The Lights District Parking Study Report

October 8, 2021
Mr. Tim Solberg, AICP

Assistant City Administrator
City of West Fargo, North Dakota
800 Fourth Ave. E., Ste. 1
West Fargo, ND 58078
Re: The Lights District Parking Study

West Fargo, North Dakota
Walker Project No. 21-004860.00
Dear Mr. Solberg:
The City of West Fargo, North Dakota hired Walker Consultants to prepare the following report which summarizes
the process, findings, and recommendations associated with a parking study conducted for the District that
encompasses The Lights, The Northern Lights, and the West Fargo Sports Arena in West Fargo.
We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you on this project. If you have any questions or comments,
please do not hesitate to call.
Sincerely,
WALKER CONSULTANTS
Kevin T. White, AICP, CAPP

Parking and Mobility Consultant
Report Name
Project #
The Lights District

Parking Study- DRAFT
West Fargo, North Dakota
October 8, 2021
Prepared for:
Tim Solberg, AICP

Assistant City Administrator
City of West Fargo, North Dakota
The Lights District Parking Study
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
1: Introduction and Background 4
2: Data Collection: Parking Inventory and Demand 10
3: The Lights and Northern Lights Parking Needs Analysis and Results 16
4: District Parking Needs 28
5: Operations and Management Recommendations 33

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Executive Summary
Walker Consultants (Walker) was commissioned by the City of West Fargo, North Dakota to perform a
comprehensive parking needs study for the District comprised of The Lights and The Northern Lights
Development, Essentia Health Plaza, and the West Fargo Sports Arena.
Scenario 1: Built or Currently Under Construction

Non-Event Parking Needs
Scenario 1 considered the buildings already constructed or being constructed. Based on parking needs projections
and verification of current parking supply within the District, a surplus of 358 spaces is anticipated under this
scenario when the West Fargo Sports Arena parking spaces are included (1,329 total spaces [which excludes the
52 spaces planned at Northern Lights Phase 2] – 971 peak parking need).
Event Parking Needs

Event at the Arena
Analysis indicates that a significant event at West Fargo Sports Arena during peak parking needs of The Lights and
Northern Lights development (either midday on a weekday or weekend evening) could be accommodated with all
parking supply within the District, including parking supply at the Arena itself (1,329 total district parking spaces –
235 needed for the arena - 966 spaces are projected to be needed for The Lights and The Northern Lights during
the weekend peak = a surplus of 128 spaces).
Event at the Arena and the Plaza

Although rare, a significant event may occur at the Arena as well as the Plaza (like a concert) concurrently. If this
were to happen on a busy weekend evening during a warm weather month, a District Study Area parking supply
deficit is projected. The figure below provides a summary of this scenario. The 2,500-person concert would be the
maximum concert capacity at the Plaza, according to event operators. Strategies to address projected parking
deficits, including relying on off-site parking, are included in the next section of this report.
Scenario 1 Event Parking Needs Summary (Includes All District Parking Supply)
Estimated 1,000
Spaces Needed
Person Concert Overall Estimated 2,500 Overall
to Serve The Total Spaces in
Condition and Hockey Surplus/ Person Concert Surplus/
Lights/Northern Development*
Event Parking Deficit and Hockey Event Deficit
Lights
Need
June-October weekday
874 (105) (593)
evening
1,329 560 1,048
June-October weekend
935 (166) (654)
evening
*This does not include the 52 spaces planned for Phase 2 Northern Lights.
Source: Walker Consultants, 2021

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Scenario 2: Full Development Program

Non-Event Parking Needs
Scenario 2 considered the full development program for the District as proposed. Based on parking needs
projections and verification of current parking supply within the District, a surplus is anticipated under this
scenario. It is assumed that these projected parking deficits can be accommodated by West Fargo Sports Arena
parking. A surplus of 171 spaces is anticipated under this scenario when the 393 West Fargo Sports Arena parking
spaces are included (1,381 total spaces at full build-out – 1,210 peak parking need).
Event Parking Needs

Event at the Arena
Northern Lights development (weekend evening) could not be accommodated with all District parking supply
(1,381 total district parking spaces – 235 needed for the arena – 1,210 spaces are projected to be needed for The
Lights and The Northern Lights during the weekend peak = a deficit of 64 spaces).

deficit is projected. The figure below provides a summary of this scenario. Strategies to address projected parking
Scenario 2 Event Parking Needs Summary (Includes All District Parking Supply)
Estimated 1,000
Spaces Needed
Lights/Northern Development
Lights
Need
1,099 (278) (766)
evening
1,381 560 1,048
1,173 (352) (840)
evening
Operations and Management Recommendations

Foundational Principles of Operations and Management
The following are foundational principles of parking operations and management that should be implemented
within the study area:
1. District parking should be open and shared

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2. Promote a park once approach within the district

3. Guide different users to park in certain areas
4. Ensure residents with reserved parking park in reserved spaces
5. Work to avoid scheduling conflicts
6. Establish a model for operating the parking garage, including installing physical gate arm/parking access
revenue control systems (PARCS) equipment
7. Consider modifying the approach to reserve northern lights spaces in garage
Specific non-event and event operations and management strategies should be implemented, detailed herein.
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1 Introduction and
Background 4
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Background
The Lights is a mixed-use live-work-play development located
at the corner of 170th Avenue Southeast and 32nd Avenue East
in West Fargo. The development is being developed by EPIC
Companies out of West Fargo. The area is zoned
Entertainment Mixed Use (“EMU”), a zoning designation
meant to promote “walkability, connectivity, mixed-use, scale,
intensity, and hidden parking,” according to Chapter 4-435 of
the City of West Fargo code. The EMU District was adopted by
the West Fargo City Commission in December 2019.
On the east side of The Lights development, the EPIC (east)

and ECHO (south) mixed-use buildings have been
constructed, along with the parking structure on the north
end, and the central plaza events space (Essentia Health
Plaza). An additional building called ENVY is now being
constructed along 5th Street West and a fourth building called
EDGE is planned.
North of the parking garage and Lights Way West sits The
Northern Lights, a mixed-use residential and commercial
development from EagleRidge Development. A Phase 2 of
Northern Lights is planned to the north.
West of the Plaza sits the West Fargo Sports Arena (Arena). This indoor ice rink facility has two sheets of ice and is
owned by West Fargo Public Schools. To the west of The Lights is a residential area and to the south sits strip mall
style retail.
Previous parking studies and analyses have been completed for specific developments in the area. However,
based on the proximity and interplay between land uses and parking generators, the Client desires to evaluate the
projected parking needs and supply of this area (District or District Study Area) as one single District, with parking
needs from the development, West Fargo Sports Arena, and Essentia Health Plaza all included – which is why this
comprehensive study was commissioned.
The study area of the District is outlined in Figure 1 below. The results of this study will inform ongoing site
planning, phasing, financing, and operations.
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Figure 1 – District Study Area
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Development Program
This section summarizes the proposed development program within the study area. The current and proposed
development, along with the Essentia Health Plaza and the West Fargo Sports Arena, represent the District’s
parking demand generators. These generators were modeled to assess parking needs, discussed later in this
memorandum.
The current development program (as of October 8, 2021) is summarized in Figure 2, below, and broken-down
between the EPIC and EagleRidge projects.
Building 3 of the EPIC development (ENVY) is currently under construction, while Building 4 (EDGE) is planned for
the east end of the garage but is not yet under construction. Phase 2 of Northern Lights is planned, but
development is pending.
All other buildings are constructed. The values below are based on information from site developers. The
commercial square footages listed for EPIC and ECHO (currently built and operational) are based on actual leased
square footages and remaining building space. Note that land use totals below reflect full build-out and full
occupancy and are best guesses on land use and tenant mix based on current and forecasted market conditions.
All square footages below (other than office) are assumed to be represent leasable area. Office square footages
are listed as gross floor area.
Figure 2 – District Development Summary

