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Curb Management Policy and Planning

Overview

The City of Alameda must actively manage its curb space and public parking to achieve City Council adopted goals related to transportation management, climate change, environmental protection, traffic safety, and economic development. The Alameda Point Transportation Management Plan, Transportation Choices Plan, and Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) require parking management to reduce traffic, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure access to services and facilities, and support the vitality of the City’s two main street commercial areas.

The City manages on-street parking and curb space, three surface lots in commercial areas, surface lots at three ferry terminals, and the Civic Center Parking Garage. Management of these facilities requires the use of parking meters and time limits; loading, disability, and no parking zones; parking fees at the ferry terminal lots (upcoming); residential parking permit districts; and parking and street sweeping enforcement.

Program goals

Parking Management Goal	Council-Adopted Policies and Plans	Reasoning
Manage transportation and congestion	• Alameda General Plan (2021) • Transportation Choices Plan (2018) • Alameda Point Transportation Management Plan (2014) • 85% parking occupancy goal (2014)	Parking management and pricing is an effective tool for reducing congestion, supporting transit and supporting active forms of transportation, such as walking and bicycling.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions	• Alameda General Plan (2021) • Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (2019)	The CARP includes parking management as a key strategy to reduce emissions from the single occupancy vehicle trips, thus reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Increase traffic safety	• Alameda General Plan (2021) • Vision Zero Action Plan (2021) • Vision Zero policy (2019)	Reducing circling and double-parking makes streets safer for people walking, biking, and driving, helping achieve the City’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries. Congested areas have high levels of pedestrians, and drivers looking for parking are distracted; the more turns these drivers make, the more risk there is for pedestrians.
Increase economic vitality	• Alameda General Plan (2021) • 85% parking occupancy goal (2014)	Parking management helps ensure that parking is available for customers. 85% parking occupancy means that every block will always have at least a few parking spaces available in commercial areas. This is achieved through parking pricing and time limits.
Environmental protection	• Clean Water Program • Alameda Municipal Code Chapter 18, Article III: Stormwater Management and Discharge Control	Enforcing street sweeping parking restrictions facilitate the street sweeping that is required to help prevent storm water pollution.