MEMO DETAILS:
This item is to discuss and consider the Park and Ride Golf Cart Shuttle Service proposed by the Pinehurst Business Partners (PBP). They have asked for financial support of this concept to cover the cost of an annual licensing fee for a mobile app that patrons would download to summon the shuttle. They would also like support in providing parking for the golf cart shuttle(s) and charging capability.
The proposal by PBP includes securing carts via donation and managing the shuttle service. Their proposal includes volunteers serving as drivers, identifiable via uniforms of some type. Advertising on carts and driver uniforms could be a source of revenue to defray operations.
The following factors and information may be useful for your discussions.
• The annual Community Satisfaction Survey (Q11 - attached) indicates that 69.1% of the population does not shop regularly downtown. For those that do not shop regularly downtown 27.1% cite parking as one reason (respondents could choose more than one reason).
• To garner additional feedback, Survey Monkey was used to poll the public. While the survey is not statistically valid, it provides a source of information and comments. (The full results with comments (attached) were sent to you approximately two weeks ago.) There were 537 respondents for any one question. A brief summation of the results is as follows:
o 47.66% indicate parking as a deterrent for shopping.
o 30.6% of daytime diners and 24.07% of nighttime diners indicate parking is a deterrent.
o 51.96% of respondents said they would use a shuttle service for shopping and/or dining.
o 82.44% of those who indicated they would use the service are ok with summoning a shuttle via an app, text, or call. (If considering all respondents, the total is 40%.)
o 54.75% of those who indicated they would use the service said up to a 5-minute wait for the shuttle was reasonable (If considering all respondents, the total is 27%.)
o Of those who indicated they would use the service, 24.33% would use it less than once per week, 33.46% indicated they would use it once per week and 31.94% indicated they would use it twice per week. (If considering all respondents, the totals are 12%, 16% and15.6% respectively.)
o Monday - Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday & Sunday afternoon/evening were the times of greatest interest.
o 54% of respondents do not own golf carts but 32.66% of respondents indicated more cart parking would, or might, make them more likely to visit downtown.
o Question 10 – Open Comments generated 184 comments that can be categorized into seven main points.
- Support idea (21.2%)
- Parking is not an issue (15.2%)
- Create additional cart and car parking spaces (15.2%)
- Parking issues are caused by workers downtown - shuttle them (14.6%)
- Do not support the idea (6%)
- Lack of store/dining options is the issue (5%)
- Miscellaneous comments (22.8%).
• Plans to construct a parking facility in the next two years.
• Study to expand golf cart parking expansion starting in the next 60 to 90 days. Implementation of space expansion could begin this fiscal year.
• If we allow golf cart shuttle service, Council will need to adjust the Golf Cart ordinance to allow it. Its currently prohibited. A change is simple and easy step.
• Parking location within ½ mile for shuttle service is yet to be determined.
• The mobile app could possibly be replaced with a business card that patrons receive to text or call a number.
• Location for parking and charging shuttle carts would need to be determined. There is no indoor space currently available for that on VOP property.
• If Council is interested in supporting this concept financially, our insurance provider indicates this should be a contractual arrangement where the Village is not the direct provider.
As a final note, I would remind Council that this is an off-cycle request and was not originally budgeted. Since this is off cycle, and there are existing plans for a parking structure in the current five year plan, staff recommends that Council consider this opportunity as part of a holistic downtown parking discussion during the next strategic retreat.
Thanks.