EPIC Companies The Lights
Building 1 Building 2 Building 3 Building 4
Use The Lights Total
(EPIC) (ECHO) (ENVY) (EDGE)
Restaurant: Fine/Casual 8,936 13,200 22,136
Restaurant: Customer
4,000 4,000
Service/Fast Casual
Coffee Shop 1,427 1,427
Bank 12,725 12,725
Office 13,448 10,467 15,000 4,000 42,915
Retail 5,500 0 5,500
Total 29,311 23,192 28,200 8,000 SF 88,703 SF
36 units (34 49 Units (30 70 units (52 1-
15 units 170 Units (82 1-BR, 84 2-BR,
Resident Apartment/Condo 2-BR, 2 3- 1-BR, 19 2- BR, 16 2-BR, 2
(all 2-BR) 4 3-BR)
BR) BR) 3-BR)
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EagleRidge Development The Northern Lights Phase 1 and Phase 2
Use Northern Lights Ph. 1 Northern Lights Ph. 2 Northern Lights Total
Restaurant: Fine/Casual 9,008 SF 7,680 SF 16,688 SF
Restaurant: Customer
2,252 SF - 2,252 SF
Service/Fast Casual
Office 2,500 SF 2,400 SF 4,900 SF
Retail - 1,920 SF 1,920 SF
Total 13,760 SF 12,000 SF 25,760 SF
196 units (26 studio, 99 1- 56 units (23 studio, 17 2-BR, 16 3- 252 Units (49 studio, 99 1-
Resident Apartment/Condo
BR, 55 2-BR, 16 3-BR) BR) BR, 72 2-BR, 32 3-BR)
Project Development Totals
Use Project Total

Restaurant: Fine/Casual 38,824 SF
Restaurant: Customer Service/Fast Casual 6,252 SF
Coffee Shop 1,427 SF
Bank 12,725 SF
Office 47,815 SF
Retail 5,500 SF
Total 112,543 SF
Resident Apartment/Condo 422 Units (49 studio, 181 1-BR, 156 2-BR, 36 3-BR)
Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, Walker Consultants, 2021
Current Development Space Occupancy

As of the time of this writing, EPIC Companies reports full occupancy of the residential components of the EPIC
and ECHO buildings, a total of 75 residential units. Additionally, commercial/office space in the EPIC building is
44% occupied, while 77% of the ECHO building’s commercial/office space is currently occupied.
EagleRidge Development reports that about 40 residential units are occupied out of the 196 units currently
constructed, with partial occupancy of the commercial space on-site. EagleRidge Development anticipates full
residential unit occupancy in the current Phase 1 Northern Lights building by April 2022 and full commercial
occupancy of this building by early 2023. Phase 2 is currently on hold pending further planning and investigation
of site options and constraints.
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West Fargo Sports Arena

West of 5th Street West sits the West Fargo Sports Arena,
an indoor ice rink facility with two sheets of ice, owned by
West Fargo Public Schools, with operations and
management overseen by West Fargo Events. According to
the facility’s website, the primary sheet of ice can
accommodate up to 1,200 spectators, while the auxiliary
sheet of ice can accommodate up to 400 spectators. The
Arena operates seven days per week year-round and is
home to the West Fargo Packers, Sheyenne Mustangs, and
West Fargo United hockey teams, as well as practices and
events for the West Fargo Hockey Association. The Arena hosts open skate and open hockey, youth hockey
practices, games, and tournaments, as well as local high school hockey games.
The Arena has contemplated adding a third sheet of ice west of its existing footprint, but nothing is planned at
this time. Due to current uncertainty, this scenario was not incorporated into the analysis herein. Note that
adding additional hockey space that brings additional players and visitors to the arena could add to overall
parking needs.
Essentia Health Plaza

The Essentia Health Plaza at The Lights (Plaza) is owned by the
City of West Fargo, with programming and operations of the
Plaza the responsibility of by West Fargo Events. Both free and
ticketed events are held at the Plaza, including concerts with
1,000+ attendees. West Fargo Events notes that maximum
attendance of the Plaza for a concert is approximately 2,500
concertgoers. A total of 3,600 would be the maximum
assembly the Plaza could hold for a large non-concert event,
but this number would be unlikely. In addition to live music
concerts, the Plaza hosts a variety of community events (e.g.,
football viewing, family events, events with pets, etc.), as well
as open skate and hockey in the winter.
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2 Data Collection: Parking

Inventory and Demand
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Introduction
This section summarizes District parking inventory and demand, including data that was collected during field
counts conducted by Walker on September 9 and 10, 2021.
Parking Program and Inventory

The following information about the parking program and inventory is based on discussions with the City, site
developers/property owners, site observations, and parking inventory counts. Parking inventory counts were
conducted in all publicly accessible above-ground parking facilities in the District on September 9 and 10, 2021.
The counts of current parking were combined with information about planned parking supply to complete the
outlook on proposed parking supply. The proposed parking inventory at full build-out is summarized in Figures 3
and 4 below.
Figure 3 – District Parking Supply

General /
Reserved for Reserved for
Parking Type shared /
Northern Lights EPIC/Sheyenne32
unrestricted
EagleRidge/Northern Lights underground
180 0 0
residential reserved
EPIC/The Lights underground residential
0 117 0
reserved
Surface parking adjacent to Northern Lights
0 0 164
Phase 1 and Phase 2
Surface parking adjacent to EPIC/The Lights 0 0 88
Street parking 0 0 64
Garage reserved for Northern Lights 104 0 0
Garage shared/non-reserved 0 0 271 Totals
Development Subtotal 284 117 587 988
West Fargo Sports Arena parking 393 393
Total District Parking 1,381
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Figure 4 – District Parking Supply
164 REG + 4 ADA

