Downtown Parking

On Thursday, Oct. 17, the town hosted a joint project open house to provide updates on both the Downtown Master Plan (Phase II) and the Downtown Parking Management Plan (DPMP). While Downtown Master Plan updates can be found here, the following DPMP updates were shared via brief presentation, audience Q&A and small group/individual conversation:

• Existing Conditions Assessment (Status: Complete)
  • Included a multi-day field assessment that evaluated the town’s parking assets in the 48-block Study Area.
  • The field assessment included: on-street and off-street public parking, signage/wayfinding, the pedestrian experience, bicycle infrastructure and accessibility considerations.
  • The full Infrastructure Assessment Report can be found here.

• Data Collection (Complete)
  • Parking utilization data was collected by License Plate Recognition and drone to demonstrate current parking conditions for all on-street block faces in the Study Area, eight (8) public off-street lots, 18 private off-street lots, and two (2) shared public and private use off-street lots.

• Data collection dates:
  • May 3, 4 and 8: Before school was released but before summer was in full swing. This collection is indicative of typical, non-event parking demand.
  • July 25-27: On a town special event day and over a typical summer weekend.
  • August 30 – September 2: Over the busiest event weekend of the year, Harvest Festival. Illustrative of peak demand.
• Key Data Takeaways:
  • Overall, occupancy in the Study Area is low; however, there are geographic and event-based hotspots around key downtown destinations.
  • On-street occupancy increases consistently during the late afternoon/early evening in the block-faces near the Windsor Mill.
  • Except for the noted geographic or event-based demand peaks, parking is typically available within a block or two of a desired destination.
  • On average, 71% parked for 0-2 hours which is within the good/adequate range for length of stay.
• Public Process / Stakeholder Engagement (75% Complete)
  • Activities completed to date include:
    • Presentations to the Town Board & Planning Commission.
    • Small group in-person and virtual focus groups with downtown residents, business and property owners and local developers.
    • “Knock and Talks” with fifteen (15) downtown businesses along Main Street.
    • Meeting with the Windsor Downtown Alliance (WDA) staff and board.
    • Joint Open House with the Downtown Master Plan.
    • Regular Project Connect updates.
  • Upcoming opportunities for public input:
    • Members of the community will have an opportunity to review/comment on the Plan’s recommendations in early 2025.

• Plan Vision & Guiding Principles (Complete)
  1. Vision: “To ensure a friendly and safe public parking experience for Windsor residents, its business community and visitors.”
  2. Guiding Principles:
     • Welcoming and accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
     • Easy to navigate with clear information about where parking is available and how to park when you arrive.
     • Data-driven, with a commitment to regular collection of good data to help inform decision-making.
     • Community-informed and committed to solutions that support Windsor’s small town, charming and family-friendly feel.
     • Flexible enough to evolve and respond to future needs of residents, the business community, and visitors.
     • Committed to good stewardship of financial and environmental resources.

Next Steps

At the Open House, the following near-term (2025) recommendations were shared as a high-level direction for Near-Term (Year 1) Downtown Parking Management Plan recommendations:

1. Create, fund and staff a parking & access management program within the town: Where parking management activities could “live” in the town organization, definition of program duties and staffing needs.
2. Develop a 2026 budget for parking & access management activities: The cost for initial staffing and program needs, e.g., additional wayfinding signs, online parking information and annual data collection.
3. Windsor Municipal Code updates: Preparation for a future that could include time-limited parking, residential parking programming, parking violation management and adjudication.
4. Special event regulation & residential area support: Special event signage, parking information and field support (through the new parking & access management program) designed to help alleviate special event parking issues and lessen the impact to downtown residential properties.
5. Annual data collection: To indicate when the town is ready to begin more active regulation through time limits and residential parking programming.

The consultant team is currently working on a draft of the plan, which will include specific, actionable recommendations and complementary budget recommendations. The draft plan will be delivered to town staff in mid-January 2025. Presentation of the draft plan is anticipated for the Town Board and Planning Commission Joint Meeting in early February 2025.

Data Collection in Windsor

The town’s parking consultant Dixon Resources Unlimited (DIXON) collected data as part of the Downtown Parking Management Plan to demonstrate the current parking conditions for 48 on-street block faces, eight (8) public on-street lots, 18 private off-street lots, and two (2) shared public and private use lots in Downtown Windsor.

Study Area Map How Data is CollectedOn-street block-face data was collected by DIXON field staff using mobile License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, while off-street public and private lot data was collected via drone imagery. LPR technology is anonymized and counted only for the purposes of this study. No vehicle data is retained or distributed beyond the purposes of counting vehicles for DIXON’s data collection purposes.

