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City of Homer

Port / Harbor                                                Telephone        (907) 235-3160

4350 Homer Spit Road                        Fax                  (907) 235-3152

Homer, Alaska 99603-8005                E-mail             Port@ci.homer.ak.us

                                                            Web Site          http://port.ci.homer.ak.us

 

MEMORANDUM 04-57

 

TO:                              Mayor Cushing and Homer City Council

 

THRU:             Walt Wrede, City Manager

 

FROM:                        Port and Harbor Advisory Commission

                                    Port and Harbor Director

 

DATE:                                    April 6, 2004

 

RE:                              Parking Issues on the Spit

 

After discussing the Spit parking problems at length over a series of meetings and work sessions, the Port and Harbor Advisory Commission decided at its March 24, 2004 meeting to make the recommendations that are listed below.  The Commission requests that these recommendations be implemented for the 2004 season if there is adequate time and available budget to do so.  The Commission realizes that no City department has included the costs of implementation of parking recommendations in its 2004 budget.  The total costs for iron ranger collection boxes, parking meters, signage, better delineation of parking lots with timber pilings or logs, etc.  have not been estimated but could be considerable and the associated labor costs for whichever department is assigned these tasks would also be significant.

 

Listing of Spit Parking Recommendations:

 

1.                  Construct (painting, appropriate signage, etc.) pedestrian crosswalks across Spit Road at Ramps 1, 2, 3, the Fishin’ Hole and Mariner Park.  (This recommendation is requested to be sent  to the Road Standards Committee for their review.)

 

2.                  Seafarers Memorial Parking Lot.    Recommend for 12 hour, revenue parking with Iron Ranger collection box             installed and appropriate signage.  Ten “free parking” short term spaces to be laid out closest to the Memorial however.  Parking permits allowed here.

 

            3.         Ramps to Harbor Floats.  Recommended free parking, with appropriate signage,                             with 2 handicap spaces closest to the ramp’s pier access then two 30-minute                                    spaces, with the rest of the spaces signed for 2-hour parking.  No                                                        permits/sticker parking allowed here (except for vendors/repair firms who can                                    apply for special passes at the parking office.)

           

 

 

 

 

RE:                  Parking Issues on Spit

Page:              Page 2 of 2

 

 

            4.         Steel Grid.    Recommended for free parking, 2 spaces closest to the grid to be                                signed for “grid use,” rest of spaces limited to 2-hour parking.  No permits/sticker                              parking allowed here.

 

5.                  Salty Dawg Lot and South side of Harbor Office Customer Lot.   Recommended for revenue parking with “iron ranger” collection box, $5/day rate (premium lot), no permit/sticker parking allowed here.

 

6.                  North side of Harbor Office Customer Lot.   Recommended for free short term parking with the 2 spaces closest to Harbormasters Office to be 15-minute parking, then spaces designated 30-minute parking or 1-hour parking as appropriate.  No permit/sticker parking allowed here.

 

7.                  Lots 16 & 17, (North of Morphius Boardwalk).     Recommended for revenue parking, iron ranger collection box, 12-hour limit, fee of $3.  No permit/sticker parking allowed here.

 

8.                  Lots 13, 14, 15 and southern half of 12A.   This area extends from a point roughly halfway between ramps 3 and 4 to a point roughly halfway between ramps 4 and 5.  Recommended for revenue parking with iron ranger collection boxes, fee of $3, 24-hour parking.  Parking permits/stickers to be allowed here.

 

9.                  Meter Parking.   Recommend installation of parking meters to regulate parking (with 3-hour time limit) in the diagonal parking spots west side of Spit Road (between ramps 1 and 3) and in the combination of diagonal and parallel-parking spots east of Spit Road between ramps 1 and 3.

 

10.             Remainder of parking areas/lots recommended free parking, hoping to result in more usage of the northern portion of Lot 12A and the parking lots on east (industrial) side of harbor basin.

           

            11.       General:   The “season” to be defined as May 15 to September 15.  Permits                          (parking stickers) to be sold at recommended rate of $30 for the season, $15 for                              one month and to be valid only in designated lots.  Recreational Vehicles (RV’s)                           under 25’ length to be accepted in Lots 12A through 17 and in Seafarers                                                Memorial Lot.  Longer RV’s to be parked on east side of harbor basin (but                                            consideration to be given to laying out a few spaces at Seafarers Memorial Lot                                  and in Lots 16 and 17 for longer RV’s with a higher Iron Ranger fee to be                                                 applicable).

 

ENFORCEMENT will be necessary and it is recommended that this be an important aspect of any plan that is implemented.

 

The Commission requests that if practical, the above recommendations be implemented for the 2004 season.  The Commission would request to be able to review the effects of these implemented recommendations after the 2004 season in order to make recommendations regarding any required modifications or adjustments.  The Commission has a few “long term” parking issues that need more discussion, such as developing new parking lots, creation of a shuttle van service, etc.

 

RE:                  Parking Issues on Spit

Page:              3 of 3

 

 

Recommendation.   Port and Harbor Advisory Commission recommends that the above detailed parking recommendations and plans be implemented by City Management for the 2004 season if a budget can be provided to do so;  if not, that these recommendations and parking plans be budgeted for 2005 and implemented for the 2005 season.