(TOTAL NORTHERN
LIGHTS SURFACE
PARKING)
10 REG
180 REG UNDER
31 REG
353 REG; 8 ADA; 8

167 REG
EV
13 REG
10 REG
117 REG UNDER
117 REG
86 REG;
35 REG + 2 ADA
Notes:
REG = Regular parking spaces
ADA = ADA parking spaces
EV = Electric vehicle charging station spaces
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Important notes related to the planned District parking supply include the following:
1. Based on plans, EPIC will provide 0.69 reserved parking spaces per residential unit (117 underground
reserved spaces for 170 residential units), entirely under the EPIC portion of the site. EPIC charges $100
per month for underground reserved residential parking, a cost that is unbundled from housing costs.
Beyond the underground reserved residential parking, all other parking needs are planned to be satisfied
with surface parking adjacent to the south and east of The Lights buildings, public street parking in The
Lights, and via the above-ground parking garage. This includes office and retail employees, who must park
in public/unshared parking spaces. Additionally, residents that do not purchase the $100 per month
underground parking must rely on the public/unshared surface and garage spaces to meet their parking
needs. EPIC has indicated that they may sell underground spaces that go unused by residents to office
tenants, as possible and appropriate.
2. EagleRidge Development is planning 1.13 reserved parking spaces per residential unit (128 under Phase 1,
52 under Phase 2, and 104 in the garage for 252 residential units), meaning some units will receive more
than one reserved space. All other parking needs beyond the reserved residential needs are planned to
be satisfied via the above-ground parking garage and area street parking.
3. Approximately 30 spaces to the south and east of The Lights and adjacent to the existing bank, coffee
shop, and retail are marked with signs that read “Welcome to EPIC 32. 30 Minute Parking Only, 24
Hours/day, 7 days/week. Violators will be towed. Please use free public parking in the parking ramp.”
Additional signage indicates overnight parking is not permitted. These spaces were noted as empty during
peak parking occupancy conditions during the events on September 10, 2021, indicating the spaces are
not being utilized efficiently. As discussed later in this report, steps should be taken by the City to
incorporate these spaces into a managed shared parking ecosystem that encourages turnover and
balances the demands of District users.
4. The analysis included herein assumes available, non-reserved parking will be shared between the City of
West Fargo, the West Fargo School District, EPIC Companies, and EagleRidge Development. Simply put,
reserved residential parking is assumed to be reserved 24/7 and unavailable for any shared use, while all
other non-reserved parking supply (all supply except for reserved residential spaces) within the study
area will be public and shared for both event and non-event conditions. Non-reserved parking should
operate as one single pool of shared parking and users are welcome to park anywhere and visit any of the
District land uses, all while leaving their vehicle parked (i.e., not re-parking). Other than the signed and
access-controlled reserved spaces, all other parking spaces should be public, unrestricted, unsigned, and
not for one specific user group.
5. Note that Walker counted seven (7) spaces along the east-west road between the parking garage and The
Northern Lights that were signed as reserved for Northern Lights resident parking only. These spaces are
included in Figure 3 and the analysis as shared parking spaces as they should function as open and shared
public spaces due to their location. Additionally, EagleRidge originally reported that the only reserved
resident spaces for Northern Lights residents were the spaces below Northern Lights and the 104 spaces
in the above-ground garage. Additionally, it is Walker’s understanding that The Northern Lights lease
agreement does not designate these spaces are reserved for residents. Although technically owned by
EagleRidge/Northern lights, and as discussed later in this report, steps should be taken by the City to
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incorporate these spaces into a managed shared parking ecosystem that encourages turnover and
balances the demands of District users.
6. A separate medical office development is proposed on the southwestern corner of Sheyenne Street and
32nd Avenue West. This is located across the street from the southeast corner of the District and is
accessible on foot via an underground shared use path under Sheyenne Street. A total of 395 parking
spaces are planned at this development, with construction is slated to begin in 2022. Parking needs on
this site are anticipated to be highest in the off-peak hours (during weekday business hours) of the
District study area. It is Walker’s understanding that these parking spaces may be available to
accommodate spillover parking demand from the District study area.
Parking Occupancy (Demand)

Parked vehicles were counted by Walker at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2021.
The morning and midday counts were conducted to provide insights on current typical daily conditions. The 8:30
p.m. count was conducted to observe conditions during a busy event; at this time the West Fargo Sports Arena
was hosting a large youth hockey tournament concurrently with the Essentia Health Plaza at The Lights hosting a
Sara Evans concert.
It is important to note that some parking areas were closed and/or not yet constructed during data collection.
This included street parking along 5th Street West between the Arena and the EPIC buildings, as well as the
surface parking lot north of The Northern Lights building. These areas were being used as construction staging
areas. A total of 932 parking spaces were counted: 651 occupied spaces, and 281 empty spaces, for an overall
occupancy percentage of 70%.
Figure 5 below shows the results of parking occupancy data collection.
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Figure 5 – District Parking Demand: 8:30 p.m., Friday, September 10
CLOSED
11 EMPTY
2 EMPTY
9 EMPTY
22 EMPTY 125 EMPTY
5 EMPTY
CLOSED
42 EMPTY
39 EMPTY
8 EMPTY
Notes:
Empty/available spaces are shown.

Of the empty spaces indicated, approximately 20 total empty spaces across all facilities were ADA or EV charging spaces.
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The Lights and Northern

3 Lights Parking Needs
Analysis and Results
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Introduction
Projected parking needs for The Lights and Northern Lights development are provided below, with the analysis
conducted using a shared parking approach.
Development Parking Needs Analysis

Shared Parking Introduction
Shared parking leverages the presence of complementary land uses on a site having different periods of peak
parking demand, allowing for the sharing of parking spaces among uses in a mixed-use environment—in lieu of
providing a minimum number of parking spaces for each individual use. For example, an office building can share
parking with residential units because parking demand peaks in the day for the office workers and peaks in the
evening for the residents. This results in an opportunity to provide adequate parking without building more
parking spaces than necessary for customers, employees, and residents. Shared parking commonly results in a
reduction in the total need for parking spaces and in more efficient use of land dedicated to parking.
Shared parking is a cost-effective approach to addressing parking shortfalls, while increasing the capacity of each
parking space in the system. This opens more land for uses other than parking and reduces overall development
costs, which can have the parallel effect of lowering rents.
Walker’s Shared Parking Model is based on the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and International Council of Shopping
Center’s (ICSC) Shared Parking publication. Walker led a team of consultants in writing the updated Shared
Parking Third Edition and it features the most up-to-date parking demand model. Shared Parking is an industry-
accepted method of generating a parking capacity recommendation for real estate development projects. The
model projects the parking needs of a various types of development from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on a typical
weekday and a weekend for every month of the year.
A shared parking analysis, in accordance with the 3rd Edition of the Shared Parking publication, is the generally
accepted methodology for determining the appropriate parking supply for a mixed-use development. The ability
to share parking spaces is the result of two conditions:
1. Variations in the accumulation of vehicles by hour, by day, or by season at the individual land uses. For
example, office buildings have peak parking needs during the day on weekdays, restaurants have peak
parking needs during the evening and weekends, and hotels and residential land uses have peak parking
needs overnight.
2. Relationships exist among the land uses that result in visiting multiple land uses on the same auto trip.
For example, a substantial percentage of patrons at one business (restaurant) may be visitors at the retail.
This is referred to as the “effects of the captive market.” These patrons are already parking and
contribute only once to the number of peak hour parkers. In other words, the parking demand ratio for
individual land uses should be factored downward in proportion to the captive market received from
neighboring land uses.
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To determine a recommended parking supply for the proposed site, Walker used shared parking methodologies.
The resulting recommended supply for the proposed project is based on the projected peak hour of design day
parking demand.
Note that this does not represent the maximum parking demand ever generated by the development. In Walker’s
experience, designing a parking system for the absolute peak busiest day of the year leads to overbuilding of
parking spaces. Similarly, one does not build for an average day and have insufficient supply for the peak (if not
multiple) hours on 50 percent of the days in a year. The peak in this analysis refers to the “design day” or “design
hour,” one that recurs frequently enough to justify providing spaces for that level of parking activity. The 85th
percentile of peak-hour observations for each land use is generally recommended by Shared Parking, except for
retail shopping, for which the 20th highest hour of the year is employed.
Shared Parking Methodology