Key Considerations for Understanding the Data

The parking industry considers the ideal target parking occupancy rate to be 85 percent, meaning that there are approximately one or two parking spaces available per block face, or in a desired parking area. This occupancy target minimizes congestion and maximizes utilization of parking assets. The goal is to seek a balanced parking system that remains at or near 85 percent occupancy during most times on average, knowing that there will realistically be some exceptional or outlier times.

Data Collection Rounds

The first round of data was collected during the “off-peak season” on Saturday, May 4 (weekend) and Wednesday, May 8 (weekday) to demonstrate what parking demand looks like when schools are still in session and before the Town’s busier guest and event season begins. Data was collected every hour from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Off street public and private lot data was collected via drone imagery.

• On a typical, non-event day, parking occupancy in the Study Area is low. While some hotspots around key downtown destinations (e.g., Windsor Mill) were observed, there was parking available within about a block of even the busiest areas.
• In the late afternoon/early evening (around 4:00 p.m.), on-street occupancy was observed to increase on the block-faces near the Windsor Mill as people are leaving work and transitioning into post-work activities.
• There were also event-based peaks in utilization observed during Windsor’s popular downtown events. For example, during the Thursday Summer Concert Series on July 25^th, peak occupancy can be seen between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in the backlots and in some on-street locations.
• The average length of stay for visitors within the Study Area is between 0-3 hours, meaning that turnover within the downtown is relatively high both on-street and off-street.

Next Steps

The third and final round of data collection occurred over Labor Day weekend, when the Town is celebrating the annual Harvest Festival. Data from that final collection round is currently being processed by DIXON and will be shared with the community a bit later this fall along with high-level project recommendations.

OPTION 1: Infrastructure Assessment & Public Project Kick-off

In early July, representatives from the Town’s parking consultant Dixon Resources Unlimited (DIXON) spent two days in Downtown Windsor. While onsite, the team:

• Conducted a field assessment of all on-street and off-street parking located in the Study Area, which stretches from 7^th Street (west) to 1^st Street (east) and from Birch Street (north) to just past Walnut Street (south).
• Met with members of the community, including downtown residents, business and property owners and local developers.
• Conducted “Knock and Talks” with fifteen (15) downtown businesses along Main Street.
• Visited with members of the Windsor Downtown Alliance (WDA) staff and board.
• Attended design charettes hosted by the WDA regarding the 5^th Street project.

The purpose of this initial project site visit was three-fold:

1. Observe and document the condition, location, and availability of the parking supply in Downtown Windsor.
2. Begin building a relationship with key downtown stakeholders – including residents, and members of the business community.
3. Learn about Windsor – what makes the Town unique from other Colorado communities and how this project can most effectively move the conversation about parking management from conceptual/planning to implementation/action.

DIXON is currently working on a brief memo which will detail the process and findings from the July kick-off, however the consulting team wanted to preview a few highlights from the site visit with the community:

What we heard:

• Typically, there is adequate parking downtown. Notable exceptions include:
  1. During Windsor’s popular special events when “every parking spot is taken and parking spills into the neighborhood areas”.
  2. When there is a wedding/large event at the Windsor Mill complex.
  3. Daily around 4:00 p.m., on-street parking around the Windsor Mill complex is full or mostly full.
• The Town’s recent investment in both off-street and on-street public parking has been noticed and appreciated by many downtown businesses. Parking lot and pedestrian connection improvements in the lots south of Main St. and the addition of new on-street parking stalls were mentioned frequently.
• “Parking isn’t the problem, safety is”. Many conversations with businesses centered around the need for additional Rapid Flash Beacons (RFBs) along Main St. Concern was expressed about both pedestrian safety (when crossing the road) and motorist safety (when backing out of on-street parking spaces).
• There was interest in the introduction of time-limits in certain areas of downtown (the east end) to encourage longer-term parkers (like employees) to use off-street parking areas.
• Feelings were mixed about residential parking programs with some downtown residents in favor of some sort of restriction during special events/evenings and others commenting that Windsor is growing/changing and a busier downtown is just part of the community’s evolution.

What we observed:

• Public parking areas are clean, well-maintained and free of debris/trash. Parking stall markings were visible with rare exception, and while limited, the majority of regulatory signs (e.g., loading zone, Americans with Disabilities) were clear and not faded.
• Windsor’s downtown parking supply is well-placed, with off-street assets immediately behind the main building stock on both the north and south sides of Main Street.
• The existing vehicular and pedestrian-level public parking signage is clear and well-designed, however the presence of parking wayfinding signage is limited and the signs that are present are on the smaller size. There is an opportunity for larger, more frequent parking signs to “breadcrumb” parkers to available public parking areas.
• Parking was widely available throughout downtown in the morning, midday and afternoon. In the late afternoon, around 4:00 p.m., on-street spaces around the Windsor Mill complex began to fill both along Main St., from 3^rd St. west towards 4^th St. and headed south along 3^rd St. towards Walnut St.
• The unpaved parking areas just north of Main St. (the Backlots) had ample availability throughout the day. The East Backlot did see more activity during the day with only 1-2 cars ever observed present in the West Backlot.

