Implementation and Action Summary

The Alternatives Analysis identified the following strategies as those that most align with project goals:

• Neighborhood Parking Management - Priority-Based Neighborhood Access Management
• Parking Pricing - Performance-Based Pricing
• Parking Fines - Graduated Fines + Mobility Safety Fines

This section outlines the implementation of these three strategies in the next year, the near-term, and the mid-long term.

Priority-Based Neighborhood Access Management

What is priority-based access management?

  1. Cost Recovery: The strategy sets permit rates to achieve 100% cost recovery for the NPP Program by 2024. Resident permit rates are set to increase by $13 each year in 2022, and by $10 each year in subsequent years. Commuter permits are set to increase by $20 each year.
  2. New or Expanded Zone Eligibility and Prioritization: The strategy enables the city to take a strategic, proactive approach in determining which residential areas are eligible for an NPP zone using quantitative Key Performance Indicators. Petitions will only be accepted in areas that meet these indicators. Eligible areas will then be prioritized according to need. Each year, staff will share an annual report detailing program performance and an updated Eligibility and Prioritization Map for review by advisory boards and Council.
  3. Phase Out: Existing NPP Zones that do not meet Key Performance Indicators for a period of three consecutive years will be identified by staff for Phase Out.
  4. Process Changes: Advisory board and Council will receive an annual report detailing program performance, an updated Eligibility and Prioritization Map, and any zones identified for Phase Out. Individual petitions accepted from eligible and prioritized areas will be reviewed by the City Manager.
  5. Subsidies for Qualified Residents and Commuters: The city will seek to incorporate subsidies that could range from 30-75% of the total annual permit cost for qualifying residents and commuters.

Effort Required for Full-Fledged Implementation

  • Process Foundation: The final approach and near-term implementation steps for Priority-Based Neighborhood Access Management should be reviewed by advisory boards and Council. This review should include a description of the ordinance, regulation, and procedural changes necessary for full-fledged implementation of the strategy.
  • Ordinance and Regulation Changes: The strategy will require revisions to the Boulder Revised Code Title 4, Chapter 23 Neighborhood Parking Zone Permits, B.R.C. 2-2-15 NPP Zones, B.R.C. 4-20-49 NPP fees as well as to the current Neighborhood Permit Parking Zone City Manager Regulations, to reflect the new strategy.
  • Data Collection and Analysis: City staff, or a combination of city staff and contractors, will collect and analyze data on a regular, annual basis to support review of Key Performance Indicators and NPP zone eligibility and prioritization.
  • Communication and Staff Training: A combination of online and face-to-face communications will help current and prospective NPP holders understand the changes and their options. Staff should also be trained to understand the new strategy and how to communicate with inquirers about their questions and concerns.

Key Benefits

  1. Predictability and Transparency: Clear and quantitative metrics for establishing, expanding, and maintaining NPP zones, combined with effective communication, help the community understand how the city makes decisions about neighborhood parking management.
  2. Neighborhood Characteristics: Eligibility and prioritization for an NPP zone is based on the unique characteristics of each neighborhood, such as land use, parking supply and utilization, surrounding trip generators, and multimodal access.
  3. Sustainability: The program recovers its operating costs and, after just three years, allows for a surplus to be reinvested into mobility options for neighborhood residents and commuters.
  4. Equity: The program allows for subsidized options for qualifying low-income residents and commuters.


Performance-Based Pricing

What is performance-based pricing?

  1. On-Street and Off-Street Differentiation: The strategy begins with enacting a small ($0.25) differentiation in on-street and off-street parking, which will grow over time, especially when comparing the highest-demand on-street options to off-street garages and lots.
  2. Tiered Pricing: Pricing for on-street parking on each block face in paid parking areas will be tiered based on typical peak occupancy. The most popular on-street block faces will be priced the highest, followed by mid-tier block faces, and then low-tier block faces. The highest-price block faces will include paid loading zones, so that every use of these in-demand rights-of-way is paid. Tiers and corresponding rates will be monitored using parking occupancy data and reviewed annually.
  3. Off-Street Price Changes: Graduated rates in off-street garages and lots—where hourly pricing is increased after four hours—is eliminated. Discounted parking products—like the $3 weekday evening pricing—is kept in place. $3 Saturday pricing is implemented as well (weekend parking in the garages is currently free of charge).

Efforts Required for Full-Fledged Implementation

  • Process Foundation: The final approach and near-term implementation steps for Performance Based Pricing should be reviewed by advisory boards and Council. This review should include a description of the ordinance, regulation, and procedural changes necessary for full-fledged implementation of the strategy.
  • Ordinance and Regulation Changes: The strategy will require revisions to the Boulder Revised Code Title 4 Chapter 23, B.R.C. 2-2-15, B.R.C. 4-20-49, as well as any other relevant updates in the City Manager regulations.
  • Data Collection and Analysis: City staff, or a combination of city staff and contractors, will collect and analyze data on a regular, annual basis to evaluate typical peak parking occupancy in paid parking areas citywide.
  • Communication: A combination of online and on-the-ground communications will help users of the public parking system become familiar with the changes and make parking decisions based on the new rate structure.