In accordance with the Third Edition of Shared Parking, parking needs are analyzed separately for
employees/residents and customers/guests to improve the reliability of the projections, as well as the tools for
parking management planning. The analysis employs the following steps in the order set forth in Figure 6.
Figure 6 – Shared Parking Methodology

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Total
Base
Non-
Land Use Parking Monthly Factor x Driving Total Recommended
x x x Captive x =
Metrics Demand Hourly Factor Ratio Parking Supply
Ratio
Ratios
Source: Shared Parking, 3rd Edition
Shared Parking Analysis Process

The process and the results of modeling using the shared parking methodology are outlined below.
Base Parking Demand Ratios

Figure 7 displays the base parking ratios for the different land uses used in this analysis, from the Urban Land Institute’s
Shared Parking 3rd Edition. The base parking ratios represent how many spaces should be supplied to each use if the
spaces are unshared, and the project is in a suburban context where the driving ratio is at or near 100 percent. The
shared parking model contains base parking ratios that are typically utilized unless a project specific feature merits
changing them. In this analysis, standard base parking ratios for the land uses were utilized.
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Figure 7: Base (Unshared and Unadjusted) Parking Ratios, Weekday and Weekend
Weekday Weekend
Land Use Employee/ Employee/ Unit
Visitor Visitor
Resident Resident
Restaurant: Fine/casual 13.25 2.25 15.25 2.50 /ksf GLA
Restaurant: Customer service/
12.40 2.00 12.70 2.00 /ksf GLA
Fast casual
Coffee Shop 12.75 2.25 12.00 2.00 /sf GLA
Bank 3.50 2.50 3.00 1.75 /ksf GLA
Office (25 to 100 ksf) 0.30 3.48 0.03 0.35 /ksf GFA
Retail (<400 ksf) 2.90 0.70 3.20 0.80 /ksf GLA
1-Bedroom 0.10 0.90 0.15 0.90 /units
2-Bedroom 0.10 1.65 0.15 1.65 /units
3-Bedroom 0.10 2.50 0.15 2.50 /units
Source: Shared Parking, 3rd Edition
These unadjusted base ratios are applied to the development program data to establish unadjusted peak parking
needs levels. These levels are the start of the shared parking analysis and are adjusted using the shared parking
model process based on conditions of the market and the site. These ratios were reviewed and confirmed with
the City of West Fargo and are consistent with typical market parking needs.
Presence Factors
After the project’s land uses have been quantified and base parking ratios have been applied to these land use
quantities, adjustments are made to account for parking demand variability by hour of day and month of year.
These time-based adjustments are referred to as a “presence” adjustment.
Presence is expressed as a percentage of the peak hour demand on a design day for both time of day and month
of the year. The fact that parking demand for each component may peak at different times generally means that
fewer parking spaces are needed for the project than would be required if each component were a freestanding
development.
Based on Walker’s understanding of the land use program and experience with similar projects, Walker deems
the adjustments recommended in Shared Parking for time of day and time of year are generally appropriate for
the proposed project.
Drive Ratio and Non-Captive Ratio Adjustments

Two adjustments are then applied: a driving ratio adjustment and non-captive ratio adjustment. Both are
described below.
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Drive Ratio Adjustment

The driving ratio adjustment ratio represents the percentage of users arriving at the site by a personal vehicle.
This excludes all non-driving modes of transportation including shuttle busses and other public transportation,
taxi, ride-hailing (Lyft/Uber), walking, bicycling, and carpooling passengers. The Sheyenne32 development sits in
an area where nearly all site visitors, employees, and residents use a single-occupancy vehicle to travel to and
from the site. A 100% drive ratio is assumed for retail customers and office employees.
Consistent with market conditions, a 15% drive alone reduction was applied to fine/casual restaurant customers
to account for use of Uber and Lyft on weekday and weekend evenings, and a 2% drive alone reduction was
applied for retail and restaurant employees. It is assumed that 100% of office employees, 100% residents, and all
others will own a vehicle and park it on-site.
Non-Captive Ratio Adjustment

“Captive market” is borrowed from market researchers to describe people who are already present in the
immediate vicinity at certain times of the day. In the shared parking analysis, the term “captive market” reflects
the adjustment of parking needs and vehicular trip generation rates due to the interaction among uses in an area.
Traditionally, the non-captive adjustment is used to fine-tune the parking needs of restaurants and retail
patronized by employees of adjacent office buildings, generally long-term parkers, already counted as being
parked for the day and not generating additional parking demand.
Generally, non-captive parking considerations for any mixed-use development considers that some visitors to a
specific land use may already be parked or have arrived at the site to visit multiple land uses, such as when a retail
customer visits a restaurant within the same development. This is referred to as the “effects of a captive market,”
as some of the restaurant’s patrons and event attendees are already parking at the site. Therefore, they
contribute only once to the number of peak hour spaces utilizing the development’s parking supply. In other
words, with shared parking, the parking demand ratio for individual land uses can be adjusted downward in
proportion to the captive market support of the neighboring land uses.
Walker, in designing a shared use analysis in accordance with industry best practices, uses the inverse or non-
captive ratio, which is the percentage of parkers who are not already counted as being parked. The planned
development includes a mix of retail, office, restaurant, coffee shop, and residential uses. Therefore, it is likely
that a portion of those visiting the commercial land uses will be from the offices or residents visiting the
retail/dining establishments.
Non-captive ratios can vary from one property to the next and from one function to the next within the same
property. Typically, a reduction ranging from 5 to 90 percent has been used by parking and transportation
professionals to fine-tune the parking requirements for mixed-use projects with primary attractors and secondary
attractors. Walker Consultants assumed slight adjustments to ratios to reflect a moderate amount of captive
demand at the site. Examples include office employees visiting the retail and restaurant uses on site.
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Shared Parking Results: Two Scenarios

The results of the shared parking analysis are presented below for two distinct scenarios:
1. Full build-out and full occupancy of the building currently under construction (this excludes Northern
Lights Phase 2 and the EPIC EDGE building #4); and
2. Full build-out and full occupancy of all planned buildings, including Northern Lights Phase 2 and EPIC Edge
building #4.
Scenario 1: Excluding Northern Lights Phase 2 and EPIC

EDGE Building 4
This scenario assumes full build-out and full-occupancy of all buildings built or currently under construction. Thus,
this scenario excludes Northern Lights Phase 2 and EPIC EDGE building 4. Figure 8 below summarizes the
development program for this scenario. These values were used in the analysis of parking needs.
Figure 8 – Scenario 1 District Development Summary
Use Project Total