OPTION 2: What makes this Plan different?
While previous parking studies provided parking demand projections and high-level parking management concepts for Town consideration, this Plan will provide specific recommendations on how (and when!) to move Windsor from an “unmanaged” to a “managed” public parking environment. This Plan will include specific recommendations on:

• Organizational Structure: Where should parking management “live” at the Town?
• Staffing: What level of staffing would be appropriate for Windsor? Should personnel be full-time or part-time? How much would a parking program cost?
• Management Strategies: When should Windsor start managing parking? There is great wisdom in knowing when something has reached its limitations on being able to effectively “self-manage.” If the time is right, where should Windsor start its management journey (e.g., time limits, special event parking, residential permits), how much will it cost, what technology could be used and how will success be measured?
• Parking Policy: Is the Town’s municipal code related to public parking up to date and future-proofed (ready for a future that includes the ability to manage parking)?
• Communication: Are we making it easy for residents and visitors to make the right parking choice for their trip downtown through both physical and digital (web-based) wayfinding and information?
• Metrics to Measure Success: Tying investments in parking management to transparent and community-supported goals, and then regularly measuring the parking program’s progress towards those goals (collecting good data), is a foundational element of any successful program. This can help both build trust between the Town and the community, and provide objective guidance on where/why program adjustments are needed.
• When to Move to the Next Level of Management: Managing parking moves along a “spectrum of alternatives” from unmanaged at one end to the strongest tool (paid parking) at the other end. In between, there are a variety of different management tools that can be used alone or in tandem. This Plan will help the Town understand which path is most appropriate today, and when to consider implementation of additional management tools – or to invest in new supply – in the future.

What’s Next?

• The project team will present findings from the July site visit, results from three rounds of data collection (May, June, and September), and high-level management recommendations to a Joint Study Session of the Windsor Town Board and Planning Commission on Monday, September 23.

As of the week of Aug. 28, public parking is now available in the newly paved Walnut Lot, located in the alley just south of Main St., between 4th St. and 5th St. The new lot, which is one of the town's downtown business shared-use lots, benefits the area in two ways: the Town of Windsor helps with operating and maintaining the lot, taking that burden off of property owners, while also providing visitors with convenient, easy-to-access parking options just south of Main St.

Drivers must access the lot using the alley entrance on 5th St., as this section of the alley is now dedicated to one-way traffic only. Users of the lot can exit the lot via 4th St. As always, please obey all traffic signage in the area and proceed through the area with caution.

Here is the June 2023 update on downtown parking plan progress.

6th Street Windsor Lake Corridor On-Street Parking - This has been completed. Staff identified and designated on-street space throughout the 6th Street Windsor Lake corridor between Main St. and Cedar Street. Parallel spaces were designated in locations adjacent to residential access. New angled on-street public parking spaces were added elsewhere.

Ash Street Parking Lot & 106 6th Street Lot - In September 2022, the Town of Windsor closed on two properties: one on Ash Street located directly north and adjacent to Main Street businesses; and a property at 106-6th Street which is located across the street from the American Legion. Both properties are slated for future parking.

Boardwalk Park Museum Lot - The construction of this lot was delayed after an issue with an underground utility line required engineering to reconsider property grading. The timing for construction of this lot is yet to be determined. When construction proceeds, this project includes improvements at the Boardwalk Park 5th Street entrance where accessible spaces will be created.

Windsor Lake Birch Street Lot - This improvement was completed in Spring 2023 with minor adjustments.

Downtown Business Shared Use Lots - Paving is completed for the lot located on the south side of Main Street in the 400 block. To the benefit of businesses, the Town of Windsor would help with operating and maintaining the shared-use lots, taking that burden off of property owners. To the benefit of the town, visitors could access and utilize dedicated free public parking spaces, conveniently located on the south side of Main St. This effort supports the adopted Downtown Parking Plan by providing improved and dispersed parking throughout the downtown corridor to the benefit of all downtown businesses.

The effort to identify and budget for additional downtown parking comes after an extensive public input process, research, and the adoption of the 2022 Downtown Parking Plan. In all, the Town of Windsor has identified over 361+ new parking spaces.

Here is a summary of newly identified downtown parking opportunities:

Location	Additional Spaces (361+)	Anticipated Completion
6th Street Windsor Lake Corridor On-Street Parking	140 Spaces	Completed Summer 2022
Ash Street Parking Lot	52 Spaces	Spring 2023
106 6th Street Lot	TBD	TBD
Boardwalk Park Museum Lot	41 Spaces	Spring 2023
Windsor Lake Birch Street Lot	28 Spaces	Spring 2023
Downtown Business Shared Use Lots	100+ Spaces	Spring 2023

6th Street Windsor Lake Corridor On-Street Parking - Over the summer, 140 spaces were identified and created using existing on-street space throughout the 6th Street Windsor Lake corridor between Main St. and Cedar Street. Parallel spaces were designated in locations adjacent to residential access. New angled on-street public parking spaces were added.

