Staff is requesting to seek proposals for exclusive valet parking service on the City Hall parking lot and behind the Annex Building (see attached location map). The valet service will only be during the peak season, Thursday thru Saturday in the evenings from 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM, from December - May. The valet service will not impact the regular City Hall business hours.
In the previous years, the City had an agreement with the valet service operator to set-up valet in front of the City Hall and utilize the public parking lot behind the Stuart Heritage Museum (Feed Store) for storing cars. The Downtown Valet Parking Program allowed the public to valet their vehicle at a cost of $5 per car, Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 PM - 10 PM, from December - June. The valet service paid the City a flat fee of $125 per month for the operation of the valet service and the use of right-of-way.
However, last year when the City implemented extending the 3-hour parking restrictions to 8 PM to promote exterior parking for downtown employees and increase opportunity for visitor parking, the valet service operator noticed that the downtown employees started parking behind the Feed Store where there is no time restrictions leaving little to no space available for valet parking storage. The valet service had to turn away people because there was no parking space available.
Currently, there are about 60 parking spaces available with the two lots combined (City Hall parking lot and behind the Annex Building). An advantage of excusive valet parking is that valets can park cars closer and stack cars, which will help to double the number of cars they can park with the two parking areas (120 cars or more). With the exclusive valet program, we will provide more car storage, convenient service and location, less wait time, less stress, reduce traffic congestion from drivers searching for parking space, and efficient service to give a better experience for our visitors in downtown. The program will exclude the pubic parking area behind the Feed Store.
The proposal will require the valet service operator to provide revenue sharing program and data on the customers served to determine the demand for the service and desire to pay for convenient parking. The service will be provided at the Operator's sole cost and expense. The proposed program would be during season for one (1) year and the City would have the option for continuing the program based on the findings and feedback.
The proposed program was recently presented to MainStreet and Downtown Business Association (DBA) and they are in support of exclusive valet program on City parking lots (see attached).
The RFP will be brought forward to the City Commission for approval in September.