Restaurant: Fine/Casual 31,144 SF GLA
Restaurant: Customer Service/Fast Casual 2,252 SF GLA
Coffee Shop 1,427 SF GLA
Bank 12,725 SF GLA
Office 41,415 SF GFA
Retail 5,500 SF GLA
Total 94,463 SF
Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, 2021
The results of the shared parking model analysis are included in Figure 9 below. A total of 351 reserved residential
spaces (1 per unit) are assumed. Note that the model is predicting visitor and non-reserved resident parking
needs as well.
The peak hour of parking need occurs at 1 p.m. on a weekday in December, driven in large part due to office
parking needs. Weekend peak hour needs are 8:00 p.m. in December.
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Figure 9: Scenario 1 Parking Space Needs Analysis Summary

Weekday (1 p.m. peak hour) Weekend (8 p.m. peak hour)
Land Use
Customer/Visitor Employee/Resident Customer/Visitor Employee/Resident
Restaurant: Fine/casual 301 62 397 75
3 5 1 3
Fast casual
Coffee Shop 15 4 0 0
Bank 22 30 0 0
Office (25 to 100 ksf) 5 114 0 0
Retail (<400 ksf) 11 4 5 4
Studio 2 4
1-Bedroom 14 28
2-Bedroom 7 17 53 36
3-Bedroom 4 9
Residential Reserved 351 351
Subtotal 364 607 456 510
Grand Total Needed 971 966
Peak weekday demands range from 923 spaces in late December to 970 in December. During the spring and
summer months, peak needs range between 930 and 962. Peak weekend demands are lowest in February but
increase in the spring and summer and peak again in December at 964.
Figure 10 below shows the accumulation and fluctuation of parking needs throughout a weekday in December,
broken out by the different land uses. Residential parking needs include the reserved spaces. Note the peaking
around the lunch hour. The red dashed line represents the total assumed parking supply under this scenario
(936).
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Figure 10: Scenario 1 Peak Month (December) Daily Parking Needs by Hour (Weekday)
Scenario 1 Results Summary (No Events)

Assuming the build-out and occupancy of the buildings currently under construction, there is a peak parking need
of approximately 971 spaces, occurring during the midday lunch hour on weekdays (driven by office and lunch
time parkers) and in the evening on weekends (driven by visitors to dining/restaurants. Based on projections and
an assumed supply of 936 spaces in the District (not including the West Fargo Sports Arena parking), a small
deficit will occur, even when no special events are taking place. Parking needs are summarized in Figure 11 below.
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Figure 11 – Non-Event Parking Needs Summary (Does Not Include West Fargo Sports Arena Parking Supply)
Weekday
Spaces Needed to Serve Total Spaces in Surplus/
Condition
The Lights/Northern Lights Development* Deficit
Average peak parking condition 943 936 (7)
Overall peak parking condition 971 936 (35)
Weekend
Use
Average peak parking condition 937 936 (1)
Overall peak parking condition 966 936 (30)
*This does not include the 393 spaces at the West Fargo Sports Arena and does not include the 52 spaces planned for Phase
2 Northern Lights.
Analysis indicates that the current parking supply of 936 spaces will accommodate peak weekday and weekend
parking needs in January, February, September, and November, peak weekend needs in October, and peak
weekday needs in late December. It is assumed that parking deficits can be accommodated by West Fargo Sports
Arena parking. A surplus of 358 spaces is anticipated under this scenario when the West Fargo Sports Arena
parking spaces are included (1,329 total spaces [which excludes the 52 spaces planned at Northern Lights Phase
2] – 971 peak parking need).
Scenario 2: Full Program Build-Out and Occupancy,

Including Northern Lights Phase 2 and EPIC EDGE
Building 4
This scenario assumes full build-out and full-occupancy of the entire proposed program, including Northern Lights
Phase 2 and EPIC EDGE building 4. Figure 12 below summarizes the development program for this scenario. These
values were used in the analysis of parking needs.
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Figure 12 – Scenario 2 District Development Summary
Use Project Total

Restaurant: Fine/Casual 38,824 SF GLA
Restaurant: Customer Service/Fast Casual 6,252 SF GLA
Coffee Shop 1,427 SF GLA
Bank 12,725 SF GLA
Office 47,815 SF GFA
Retail 5,500 SF GLA
Total 112,543 SF
Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, 2021
The results of the shared parking model analysis are included in Figure 13 below. A total of 401 reserved
residential spaces are assumed. This is based on parking supply information provided by EPIC and EagleRidge
Development (see Figure 3) and is fewer than 1 space per residential unit. Note that the model is predicting
visitor and non-reserved resident parking needs as well.
The peak hour of parking need occurs at 1 p.m. on a weekday in December, driven in large part due to office
parking needs. Weekend peak hour needs are 8:00 p.m. in December.
Figure 13: Scenario 2 Parking Space Needs Analysis Summary

Weekday (1 p.m. peak hour) Weekend (8 p.m. peak hour)
Land Use
Customer/Visitor Employee/Resident Customer/Visitor Employee/Resident
Restaurant: Fine/casual 376 77 495 94
27 13 15 7
Fast casual
Coffee Shop 15 4 0 0
Bank 21 30 0 0
Office (25 to 100 ksf) 6 130 0 0
Retail (<400 ksf) 10 4 3 4
Studio 5 10
1-Bedroom 18 37
2-Bedroom 9 28 64 59
3-Bedroom 10 21
Residential Reserved 401 401
Subtotal 464 720 577 633
Grand Total Needed 1,184 1,210
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Peak weekday demands range from 1,124 spaces in February to 1,175 in May and 1,184 in December. Peak
weekend demands are lowest in February at 1,142 parking spaces but increase in the spring and summer and
peak again in December at 1,210.
Figure 14 below shows the accumulation and fluctuation of parking need throughout a weekend in December,
broken out by the different land uses. Residential parking needs include the reserved spaces. Note the peaking in
the evening hours.
Figure 14: Scenario 2 Peak Month (December) Daily Parking Needs by Hour (Weekend)
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Scenario 2 Results Summary (No Events)

