The Turlock City Council will review a comprehensive Downtown Parking Plan on Tuesday and consider adopting the plan's recommendations on improving the parking situation in Turlock's popular downtown area.
The draft plan includes a number of short-term and long-term strategies for meeting downtown parking needs, including more education, better directional signage, changes in time-limited parking, use of employee parking permits, heightened enforcement of time-limited parking, use of employee parking permits, physical improvements like restriping, lighting, sidewalk repair and the construction of more surface parking or a parking garage sometime in the future.
TJKM Transportation Consultants gathered data and public input on the current parking situation in the downtown area over the past several months and then developed a number of recommendations based on their findings.
"The parking recommendations are just that: recommendations," said Mayor Gary Soiseth. "While all options are on the table to improve the parking situation downtown, the Council will consider the consultant's plan in addition to the input given by residents, downtown businesses, and downtown property owners. Improving Turlock's downtown parking was a key strategic goal adopted by the Council in 2015 and I'm glad we're moving forward on the issue."
Following recommendations from the Turlock Planning Commission, City staff also developed an implementation plan that lays out the steps and timelines for carrying out the proposed near-term solutions of the plan.
Along with deciding which recommendations to implement, the Council will have to consider funding sources to pay for possible improvements.
On Tuesday, the City Council is also expected to:
• Hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. in the Yosemite Room at City Hall to accept a report outlining crime trends within the City of Turlock, along with strategy for dealing with the trends;
• Receive an update on the Turlock Downtown Farmers Market, operated by Golden State Farmers' Market Association;
• Consider adopting updates to the Turlock Municipal Code and changes in the zoning district and General Plan land use for a number of properties;
• Provide direction to staff on the preferred project scope, funding and timeline to carry out a $100,000 road improvement project;
• Consider approving a road closure on Cooper Avenue for Sacred Heart Catholic Church to hold the Feast of Our Lady of Assumption on Aug. 15;
• Consider approving the utilization of public sidewalks in the Freedom 5K Walk/Run event by the Turlock Free Methodist Church on Oct. 8;
• Consider approving the Lights of Hope event at Donnelly Park on Sept. 10.
The Turlock City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 156 S. Broadway.