Key areas of concern
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Budgetary Ambiguity Over
- Projected revenue from the proposal,
- Insight into use patterns and the feasibility of raising the projected revenues,
- Costs associated with the proposed pay stations,
- System maintenance costs,
- How money will be used, and if there will be additional services for the community.
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Equity Barriers
- Could create 2-tier access, with low income members of the community having to look for beaches with free access.
- Sonoma County, compared to Southern California, has significantly less public transportation options to the coast.
- Adding additional shuttles to the coast could cost more than $300,000 per year. If this option were to be explored, who would pay for it, and how would that factor into the proposal’s revenue goals?
- Will this fee plan unduly penalize the transportation needs of the disabled?
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Incongruent Values: Demand Pricing Model
- It is unnacceptable to charge people more on sunny days, holidays, and other designated peak use periods.
- Variable charges may have negative effects on tourism, hurting the local economy as a consequence.
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Environmental Impacts
- The proposal has not addressed the possibility of direct or indirect environmental impacts.
- Two different pay station types have already been proposed. What type of pay station is being proposed now? What are the power, size, and maintenance requirements? What will the overall environmental footprint look like?
- If the proposal increases roadside parking, what will the affect be from environmental erosion and subsequent habitat displacement?
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Public Safety
- Does the proposal take into account any possible changes in traffic patterns as a result of people searching for free parking?
- Does the proposal take into account the increased likelihood of fires from cars parked on the side of the road?
- Does the proposal consider the possibility of increased accidents between cyclists and motorists search for roadside parking?
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