Assuming the build-out and occupancy of the buildings currently under construction, there is a peak parking need
of approximately 1,210 spaces, occurring during the evening on a weekend (driven in large part by restaurant
patrons). Based on projections and an assumed supply of 988 spaces in the District (not including the West Fargo
Sports Arena parking), a deficit will occur, even when no special events are taking place. Parking needs are
summarized in Figure 15 below.
Figure 15 – Non-Event Parking Needs Summary (Does Not Include West Fargo Sports Arena Parking Supply)
Weekday
Condition
Average peak parking condition 1,150 988 (162)
Overall peak parking condition 1,184 988 (196)
Weekend
Use
Average peak parking condition 1,176 988 (188)
Overall peak parking condition 1,210 988 (222)
*This does not include the 393 spaces at the West Fargo Sports Arena but does include the 52 spaces planned for Phase 2
Northern Lights.
It is assumed that these projected parking deficits can be accommodated by West Fargo Sports Arena parking. A
surplus of 171 spaces is anticipated under this scenario when the 393 West Fargo Sports Arena parking spaces are
included (1,381 total spaces at full build-out – 1,210 peak parking need).
Conclusion
Results indicate that in either development scenario, in non-event conditions, The Northern Lights and The Lights
projected parking needs can be handled with the use of parking supply at the Arena.
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4 District Parking Needs
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Introduction
This section summarizes parking needs for the entire district and its three parking generators: The Lights/
Northern Lights Development, the Plaza, and the Arena. Results are provided under various District operational
conditions and the two distinct development scenarios (what is currently built/being built for The Northern Lights
and The Lights, and the full proposed development program). Event parking needs are added to the
development-specific parking need from The Lights and Northern Lights to determine overall peak District parking
needs. Concerts are assumed to be the most common event type at the Plaza with significant parking needs, and
concerts occur most typically in the evenings when the development itself is expected to see peak parking needs.
It is for these reasons that concerts are used as a means of understanding Plaza parking needs in the context of
the entire District.
Walker combined parked vehicle counts and site observations with information from project stakeholders and
industry standards to identify the parking needs profile of the three primary entities on site (The Northern Lights/
The Lights development, the Arena, and the Plaza).
Understanding the parking needs profiles for each of these helps to assess overall District parking conditions
under different potential operational conditions, and what must be done to effectively operate and manage
parking. The Lights and Northern Lights development is expected to be consistent, with demand peaking on the
nights and weekends. Walker understands that in addition to typical development parking needs from The Lights
and Northern Lights, there may be events taking place at the Plaza, and/or the Plaza and the Arena
simultaneously.
Events at both the Arena and the Plaza that also correspond to busy evenings and weekends at the development
will compound parking pressures, demanding different approaches to parking operations and management to
provide a high-level of service. This is especially true given that overall parking supply at full build-out within the
District is essentially capped with not much room for additional supply.
Various factors will impact parking needs including time of day, day of week, month of year, the type of event,
and how built out and occupied The Lights and Northern Lights development are at the time. Note that the event
and garage operator, West Fargo Events, notes that it is and will continue to be rare to have a significant event
(e.g., a tournament) at the Arena at the same time there is a significant event at the Plaza (e.g., a concert). The
operator has stated it is their intention to work hard to avoid this scenario. Nevertheless, this scenario represents
the extreme condition of District parking needs.
Identifying Specific Parking Needs

Since parking facilities are open and parking use was comingled, Walker was unable to discern the specific
intended destination of parked vehicles counted during data collection on September 10, 2021. That is, Walker
was not able to determine whether a car that was parked in the West Fargo Sports Arena parking lot, for example,
was someone visiting the Arena or the Plaza during this time. Therefore, Walker conducted analysis based on
industry standards and the best information available to determine the specific parking needs of The Lights and
Northern Lights development, the Plaza, and the Arena at the time of data collection to establish ratios on which
to project future parking needs. This is discussed in more detail below.
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The Lights and Northern Lights Parking Needs During

Data Collection
To determine the parking demand from those vehicles solely parked for visiting The Lights and Northern Lights
development during the time of data collection. Walker developed a shared parking model that included the
currently leased/occupied residential and commercial space in The Lights and Northern Lights. This model
indicates that the peak evening (8:00 p.m.) parking need on a weekend September (not including the
underground reserved parking, which was not counted) for this condition is 169 spaces.
Arena Parking Needs

According to Arena management, the youth hockey tournament taking place at the Arena on September 10,
2021, was a large event that is representative of other similar large events that take place at the Arena. The Arena
has adjacent surface parking spaces on-site, in which 285 vehicles were parked during the event. Based on
observations (and since parking facilities are comingled with no visible cross-parking restrictions in place), some of
these parked vehicles were assumed to be attendees of the concert taking place at the Plaza.
Walker assumes that 235 vehicles were parked solely for the Arena during data collection. This is derived based
on 285 parked vehicles counted in the Arena lots and an observation that approximately 50 of these vehicles
were parked for the concert event at the Plaza. Walker assumes this number (235) can be used as an estimate for
typical parking demand during a special event at the Arena.
Plaza Parking Demand Ratio

Although other types of events occur in the Plaza, concerts are regarded as the most typical busy events to occur
Plaza and are therefore used as a proxy for projecting parking needs. According to event operators, 1,067
concertgoers were on hand at the Plaza during Walker’s data collection. According to West Fargo Events, other
concerts at the Plaza have experienced attendance of more than 1,800 concertgoers.
In addition to parking within the District boundary, observations and anecdotal evidence indicate that
concertgoers also park off-site on neighboring properties and south across 32nd Avenue. Walker estimates that
approximately 100 vehicles were parked outside of the District for the concert during data collection. Subtracting
out development parking needs and Arena parking needs, a total of 347 vehicles are estimated to have been
parked within the District for the concert itself. This is equal to 651 total parked vehicles counted – 169 parked for
The Lights and Northern Lights – 235 parked for the Arena + 100 vehicles parked off-site for the concert.
This equates to a ratio of 0.325 parking spaces per concertgoer (1,067 concert attendees / 347 vehicles parked
solely for the concert). This is consistent with industry standard event parking demand ratios.
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District Parking Needs by Scenario

Full district parking needs are summarized below for each of the two development scenarios. These numbers
include those of The Lights, Northern Lights, the Plaza, and the Arena.
Scenario 1: The Lights and Northern Lights: What is

Currently Built or Under Construction
Below are the projected parking needs for Scenario 1 (assuming full build-out and occupancy of what has been
built or currently under construction for The Lights and Northern Lights) with event parking needs included.
Event at the Arena

Northern Lights development (either midday on a weekday or weekend evening) could be accommodated with all
parking supply within the District, including parking supply at the Arena itself (1,329 total district parking spaces –
235 needed for the arena - 966 spaces are projected to be needed for The Lights and The Northern Lights during
the weekend peak = a surplus of 128 spaces).

deficit is projected. Figure 16 provides a summary of this scenario. The 2,500-person concert would be the
maximum concert capacity at the Plaza, according to event operators. Strategies to address projected parking
Figure 16 – Event Parking Needs Summary (Includes All District Parking Supply)
Estimated 1,000
Spaces Needed
Lights/Northern Development*
Lights
Need
874 (105) (593)
evening
1,329 560 1,048
935 (166) (654)
evening
*This does not include the 52 spaces planned for Phase 2 Northern Lights.
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Scenario 2: The Lights and Northern Lights Full

Development Program
Below are the projected parking needs for Scenario 1 (assuming full build-out and occupancy of the full proposed
program for The Lights and Northern Lights) with event parking needs included.
Event at the Arena

Northern Lights development (weekend evening) could not be accommodated with all District parking supply
(1,381 total district parking spaces – 235 needed for the arena – 1,210 spaces are projected to be needed for The
Lights and The Northern Lights during the weekend peak = a deficit of 64 spaces).

