Dunedin reviews Midtown parking garage concepts, staff to finish design criteria for RFQ in May

City officials, consultants and residents spent the bulk of the March 6 Dunedin City Commission meeting focused on schematic designs and traffic plans for a proposed Midtown parking garage on the Scotland Street/Douglas Avenue parcel.

The city manager, Jennifer Bramley, and design consultant Jim Zulu of THA presented four façade options and a schematic layout intended to be finalized as a “design criteria package” that the city will use to solicit design‑build teams. Traffic consultants from Infrastructure Consulting and Engineering, led by Jeffrey Antonacci, reviewed circulation options that rely on a primary Douglas Avenue entrance and a secondary Scotland Street entrance that would be opened only for high‑volume events.

City staff said the design package is on an accelerated schedule. THA is expected to finish the criteria by mid‑April; the city plans to advertise the RFQ in May 2025, request proposals in June, select a design‑build team by July and return to the commission for a contract award in August, with a target notice to proceed in September 2025 and substantial completion by December 2026.

Why this matters: downtown business owners and the Dunedin CRA say demand for parking peaks during the tourism season and special events, and the city has been managing multiple leased lots with limited long‑term control. Chamber of Commerce representatives told the commission a garage is necessary to preserve access for visitors and customers; several commissioners agreed the project addresses a near‑term capacity shortage while asking staff to reduce traffic impacts and protect pedestrian safety.

Key facts and design points

- Concept size and spaces: staff noted a schematic count of 92 spaces in the current conceptual package; later design discussions referenced an overall designed capacity listed variously in the meeting transcript. Officials also said golf‑cart parking and narrower “cart” stalls were included in the schematic so several carts could share a standard car space. At one point a commissioner cited 192 spaces but staff clarified that the current schematic counts 92 spaces and that other counts referenced during discussion included alternate layouts or included off‑site spaces (transcript references provided).

- Entry and circulation: the recommended primary access is on Douglas Avenue; a Scotland Street access would be used only when Douglas is closed for parades or other special events. Traffic engineers proposed restriping on Douglas to add a northbound left‑turn lane and a short southbound right‑turn lane into the garage; both lanes require removing a limited number of on‑street parking stalls near the access points.

- Pedestrian safety and rooftop viewing: commissioners raised concerns about large event crowds and people watching parades from the top deck; staff and the police liaison were asked to propose event‑day traffic control plans and physical safety measures (rail height, anti‑climb design, signage) during the next design phase.

- Electric vehicle charging and golf carts: staff said the preferred location for EV chargers may be on Honey Lane outside the garage per earlier sustainability planning, but confirmed charger placement inside the garage remains under consideration. The schematic includes a small dedicated golf‑cart area and space for bike racks; commissioners requested that staff ensure electrical provisioning that would allow at least limited charging for low‑speed vehicles during outages.

- Aesthetics and options: THA presented four façade options ranging from a more ornate, articulated wall with balconies and vegetated frames (Option 1) to a more economical option that integrates the ramp wall into the structure (Option 4). The Architectural Review Committee had previously reviewed the concepts and recommended attention to materials and vegetation frames.

Public comment and business perspective

- Katie Ducharme, chair of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, urged the commission to advance pricing and the design package and cited a chamber estimate that construction could cost about $10 million and that the garage has a multi‑decade service life. She called for a real‑time occupancy app for the garage to improve circulation.

- Residents voiced mixed views: Susan Elfman urged the commission to reconsider siting a garage on the historic train station site and suggested alternative lots near City Hall; other speakers supported the garage as necessary to sustain downtown commerce.

What commissioners directed/staff will do

- Staff were asked to incorporate commissioners’ and the Architectural Review Committee’s comments into the final design criteria package and return a completed package in mid‑April.

- Commissioners requested more detailed traffic‑management plans for event days (including signage and an occupancy display for the garage), pedestrian safety measures for the roof deck, clearer provisions for EV charging and golf‑cart charging/stacking, and consideration of signage to prevent drivers from approaching Scotland Street when Douglas is closed.

- Several commissioners expressed preference for the Option 1 façade as the preferred aesthetic to carry forward into the design‑build solicitation; staff will return with final cost comparisons and revised renderings.

Ending: The commission did not vote on the project on March 6; staff will complete the design criteria package and return to the commission for final design‑build solicitation steps. The public comment period generated both business support and neighborhood concerns that staff said it will address in the next design phase.