Ash Street Parking Lot & 106 6th Street Lot - In September 2022, the Town of Windsor closed on two properties: one on Ash Street located directly north and adjacent to Main Street businesses; and a property at 106-6th Street which is located across the street from the American Legion. Both properties are slated for future parking. The Ash Street public parking lot is budgeted for development in 2023 with anticipated completion by Memorial Day. It adds 52 free public parking spaces. The 106-6th Street property will be developed into public parking further into the future.

Boardwalk Park Museum Lot - Town staff also identified additional parking between the Windsor Severance Fire Museum and the Windsor History Museum at Boardwalk Park. The new lot, will provide 41 new free public parking spaces, just north of the railroad tracks, providing convenient access to the museums, and negating the need to cross railroad tracks to attend popular events at Boardwalk Park. It makes use of space that was previously unused. The town is also working to create accessible spaces adjacent to Boardwalk Park at the 5th Street roundabout entrance.

Windsor Lake Birch Street Lot - Visit Windsor Lake’s Birch Street parking lot during the summer months with its direct access to the swim beach, walking trail, fishing pier, concession stand, playground, and boat launch access, and surely, the lot is likely full. The Windsor Lake Birch Street parking lot will expand in 2023 with the addition of 28 new parking spaces. The expansion will not have a negative impact current dedicated recreational space. Instead, the town is turning a landscape median and expanding a portion of the property into usable parking.

Downtown Business Shared Use Lots - Last, and probably the largest positive impact on downtown parking, is a shared-use agreement that would support turning over 100 private business parking spaces into free public parking opportunities. The lots are located on the south side of Main Street in the 400-500 block and the 500-600 block. To the benefit of businesses, the Town of Windsor would help with operating and maintaining the shared-use lots, taking that burden off of property owners. To the benefit of the town, visitors could access and utilize dedicated free public parking spaces, conveniently located on the south side of Main St. This effort supports the adopted Downtown Parking Plan by providing improved and dispersed parking throughout the downtown corridor to the benefit of all downtown businesses. Property owners are currently reviewing agreements.

Related News Releases:

July 22, 2022 - Windsor Identifies Initial Downtown Parking Improvements Near Boardwalk Park Press Release
July 26, 2022 - Windsor Moves to Improve Traffic Flow on Highway 392 Press Release
July 27, 2022 - Windsor Identifies Additional Parking Opportunities for Boardwalk Park Events Press Release

After two years of data collection, input gathering, and draft proposals, Windsor’s Town Board approved the Downtown Parking Study on Monday, July 11, 2022, and prior to its adoption, staff began actively working to identify and improve downtown public parking.

The first part of this on-going effort looks at the area north of Main St. and west of Windsor Lake.

Here are some highlights:

• The Town of Windsor finalizes the purchase of property at 106 N. 6th St. on Thurs., Sept. 1, and on the lot located between 501 and 517 Ash Street on Fri., Sept. 30. Both will become dedicated public parking.
• Existing roadside parking will be restriped to the west of Windsor Lake, on both Birch St. and 6th St. Parallel parking will be on roads adjacent to homes and angled parking added where having more parking will not impact homeowner access.
• There are improvements coming to Boardwalk Park parking! The Boardwalk Park 5th St. roundabout entrance by the Farmer’s Market Pavilion is being redesignated to create more accessible parking for persons with disabilities.
• Windsor is looking into expanding the existing parking lot adjacent to the Windsor-Severance Fire Museum.
• The main Windsor Lake public lot on Birch St. can expand without impeding existing recreational space.

Meanwhile, Windsor’s Town Board, along with Town Manager Shane Hale and town staff, continue to look at improving downtown parking options to the benefit of all downtown businesses.

Thank you to everyone that attended the public open house and provided feedback. The project team has reviewed comments and is working on the next steps to bring the draft plan to adoption. Residents have asked some questions about the draft recommendation for a potential parking structure directly south of town hall. We value resident questions and engagement and are still in the early planning stages. We have included some additional details below.

Will any steps be taken to address safety and security in the parking structure?

Yes, the structure will likely be designed to have appropriate lighting for day and nighttime parking and utilize security cameras.

How will cars access the garage?

The garage will likely utilize an access control system with lift gate arms to let cars in and out of the structure.

How tall will the garage be?

The garage would be no more than three levels. Even at three levels it would not surpass the adjacent town hall building in height.

Will the garage have a level of underground parking?

Adding an underground level was not originally an option the project team explored, but it could be considered moving forward and would need further study. Adding underground parking would likely significantly increase building costs.