deficit is projected. Figure 17 provides a summary of this scenario. Strategies to address projected parking
Figure 17 – Event Parking Needs Summary (Includes All District Parking Supply)
Estimated 1,000
Spaces Needed
Lights/Northern Development
Lights
Need
1,099 (278) (766)
evening
1,381 560 1,048
1,173 (352) (840)
evening
Conclusion
Analysis indicates that evening events occurring at the Arena and the Plaza simultaneously will result in a parking
deficit in the District that must be addressed with operations and management strategies.
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Operations and
5 Management
Recommendations
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Operations and
Management
Recommendations
This section provides recommendations for operating and
managing parking within the District Study Area under event
and non-event conditions, given the parking needs projections
provided herein.
All site parking (other than underground
Foundational Principles of reserved residential and reserved
residential in the above-ground garage)
Operations and Management should operate as open and shared
parking amongst all District users.
The following are foundational principles of parking operations
and management that should be implemented within the study area.
District Parking Should be Open and Shared

Other than the underground parking (reserved for Northern Lights and The Lights residents) and the 104 spaces
within the garage reserved for Northern Lights residents, all on-street, surface, and garage parking within the
District should be open and shared. This means all parking should have common signage, uniform restrictions,
branding, and fall under the same management and enforcement approach. Operating parking as such will
establish consistency and clarity for District users, reduce disputes between parking users, take advantage of
shared parking efficiencies and benefits, encourage a park once approach, and reduce the need for access control
equipment and active targeted enforcement. From the perspective of visitors to the District, they see all parking
within the District as part of a common pool of parking – these users do not know about specific parcel lines and
parking boundaries. Since the District will inherently want to operate as a shared parking ecosystem with
consistent enforcement and management, it is recommended that all parties embrace this management
approach.
The alternative to a shared and uniform parking ecosystem would be a system that relies on barriers, signage,
and/or different management and enforcement strategies and processes for each of the different parking areas
to ensure that the users are parking where they are intended to park. This could lead to confusion and frustration
among patrons and visitors, as well as added costs and duties for the parking operator and property owners and
managers.
Action items to consider related to this principle include:
1. Establish a framework for operating and maintaining all on- and off-street parking within the District, with
buy-in and support from all District stakeholders. The approach should include shared costs, liability,
signage, communications/wayfinding, maintenance, enforcement, and other elements. On-street and
surface parking operations and enforcement need to complement the operations of the parking garage.
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2. Steps should be taken to ensure that parking enforcement is taken seriously, citations may be issued for
violations, and citations can be enforced and collected. The City should consider models of operation
where they have control of parking enforcement, if possible. Alternatively, if a third-party executes the
enforcement, steps should be taken to ensure citations have substantial grounds and are enforceable.
3. The open and shared parking approach can work well during typical non-event conditions where parking
can be effectively shared. However, events that lead to specific peak parking loads can strain the system
and frustrate users who cannot “protect” their parking. There should be a deliberate plan for event
parking so as not to frustrate users. See below for more information on event parking.
Promote a Park Once Approach

Within the District
As an extension of the open and shared parking approach, patrons
should be actively encouraged to come to the District, park, and
walk around to visit multiple land uses, without moving their vehicle
between uses. Someone may attend an event at the Plaza and then
walk to a bar or restaurant afterwards. Alternatively, a visitor to the
Arena may wish to visit a restaurant before or after a hockey event.
All businesses and users of the development benefit when District
parking operates in this fashion. The park once approach should be
viewed as central to creating a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use live-
work-play District.
Guide Different Users to Park in

Certain Areas
Although open and shared, parking regulations, enforcement,
communications, and wayfinding should be used to guide people to
park in the appropriate areas for the system to operate as
efficiently as possible. Customers, office visitors, and residential
visitors should be directed to park in the short-term/higher- Parking near high turnover retail and
turnover on-street and surface parking spaces, spilling over to the restaurant spaces should be time limited
above-ground garage and into the West Fargo Sports Arena parking at no more than 3 hours. Short-term 20
lot as needed. Office, restaurant, and retail employees who are minutes spaces may be installed in select
parking for longer durations, on the other hand, should park in the areas for quick pick-up purposes.
above-ground garage as a first priority, instead of occupying short-
term spaces better suited for customers. Reserved residential
parking should take place underground and within the 104 reserved spaces in the above-ground parking garage.
Action items to consider related to this principle include:
1. Sign all parking within the District as 3-hour parking (except during events) and enforce these spaces as
such, except for the parking around the Arena. To avoid frustration for Arena visitors during non-event
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conditions, sign all Arena parking spaces with a 6-hour time limit and enforce as such. No overnight
parking should be permitted anywhere, except for residents parking in the above-ground garage.
2. Provide select 20-minute spaces near select land uses for loading/unloading/pick-up/drop-off and other
high turnover activities.
3. Communicate these parking options to users in all promotions and communications materials.
4. Relax all parking enforcement during peak Arena and/or Plaza event conditions.
Ensure Residents with Reserved

Parking Park in Reserved Spaces
For the system to operate efficiently and as intended, it is
critical that residents of Northern Lights and The Lights who
have reserved parking (either underground or in the above-
ground garage) actually park in their reserved spaces and not
in a shared/unreserved space. Parking in a shared/unreserved
space essentially means these users are occupying two spaces
at the same time – the space they are in and their reserved
space. Across all District parking operations and agreements
there needs to be a consistent provision that residents with Gate arms are recommended at all garage
reserved spaces may not park in unreserved spaces at any entrance and exit lanes to be able to
time (e.g., using their reserved space(s) as storage and then monitor and track garage use and
parking in an unreserved space). occupancy and maintain reserved spaces
for residents.
Work to Avoid Scheduling
Conflicts
Parking pressures are anticipated on-site when events are taking place at the Plaza and the West Fargo Sports
Arena concurrently. To minimize parking pressures, steps should be taken to avoid scheduling concurrent events,
especially large events, at both the Plaza and the Arena, and especially on weekend evenings.
Establish a Model for Operating the Parking Garage

It is recommended that physical entry and access gates be installed at the above-ground parking garage to
manage the garage more easily and effectively during non-event and event conditions. Gates will not prohibit
access to the garage to any users but will make garage operations and manage easier and more efficient. Specifics
about garage operations in non-event and event conditions are provided below.
Consider Modifying Approach to Reserved Northern Lights

