Title
Taxi Use of Loading Zones After 6pm
Memorandum
At its March 21, 2016 meeting, City Council approved: "Resolution Requesting the DDA to Reconsider Permitted Uses in Commercial Loading/Taxi Stand Zones." This resolution stated the following:
1. The DDA, after consultation with the Taxicab Board, remove the taxicab stands that are established in conjunction with commercial loading zones;
2. The DDA and Taxicab Board (or a designated Taxicab Board citizen representative) re-consider, after taking into account traffic safety and operations and citizen feedback, how to best utilize the approx. 20 commercial loading zones without them being partially designated as taxicab stands.;
3. The DDA obtain Council feedback and inform Council of the revised plan prior to implementation.
To respond to the City Council resolution, DDA staff met with and received input from:
The City/DDA parking enforcement/operations committee (this group meets monthly, and includes representatives of Community Standards, Police, Treasurer's office, and Transportation departments, plus DDA staff and Republic Parking staff)
DDA Operations Committee (this is a subgroup of the larger DDA board that is responsible for overseeing the parking system, including on-street parking spaces)
The City Taxi Board
From these meetings it appears that there is a consensus response to this resolution:
1. Modify the signs, and instead of "taxi stands", make these into 15-minute "Passenger Drop Off/Pick Up" zones after 6pm.
Public frustration/confusion about not seeing taxis using spots will be lessened. But curb space would remain available in key locations, particularly later in the evening, for active pick up /drop off out of a lane of traffic. FYI, there are Passenger Drop Off/Pick Up" zones throughout downtown, for instance in front of hotels and key destinations, so there should not be confusion about their purpose.
2. Reduce the number of loading zo...
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