisions and redesigns, including the
construction of new developments such as the Lake Isabelle Flats. These changes have
influenced the supply, demand, and utilization of downtown parking. For instance, the updated
mapping eliminated parking spaces on 4th Street (Bailly to Tyler), West Side Vermillion (3rd to
2nd Street), and the Alley north of Country Nites, resulting in a loss of 26 spots.
In contrast, new parking areas were added, including Caring Hands Massage on 5th Street and
Vermillion, 5th Street (Vermillion to Sibley), the front lot at The Confluence on 2nd Street, the
recently constructed Artspace Parking Lot, the gravel lot just north of Artspace, and the parking
lot at the Lake Isabelle Flats.
In 2023, the number of parking spaces was reduced from 1,500 to 1,465 due to residential and
commercial expansion. Despite this reduction, the parking data remains close to the 2021
figures, indicating continued underutilization. The revised route introduced 128 new parking
spaces, 114 of which are private and 14 are public, bringing the total to 1,558 spaces in 2024.
Currently, about 68% of these spaces are still underutilized.
The newly constructed Lake Isabelle Flat’s impact on downtown’s parking demand and
utilization was analyzed and was found to have a minimal effect on the surrounding area as it
provided on-site parking for its tenants. This compares to the data collected in 2021 with the
newly constructed Artspace Lofts and its impact back then. The Artspace Loft’s only utilized 42%
of its spaces in 2021 and it has decreased to a 36% utilization in 2024. The Lake Isabell Flats
have similarly underutilized its parking with only a 12% use in average. Nonetheless, future
development projects that are presently being considered within the study region may benefit
from the data from these two significant developments. This is a crucial finding for developers
trying to navigate around the Downtown Core's mandate that each dwelling unit must have two
parking spaces.
2021 Versus 2023
From 2021 to 2023, the existing parking supply decreased from 1,500 to 1,456 spaces. This can
be contributed to new developments and redevelopments, like Lake Isabel Flats and Spiral Pizza,
removing parking spaces to contribute to residential and commercial expansion. These goals
align with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan to provide more high-density housing and expanding
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opportunities for businesses. 1,007 of those parking spaces are public and 420 are private. That
is a decrease of 62 public parking spaces and 11 private parking spaces. Average parking
utilization for all times and days of the week surveyed in 2021 was 31.3% or 469.5 spaces.
Compare that to 2023, which saw an average utilization rate of 32.95% and 470 spaces. The
highest utilized category switched from weekdays after 5pm in 2021 to weekdays from 8am-
2pm in 2023. Since the study conducted in 2021, the Confluence has built a private parking lot,
Spiral Pizza has removed its Vermillion Street parking in favor of outdoor dining space and Lake
Isabel Flats removed the public parking spots from the former UBC lots. All of which have had
an impact on downtown’s parking supply, demand, and utilization. (Madelyn Swanson, 2023)
2017 Versus 2021
From 2017 to 2021, the existing parking supply increased from 1,378 to 1,500 available parking
spaces. 1,069 of those parking spaces are public and 431 are private. That is an increase of 84
public parking spaces and 38 private parking spaces. Average parking utilization for all times and
days of the week surveyed in 2021 was 31.3% or 469.5 spaces. Compare that to 2017 which saw
an average utilization rate of 28.9% and 398.6 spaces. That equates to about a 17.8% increase
during that 4-year time period. The data also found an increase in the number of areas that
exceeded the 75% utilization threshold. This is especially true in the 4-block area bounded to
the west by Highway 61, to the south by 3rd Street, to the east by Ramsey Street, and to the
north by Levee Park. With as many as five locations within that area surpassing the threshold
compared to only one in 2017. The highest utilized category also switched from weekdays 9am
to 5pm in 2017 to weekdays after 5pm in 2021. Since the study conducted in 2017, a parking
ramp has been constructed, parklets have been installed, Artspace Lofts was completed, Levee
Park improvements were made, and Confluence continued its redevelopment of Hudson
Manufacturing. All of which have had an impact on downtown’s parking supply, demand, and
utilization. (Grady Timmerman, 2021)
PROXIMITY OF PARKING TO STOREFRONTS
Downtown Vs. Wal-Mart
Figure 10 overlays Wal-Mart Hastings and its related parking onto the downtown area to show
the proximity of parking to storefronts. The distance between Wal-Mart parking and areas
within the store are comparable to a one or two block walk within the downtown area. Most
individuals tolerate the Wal-Mart distance to parking without question.
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City of Hastings Downtown Parking Study
Figure 1: Study Area
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Zoning Districts
C-3
DC
I-1
R-2
RMU
R-4
Figure 2: Zoning Districts
References = Zoning Map & Previous Maps from John Hinzman and Grady Zimmerman
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62
12
108
6
16
7
9
4
4
4
18 20 35 36
100
7
11 18 18
13 15 14 16
22
8 7
14
20 14
Figure 3: Existing Parking Supply
6 2 58
19
13
8 1
12
3
8 13
14 14
References = Study Area Map created by John Hinzman & Previous existing parking maps created
60
8
14
12
100
23
16
41
Total Parking = 1,558 Spaces
Private = 546
Public = 1012
16
16
20
16
45
20
18
6
21 20
17
15
70
43
19 12
24
20
15
10
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Land Use
Restaurant & Bar
Residential
Retail & Service
Warehouse
Office & Event
Figure 4: Land Use & Intensity
References = Dakota County GIS & previous land use map from Grady Z.
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References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from
Figure 5: Existing Overall Parking Utilization
References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from J.H. and G.Z.
Utilization of Parking Spaces
0 – 25% Utilization
25 – 50% Utilization
50 – 75% Utilization
75 – 100% Utilization
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References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from
Figure 6: Existing Parking Utilization – Weekdays before 12pm
References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from J.H. and G.Z.
Utilization of Parking Spaces
0 – 25% Utilization
25 – 50% Utilization
50 – 75% Utilization
75 – 100% Utilization
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Utilization of Parking Spaces
0 – 25% Utilization
25 – 50% Utilization
50 – 75% Utilization
75 – 100% Utilization
Figure 7: Existing Parking Utilization – Weekdays after 12pm
References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from J.H. and G.Z.
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Utilization of Parking Spaces
0 – 25% Utilization
25 – 50% Utilization
50 – 75% Utilization
75 – 100% Utilization
Figure 8: Existing Parking Utilization - Weekends
References = Study Area Map from J. H. & Previously created maps from J.H. and G.Z.
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8 7
9
6
10
3
Figure 9: Popular Downtown Parking Areas
5
1
4
2
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Figure 10: Proximity to Parking – Downtown VS. Wal-Mart
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