An Interview with Rita Pagan and a Conversation about the IPMI Conference and ExpoRita Pagan, DES, Director of Events and Exhibits at IPMI, discusses the 2021 IPMI Conference and Expo.
By Jonathan Wicks, CAPP
In this time of evolving transportation needs and consumer preferences, municipalities and developers are asking: Are old-school parking minimums applicable to today’s usage? Developers often find them inflexible, frustrating, and costly. The planning community is increasingly opposed to parking minimums, concerned that they perpetuate an auto-centric nature of American cities that dedicates more land to cars than people, housing, and quality design. Transportation planners point out that parking minimums increase the distance between destinations, making cities and towns less walkable and—subsequently—have even more parking.
Cities are beginning to respond to the need for less parking in a meaningful way by reducing or removing minimums near transit, in downtown districts, and even city-wide. In a 2020 IPMI Virtual Parking & Mobility Virtual Conference & Expo panel led by Walker Consultants’ Sue Thompson, Chrissy Mancini Nichols, and me, we’ll dive deep into parking minimums. Expect to learn the current story of trends and data around parking minimums, see real-life case studies and analysis on minimum requirements compared to demand, and build a how-to toolbox of the policies and plans for parking and the curb to take back to your project or town.
Jonathan Wicks, CAPP, is a consultant with Walker Consultants. He will present on this topic during the 2020 IPMI Virtual Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo, June 1-2, wherever you are. Click here for details and to register.
By Justin Grunert
In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, IPMI decided to transition from an in-person Conference to a virtual event. Our first priority was to keep all of our attendees, sponsors, and vendors safe.
It saddens me that I won’t be able to see many of you in person this year. But I am happy that I will still be able to interact with you virtually.
This may be your first virtual conference—the same for me. I have never attended a virtual event on this scale and am very excited to be a part of it!
Being part of IPMI’s professional development team, I’m looking forward to the process of making this year’s IPMI Conference & Expo a reality. We will be bringing you more than 40 hours of education, both live and on-demand. Every attendee will have the option to attend all of the education sessions and visit our virtual Expo hall.
With only weeks until the start of the Conference, here are five things to keep in mind:
I am looking forward to seeing each and every one of you at this year’s Conference & Expo.
Justin Grunert is IPMI’s LMS and training coordinator.
By Matt Davis and Taylor Kim
How many times have you thought about going somewhere only to cringe at the thought of having to park? Parking sets the tone for our experience at a destination; if that experience is a negative one, it can detract from everything that follows. So, how can we create a parking environment that enhances the beginning and end to the user journey?
Lighting and signage can go a long way toward making a garage feel more welcoming, whether you are designing new parking or simply looking to spruce up an existing asset. Adding architectural appeal is another way to make parking an enjoyable experience. Likewise, public art–from painted murals by local artists to large-scale, intricate installations–provides an opportunity for a parking facility to express its identity and connect to its surroundings in unique ways. A public plaza can further integrate parking into the context of its environment.
The parking experience is about far more than aesthetics, however. Parking guidance systems that take the stress out of finding a space, and amenities such as valet can set a destination apart from others around it.
Would you like to see real-life examples of parking that has accomplished this, and more? Join us along with Josh Kavanagh, CAPP, director of transportation at UC San Diego, in Anaheim for the 2019 IPMI Conference & Expo. Our panel, Putting Parking’s Best Foot Forward, will explore the different ways parking can create a transformative experience.
Matt Davis is an associate principal and Taylor Kim is a project manager with Watry Design, Inc. They will present on this topic at the 2019 IPMI Conference & Expo, June 9-12 in Anaheim, Calif. For more information and to register, click here.
By Chelsea Webster
Have you ever unjustly gotten a parking ticket? Had your car towed? Encountered a broken parking meter or machine and been unable to pay for your parking session? Unsuccessfully tried to appeal a violation notice?
As parking professionals, we sometimes become desensitized to these very real (and sometimes very upsetting) customer issues. When that happens, when we simply go about doing our jobs, we can become the thorn in our (paying) customers’ sides. We can do rotten things like tow a charitable bus that provides haircuts to homeless people to help them prepare for job interviews, and send them a $900 bill for our efforts (yes, we did that in Calgary–read about it here). We can also generate plenty of negative headlines with the mere proposal of higher parking permit fees.
In the age of social media, it should surprise absolutely no one when news outlets on all kinds of platforms get hold of these stories. And it should also surprise absolutely no one when parking authorities and transportation departments become targets of the public’s wrath. But are negative stories forever in our future? Are we destined to be vilified time and time again?
What if–just maybe–parking authorities, parking operators, and parking departments could change the narrative? What if we could shift the focus to our sponsorship programs, our community involvement, our good deeds that repeatedly go unnoticed? If this sounds too good to be true, prepare to have your mind blown at IPMI this year, and don’t miss the session “Media Interactions 101 for Parking Professionals.”
Chelsea Webster is marketing specialist with ParkPlus System. She will present on this topic at the 2019 IPMI Conference & Expo, June 9-12 in Anaheim, Calif. For more information and to register, click here.