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8.0 Infrastructure

8.2 Methodology

The inventory of existing parking supply, and an analysis of the square footage and use of buildings in the study area, were utilized in calculating the potential parking demand for the Village. Parking demand was calculated for both current and future conditions. Parking demands were calculated by determined standards set forth by the American Planning Association, based on land use requirements. The land use types considered within the Village core are residential, commercial, recreation and entertainment and community services.

8.2.1 Parking Demand Analysis Assumptions

In determining the current parking demand rates and the future parking demand rates for the Village, a number of general assumptions were considered and are identified below:

• Parking in the Village CBD was divided into two smaller study areas. The two study areas were delineated by the Erie Canal, with the Village CBD to the south and Schoen Place, including Northfield Common and referred to only as Schoen Place, to the north. The areas were also analyzed as one study area to provide a general overview of the entire commercial districts of the Village.

• The current and future parking demand calculations were based on the assumption that all two-story buildings have commercial uses (retail and service) on the 1st floor and residential or office uses on the 2nd floor.

• According to the Pittsford Chamber of Commerce, the current commercial vacancy in the CBD is 14,700 square feet of space, or 14% of the potential commercial space. Second story residential and office vacancies were assumed to also be 14% in order to determine the current parking required.

• All buildings in the commercial district were assumed to be two stories and all buildings at Schoen Place were considered to be one story. These assumptions are general averages and are not true for all buildings in each study area.

• Future parking demand calculations assumed that all properties currently occupied would remain occupied by commercial uses and all existing vacancies would be filled in by second floor office or residential uses, producing a maximum build-out within the Village CBD and Schoen Place.

• Parking demand assumes that there is no charge for parking and that there are no restrictions to the user based on either location or time.

• The square footages of all buildings in the CBD were obtained from an aerial photograph of the area and should be considered estimates with the possibility of a small percentage of error.

• Each 2nd story residential unit in the CBD was considered to be 1,000 square feet.

• An average parking space requirement was determined for commercial uses based on the average of both retail and service uses. In general, retail required the fewest number of spaces while banks required the largest number of spaces.

8.2.2 Additional Considerations

Although the general American Planning Association standards provide a benchmark for determining parking demands and requirements in the Village, Pittsford has many unique characteristics that should be taken into consideration in addition to the results of the Current and Future Demand Analyses. The characteristics of the Village present both challenges and opportunities for creating a user-friendly parking system within the CBD. These additional considerations include:

• A portion of the CBD is categorized as a special historic business district.

• Unlike most downtown areas, the majority of parking in the Village is currently privately owned and operated, rather then publicly owned. The private ownership of parking in the Village CBD restricts some accessibility to certain parking areas.

• The Erie Canal creates a natural division in the Village CBD between the main intersection of Monroe Avenue/State Street and Main Street and Schoen Place north of the Canal. Although close in proximity, some people may find it inconvenient to park at Schoen Place and walk to the services located on the opposite side of the Canal.

• All existing parking in the CBD is surface level; no parking garages or underground parking structures are located in the Village.

• Existing public parking lots are not clearly identified and residents and consumers find it difficult to locate parking, even when it is open and available.

• Some lots are not well-organized and additional spaces could be added to existing lots if they were reconfigured, possibly through a diagonal parking scheme.

• A number of parking lots within the Village CBD were in place before the development of the current zoning regulations. These parking lots do not typically meet the parking requirements that are outlined in the Zoning Code.

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