Spaces in Garage
Currently, reserved parking spaces for Northern Lights residents are on the third floor of the parking garage.
Approximately one floor of parking sits above these reserved spaces. This makes filling the upper floor of the
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garage difficult in both non-event and event conditions as users have to “jump” over these reserved spaces to fill
in the parking supply on the top level.
To improve garage use efficiency and ease of management, the City should consider working with stakeholders to
amend the current agreement to grant Northern Lights the use of 104 spaces in the garage but not designate
these spaces in any specific location. Under this approach, the 104 Northern Lights residents can park anywhere
within the garage, making it possible for all the spaces within the garage to be shared. Garage operators would
leverage technology to monitor garage demand and supply to ensure spaces are always available for Northern
Lights residents with reserved garage parking.
General Recommendations
1. District parking enforcement (excluding the above-ground
garage and access-controlled underground spaces) should be
performed at regular intervals using a license plate recognition
(LPR) camera mounted to a security vehicle. The LPR camera
will be able to register plates to monitor length of stay and
confirm compliance.
2. There are approximately 395 parking spaces being planned as
part of a FIBT West Fargo development across Sheyenne Street
east of the District. The City should work with EPIC to secure
the use of these spaces as needed under high-intensity peak
parking conditions. The Lights residents who do not have
reserved parking are especially good candidates to use these
off-site parking spaces during times where the District will
experience peak event parking loads.
3. Relative to event conditions: It is evident that concertgoers
going to the Plaza use the West Fargo Sports Arena parking lot;
Dozens of individuals were
this was observed during data collection, when a significant
observed parking in the West
event was also taking place at the Arena. Those parking for
Fargo Sports Arena lot and
hockey events at the Arena should be regarded as a higher
walking to the Plaza for the
priority to use these parking spaces (because they have
concert during data collection.
equipment and small children) than concertgoers and
Approximately 125 empty spaces
attendees at Plaza events. Steps should be taken to ensure
were observed in the garage.
that, to the extent possible, Arena parking spaces are preserved
Steps should be taken to ensure
for Arena visitors first during peak event periods. These include
concert goers fill up the garage
the following:
first before spilling over into
adjacent facilities.
a. Work to eliminate the issue altogether by avoiding
scheduling significant Arena events at the same time as Plaza events, especially during peak
development parking needs at midday lunch hours or weekend evening hours;
b. Communicate parking options to Arena visitors and encouraging these visitors to arrive and be
parked before peak Plaza event parking demand times;
c. Bring Plaza event vehicles off 32nd Ave to 5th Street West and then into the garage, rather than
through the Arena parking lot first;
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d. Ensure that Plaza event attendees fill the above-ground parking garage first before spilling over
into other District parking spaces. Approximately 125 empty spaces were observed in the garage
during the concert on September 10, 2021. Walker also received reports of eventgoers parking in
the residential complex to the west during a concert on September 11, 2021.
2. Encourage the use of Uber/Lyft to arrive to the District for concerts by providing marked pick-up/drop-off
spaces and promotional codes for users.
3. Communicate parking options to eventgoers and encourage the use of appropriate off-site parking to the
extent possible (including at restaurants and land-uses south of 32nd Avenue).
4. Employ the use of shuttling from nearby off-site parking locations, such as churches or schools, during
large events.
Garage Recommendations
1. No overnight parking should be allowed in the garage except by residents of The Lights or The Northern
Lights who park in the garage.
2. Standard parking time-limit for transient parkers in the garage should be signed as 3 hours.
3. Install physical gate arms (parking access revenue control system (PARCS)) at all parking garage entrance
and exit lanes. The primary objective of installing physical access control equipment is to monitor and
track garage occupancy, and better manage the garage, particularly during events. The parking operator
should assign staff to monitor PARCS equipment, function, and data throughout all garage operations.
4. All residents of The Northern Lights with reserved garage spaces, residents of The Lights without
underground reserved parking, and retail, office, and restaurant employees should be given an access
credential (prox card, RFID, or similar) to facilitate garage entry.
5. Gates should be left down in all event and non-event conditions.
6. During typical non-event conditions, those with access credential may enter and exit the garage and may
park beyond the three-hour time limit. All other garage users must pull a ticket stamped with their time
of entry. The ticket will be inserted upon exiting the garage, and the user will be asked to pay a parking
fee (amount to be determined) if the user parked beyond the 3-hour time limit grace period. In non-event
conditions, the gate arms serve as the garage enforcement mechanism to encourage parking space
turnover.
7. If the 104 reserved spaces for Northern Lights residents must remain on the third floor, garage operators
will need to enforce these spaces to ensure non-residents do not park in them, and residents are not
parked in open shared spaces, especially during events.
8. Consider providing residents of The Northern Lights who have reserved spaces in the garage (and those
from The Lights who can park in the garage and do not have reserved parking elsewhere) with color-
coded hang tags and/or window stickers. This will enable garage operators to travel through the garage
and quickly determined who is parked in the garage, whether users are parked in the appropriate spaces,
and to ensure only residents remain parked in the garage overnight.
9. Close gates prior to events. Prior to event arrival time, observe the count of occupied and empty spaces
in the garage, as well as the number of Northern Lights residents with reserved spaces who are parked.
The garage has 353 standard spaces, 104 of those that are reserved for Northern Lights residents. As the
garage is filled before the event, monitor the number of spaces that are occupied/available and the
number of Northern Lights residents who are entering. The garage should be marked with a FULL sign
once 249 standard event parkers (without residential reserved parking) are allowed in. Event staff should
be present at entrance lanes. Northern Lights residents with reserved spaces should still be allowed in
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after the FULL sign goes up with proof of their credential. Gate arms should be left up prior to the end of
the event to allow for ease of exit, and operators should waive the 3-hour time limit restriction during
events.
10. During site observation, the upper floor of the garage was empty. Make use of personnel to direct parkers
to the top of the garage first, filling the garage from the top down. Filling the garage in this way will help
ensure efficient utilization of all District spaces during large events and reduce unwanted spillover parking
impacts.
39

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The Lights District Parking Study Report

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October 8, 2021

Mr. Tim Solberg, AICP

Re: The Lights District Parking Study

Dear Mr. Solberg:

Kevin T. White, AICP, CAPP

The Lights District

Tim Solberg, AICP

1: Introduction and Background 4

2: Data Collection: Parking Inventory and Demand 10

4: District Parking Needs 28

5: Operations and Management Recommendations 33

Scenario 1: Built or Currently Under Construction

Event Parking Needs

Event at the Arena and the Plaza

Source: Walker Consultants, 2021

Scenario 2: Full Development Program

Event Parking Needs

Event at the Arena and the Plaza

Source: Walker Consultants, 2021

Operations and Management Recommendations

1. District parking should be open and shared

2. Promote a park once approach within the district

On the east side of The Lights development, the EPIC (east)

Figure 1 – District Study Area

Source: Walker Consultants, 2021

Figure 2 – District Development Summary

EagleRidge Development The Northern Lights Phase 1 and Phase 2

Project Development Totals

Use Project Total

Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, Walker Consultants, 2021

Current Development Space Occupancy

West Fargo Sports Arena

Essentia Health Plaza

2 Data Collection: Parking

Parking Program and Inventory

Figure 3 – District Parking Supply

Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, Walker Consultants, 2021

Figure 4 – District Parking Supply

164 REG + 4 ADA

353 REG; 8 ADA; 8

117 REG UNDER

Source: EPIC Companies, EagleRidge Development, Walker Consultants, 2021

Parking Occupancy (Demand)

Figure 5 below shows the results of parking occupancy data collection.

Figure 5 – District Parking Demand: 8:30 p.m., Friday, September 10

22 EMPTY 125 EMPTY

Empty/available spaces are shown.

Source: Walker Consultants, 2021

The Lights and Northern

Development Parking Needs Analysis

Shared Parking Methodology

Figure 6 – Shared Parking Methodology

Source: Shared Parking, 3rd Edition

Shared Parking Analysis Process

Base Parking Demand Ratios

Source: Shared Parking, 3rd Edition

Drive Ratio and Non-Captive Ratio Adjustments

Drive Ratio Adjustment