City of Columbia, Missouri

Meeting Minutes - Final

City Council

Conference Room

1A/1B

Monday, December 4, 2023

5:00 PM

Pre-Council

Columbia City Hall

701 E. Broadway

I. CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Council Member Peters arrived at approximately 5:16 p.m.

This item is open to the public: Motion for the City Council to go into

closed session to discuss:

- Legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public

governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications

between a public governmental body or its representatives and its

attorneys pursuant to Section 610.021(1) RSMo.

- Leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body

where public knowledge of the transaction might adversely affect the legal

consideration therefor pursuant to Section 610.021(2) RSMo.

- Sealed bids and related documents, until the bids are opened; and

sealed proposals and related documents or any documents related to a

negotiated contract until a contract is executed, or all proposals are

rejected pursuant to Section 610.021(12) RSMo.

At approximately 5:00 p.m., Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member Foster made a

motion for the City Council of the City of Columbia, Missouri, to immediately go

into a closed meeting in Conference Room 1A/1B of City Hall to discuss legal

actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental body and

any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental

body or its representatives and its attorneys pursuant to Section 610.021(1) of the

Revised Statutes of Missouri; the leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a

public governmental body where public knowledge of the transaction might

adversely affect the legal consideration therefor pursuant to Section 610.021(2) of

the Revised Statutes of Missouri; and sealed proposals and related documents or

any documents related to a negotiated contract until a contract is executed, or

all proposals are rejected pursuant to Section 610.021(12) of the Revised Statutes

of Missouri. The motion was seconded by Council Member Knoth.

5 - Foster, Lovelady, Waterman, Knoth, and Proffitt

2 - Peters, and Buffaloe

Yes:

Absent:

This item is closed to the public: Closed Meeting in Conference Room

1A/1B

At approximately 5:01 p.m., the City Council went into closed session in Conference

Room 1A/1B pursuant to RSMo Sections 610.021(1), (2), and (12).

The City Council adjourned the closed meeting and returned to the open portion of the

meeting at approximately 5:50 p.m.

Council Member Peters left the meeting after the closed portion. She was not present for

the open portion of the meeting.

This item is open to the public: Parking Ordinance Discussion

Attachments: Parking Utility Proposed Changes

Shane Creech, Public Works Director introduced Mike Sokoff, Parking and Transit

Manager who presented Council with a presentation regarding proposed changes to the

parking utility.

Current City ordinances (14-413 to 14-417) denote exactly where meter times and zones

are located in the downtown footprint. This makes it difficult for the Parking Utility to

adapt zones and meter times to the changing needs of a vibrant downtown area.

There are currently six meter zones in the downtown area ranging from 10 hours to 24

minutes (e.g., in front of the former CenturyLink building). Sokoff indicated Public Works

plans to propose reducing the number of zones to four: 10-hour, 3-hour, 1-hour and

15-minute curbside metered spaces. They also plan to adjust the locations of the zones

to meet the changing needs of the area.

Public Works will request that Council allow the Public Works Director to make

operational decisions regarding meter times and zones based on need and ask Council

to amend the language in the referenced ordinances accordingly.

The Parking Utility has engaged Walker Consultants to complete a multi-phase project to

assist with research and recommendations regarding modernizing the existing Parking

Utility. Five of the cities researched handle parking in a similar way to what Public Works

plans to propose. Those cities include •St. Louis, Mo.

•Kansas City, Mo.

•Springfield, Mo.

•Wichita, Kan.

•Champaign, Ill.

Operational flexibility is the first step in a multistep process to adjust parking services to

better meet the needs of the community.

Since 2020, 32 spaces in the downtown area have been designated as curbside pick-up

spaces designed to assist businesses during COVID. The meters are covered with red

meter bags. The Downtown Community Improvement District (CID), along with City

management, believe it is no longer necessary to have bagged meters serving as

curbside spaces. The Parking Utility, with CID cooperation, is proposing the spaces be

reduced to 18 spaces and the meters be set at a 15-minute time limit. The CID will

provide signage at the meters to designate them as short-term metered parking.

Sokoff went on to discuss aligning meter and garage operation times by reverting back to

Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. rather than 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. to reduce confusion for

citizens.

In October 2021, the Parking Utility was contacted by an administrator at the Annie

Fisher Food Pantry, 616 Park Ave., related to parking tickets issued to community

members visiting the pantry. Those community members often did not have money to pay

the meters while using the pantry.

Parking staff received permission from the City Manager to place hoods on the seven

meters along the 200 Block of North Seventh Street nearest the pantry, for use only by

those using the pantry. The Parking Utility is proposing a continued partnership by

removing the meters and replacing them with signage indicating the spaces are for pantry

use only on Monday and Wednesday. Enforcement will be on a complaint-only basis.

The anticipated revenue loss will be around $181.28 per year.

Sokoff said the Parking Utility will also propose the words “rideshare” be added to

Ordinance Sec. 14-295 due to the increased popularity of ride share programs like Uber

and Lyft.

Lastly, Sokoff discussed COMO Park Cards. He indicated that the cards account for

about 6 percent of meter revenue and plan to phase out the selling of new cards May 1,

2024.

This item is open to the public: Natural Resources Inventory

Presentation

Jessica Norris with Biohabitats presented Council members with information about

Natural Resource Inventory.

Norris indicated the last Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) was completed in 2007. The

purpose of this inventory is to see how the landscape has changed, prioritize natural

areas to protect or enhance and learn how land use choices affect natural resources.

The study area includes 230 square miles, 68 being within the City of Columbia. Norris

indicated that in 2010 the population was 108,500 and in 2020 it grew to 126,254.

Norris went on to discuss ecoregions and watersheds as well as land cover changes.

In conclusion, Norris said the main purpose of the NRI is to protect and regulate. In doing

so, it will protect biodiversity, enhance habitat connectivity, mitigate threats to ecological

health, manage and restore water resources and support resilience.

II. ANY OTHER ITEMS COUNCIL MAY WISH TO DISCUSS

None.

III. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:35 p.m.