Key Benefits

  1. Right-of-Way Value: The strategy creates a parking pricing framework that more closely represents the high value of the city’s right-of-way, and its on-street parking in particular. The strategy also demonstrates the difference in the value of right-of-way in different parts of the city, as demonstrated by market demand.
  2. Predictability and Transparency: While a more complex strategy than the current parking pricing structure, decisions about parking pricing under this framework are based on clear, quantitative data that can be shared with the public.
  3. Sustainability: This strategy will result in additional revenues for the public parking system able to be used to pay for transportation demand management and other mobility initiatives undertaken by the city. In addition, the pricing changes are expected to result in a reduction in Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT), derived from both price elasticity impacts (people opting for a different transportation option, rather than a personal vehicle) and reduced circulation to locate an on-street parking space.
  4. Equity: The strategy maintains and expands discounted off-street parking options for price-sensitive residents, commuters and visitors.

Graduated Fines and Mobility Safety Fines

What are graduated fines and mobility safety fines?

  1. Increased Base Fine: The strategy entails an increase in the base parking violation fine to be more in line with fines levied by CU Boulder and surrounding municipalities, and to encourage customer compliance.
  2. Premium for Repeat Violations (Graduated Fines): A premium is levied for repeat violations within a calendar year, with a cap at the third violation.
  3. Premium for Mobility Safety Violations (Mobility Safety Fines): A premium is levied for any violation that impedes mobility safety, such as parking in a bike lane.

Efforts for Full-Fledged Implementation

  • Process Foundation: The final approach and near-term implementation steps for Performance Based Pricing should be reviewed by advisory boards and Council. This review should include a description of the ordinance, regulation, and procedural changes necessary for full-fledged implementation of the strategy.
  • Ordinance and Regulation Changes: The strategy will require revisions to Boulder Revised Code Title 7, Chapter 6 Parking Infractions, as well as fine structure updates, if any in City Manager regulations.
  • Communication: A combination of online and on-the-ground communications will help users of the public parking system become familiar with the changes and make parking decisions based on the new fine structure.

Key Benefits

  1. Right-of-Way Value: The strategy clearly demonstrates the value of the city’s right-of-way by levying fines commensurate with the disruption violation of parking rules and regulations have on public right-of-way usage.
  2. Customer Compliance: With a strong communications strategy, the city can improve customer compliance by alerting users to the financial impacts of repeat violations and mobility safety violations.
  3. Sustainability: The strategy is expected to increase customer compliance, thereby enhancing the ability of the existing parking system to accommodate demand today and in the years to come. This will help Boulder maintain existing parking resources and limit needs to build additional parking. In addition, premiums for Mobility Safety violations will underscore the seriousness of these types of violations and create a safer and more friendly environment for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users.
  4. Equity: The strategy allows for alternative payment options for first time violations of all parking regulations except for Mobility Safety violations.

Overarching Recommendations for Success

  • AMPS Implementation Lead: It is essential that the city has a designated champion to maintain the momentum for this and other AMPS Implementation projects and spearhead cross-departmental coordination. This could be an existing staff person, or a new position created and hired out using a temporary contract.
  • Continued AMPS Staff and Leadership Meetings: Existing cross-department AMPS Staff Working Group and Leadership Team meetings should be continued throughout the implementation process.
  • Cross-Department Data Sharing: Data collected for the implementation of these strategies should be available for access by all city departments and Boulder County.
  • Website: The existing Access4Boulder website should be updated and maintained to share information about AMPS Implementation updates and gather feedback from the public on key initiatives.
  • COVID-19 Impact Monitoring: Many of the assumptions included in this document include a relative return of 2019 transportation behaviors. However, long-term impacts of COVID-19, particularly on commuter parking demand, transit usage, and more, are not fully known. The city should continue monitoring these impacts as part of the data collection and analysis process.
  • Coordination with Climate Initiatives Team: The city has committed to a community-wide reduction in emissions of 50% by 2030. Impacts to vehicle miles travelled (VMT) and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in correlation with the Priority-Based Neighborhood Access Management and Performance-Based Pricing programs should be evaluated with the city’s Climate Initiatives team. It is anticipated that the new differential in on-street and off-street parking pricing, which will encourage use of underutilized off-street options, could precipitate a reduction of roughly 1,000-1,400 vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on a typical peak day, or 180-250 tons of CO2 each year.