Parking Management & Operational Analysis
Yakima, Washington

This project was completed by Andy Miller as an employee of Urban Place Consulting Group. The primary approach was a desire to produce tangible results, rather than to simply give the Client a “report”. We believe it is our role as a consultant to train an experienced eye on your parking system to identify issues and constraints; to inform and increase awareness of those issues and constraints; to present alternatives and possible recommendations for potential improvements; and most importantly, to facilitate the development of a final, workable plan with key staff and stakeholders.

The results of our analysis produced an eye opening experience for the Yakima Downtown Association. Our financial and budget review showed that the parking system was under-funded and loosing money to the point of a deficit situation for the City. There was no centralized parking management, leadership or organizational structure. City owned parking lots were in very poor physical condition and underutilized. Free, time limited parking on-street was being habitually abused by store owners and employees due to a complete lack of parking enforcement. Basically, downtown Yakima received a failing grade in all aspects of its downtown parking system.

Part of our analysis also included an inventory and mapping of all parking in the downtown area. The results of this phase of the report revealed that there was adequate parking throughout the downtown area, but that parking resources were not being managed properly. The most startling aspect of our inventory and mapping showed that over 30% of the downtown developable land area was devoted to surface parking.

Based upon our findings and recommendations, the Yakima Downtown Association is working with the City of Yakima to address areas of needed improvement. Our analysis and recommendations provided the YDA with the tools and information needed to benchmark conditions; to monitor improvements over time; and to develop a long term parking management plan in cooperation with the City.

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Downtown Development Implementation Plan
Yakima, Washington

Upon completion of the Downtown Parking Management & Operations Analysis, Andy Miller completed a Downtown Development Implementation Plan for the Committee for Downtown Yakima (CDY). The project included a comprehensive land use and market analysis; a review of existing downtown planning and zoning codes; a review of Washington State enabling legislation and economic development programs; and the development of recommendations and programs to be implemented over time.

The purpose of the land use analysis was to identify existing land uses by location and to document vacancies, property conditions, etc. The analysis graphically mapped out all land uses in detail by sub-area and then compiled the information for the entire study area in graphic and spreadsheet format. Final deliverables of the analysis included detailed spreadsheets of available property by use and square footage. Vacant and underutilized properties were also listed in detail, along with the photo-documentation of existing façade conditions. This information will be used to identify and prioritize projects for future development. A model Façade and Building Rehabilitation Program was presented to the City as a possible tool to leverage future development.

One of the most interesting outcomes of our analysis revealed how the City’s planning and zoning codes were encouraging inefficient suburban style development in the high density urban core area, particularly regarding drive through banking facilities. To demonstrate this, we performed property valuation comparisons that compared specific drive through banking sites with sites occupied by higher density commercial buildings. Our analysis also revealed that over 80% of existing downtown residential land use is composed of substandard housing, subsidized housing; or group homes / halfway housing.

Since completing our report, the CDY has hired a professional Downtown Development Director to implement our recommendations utilizing the base line information and tools that were developed as part of our consulting services. The City of Yakima has also agreed to increase the assessment rate and to expand the boundary of the “Parking and Business Improvement Area” (PBIA) as recommended in our report to help pay for ongoing clean and safe efforts.

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Yakima Downtown Development
Implementtion Plan