Uptown Community Parking District seeks feedback at HBA open house

Por Antonio Rey | Editor SDUN

Several new parking and driving-alternative initiatives were the main topics of discussion at the most recent Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) member open house, held Wednesday, Jan. 30 at d Bar Restaurant.

Uptown Community Parking District Operations Manager Ben Verdugo was on hand with HBA Executive Director Benjamin Nicholls to solicit feedback on and give a taste of several up-and-coming projects, including a website and smartphone application that visitors and residents of the neighborhood can use to find parking in real time.

The initiatives, Nicholls said, were a result of a collaborative effort by the HBA, Parking District and the Hillcrest Town Council. Luke Terpstra, Town Council president, was also in attendance.

“It’s so great to see all the wonderful energy that’s going on in this neighborhood,” Council President Todd Gloria said. “I’m glad you are all really setting the pace for the neighborhoods in San Diego.”

Temporary workstations were set up around the restaurant, allowing HBA members and guests to view material on each initiative. There was a place to offer general suggestions, and Nicholls said he urged everyone to be as inquisitive as possible.

“There’s a lot of us around and we can answer your questions,” he said. “Ask us about parking.”

Adding additional parking in Hillcrest was one of the projects undertaken by the Parking District, who did an initial survey of the neighborhood and identified 150 potential locations to increase parking. Making recommendations to the city on changing the layout of parking – from parallel to angle parking, for instance – has already begun, with a location on Vermont Street complete.

The City will change the configuration of two other sections of parking this month, including Centre Street north of University Avenue, and near the intersection of Montecito Way and First Avenue.

Addressing concerns bicyclists have regarding a change to angle parking, Verdugo said the Parking District kept the bicyclists’ safety in mind as part of the overall discussion.

“What we want to do actually, which is good for bicyclists, is … to have reverse-angle parking,” he said. The City’s first reverse-angle parking configuration was created last year in Golden Hill, in part to address safety for bicyclists.

“You have a lot more visibility,” Verdugo said. “We’re going to try to get some in Hillcrest as well.”

Other initiatives not directly related to parking were presented, including several bicycle infrastructure projects. Hillcrest currently has one bicycle corral that accommodates 12 bicycles, with a LGBT Pride-themed corral scheduled for installation on Richmond Avenue in February.

“It goes way beyond parking,” Verdugo said, adding that the Parking District is a stakeholder in the SANDAG-led Uptown Regional Bicycle Corridor Project.

Two other initiatives at the HBA open house received a lot of attention, with a computer station set up to highlight the Parking District’s upcoming website and phone application.

Set to launch in early April, programmers were on hand to walk HBA members through the new web-based search program, which is organized to provide real-time parking information, like lot locations, available hours and cost.

“The idea behind it was to give the user the ability to search and find things that are relevant,” said Adam Harris, who presented the web tools. “When you come to the website for the first time, you’re going to see everything that exists in Hillcrest with regards to available parking.”

Saying the plan is to “broaden the awareness of parking lots” overall in the neighborhood, Harris added the official launch would happen with the start of a new Hillcrest shuttle.

Verdugo discussed the shuttle as well, which will be operated by Old Town Trolley and offer pick-up and drop-off service at seven potential stops throughout Hillcrest.

“This is a good opportunity for people to tell us what they like [and] what they don’t like about it, so we can refine it in the next couple of months,” Verdugo said.

Using Parking District funds to help finance the shuttle, Verdugo said it would run as part of a six-month pilot program. “It’s a novel concept, especially if we can do the loop in 15 minutes.”

The free shuttle will operate 6 – 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, with main stops at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Hillcrest branch. It will run along University Avenue to First Avenue, then return to the DMV via Washington Street.

“We’ve tested the trolley about three or four times now,” Verdugo said, adding that the shuttle is for visitors who choose to park in the DMV lot as well as residents.

“Some people don’t like to drive,” he said. “That’s our big selling point. You leave your house, you walk to one of the stops, and you can be there within 15 minutes.”