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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13b - Additional Parking Zone Restrictions DATE: December 18, 2018 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services/City Engineer SUBJECT: ORDINANCE NO. 2358 AMENDING THE CITY UNIFORM TRAFFIC ORDINANCE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL PARKING ZONE RESTRICTIONS Recommendation: Introduce SUMMARY The Uniform Traffic Ordinance (“UTO”) in the Arcadia Municipal Code includes provisions for posting of 24-minute, one-hour, and two-hour parking duration restrictions, but does not address any other durations. Currently, any posted parking restriction, other than what is in the Code, is unenforceable. There is a desire to utilize durations other than those in the Code currently where the need arises. This action is to amend the UTO to eliminate specific references to one-hour and two- hour parking duration restrictions, and add a section to allow the City to install signs with a selected duration to best fit within a designated parking impact area. It is recommended that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 2358. BACKGROUND The UTO in the Arcadia Municipal Code establishes regulations for the management of traffic and parking, and these regulations are enforceable according to the penalty provisions of the Code. With regard to parking duration restrictions, the UTO specifically provides for 24-minute, one-hour, and two-hour parking duration restrictions. Twenty-four-minute parking zones are identified by green curb markings with white stenciled letters. The one-hour and two-hour parking zones are identified by signage. From time to time, the City receives requests for parking restrictions that differ from the provisions of the UTO. Unique conditions may exist that warrant different restrictions, but variances from the Code are unenforceable. As an example, longer duration restrictions like three-hour and four-hour parking zones have been requested by business owners in the Downtown area around the Gold Line Station to discourage all- Ordinance No. 2358 Parking Restrictions December 18, 2018 Page 2 of 3 day parking and to accommodate local business needs. In response, some four-hour parking signs have already been posted near the Gold Line Station, but their current value is more as a visual deterrent than something that can actually be enforced. DISCUSSION In order to allow more flexibility in managing the parking needs in impacted parking areas of the City, an amendment to the UTO is proposed. The amendment is to simply eliminate specific references to one-hour and two-hour parking duration restrictions, and add a section to allow the City to install signs with a selected duration that best fits the needs of a specific area. The section regarding 24-minute parking will remain because of the provision for curb markings as a means of designating the zone. The proposed text of the section would read as follows: 11.3. Limited-Time Parking. The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to install signs restricting the duration of parking for designated parking impacted areas, where necessary, and the signs shall provide notice thereof that no operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand or park said vehicle for a period longer th an the time listed on said signs, subjects to any exceptions as listed. Any limited -time parking shall only be enforceable once the City Traffic Engineer has erected sufficient signage describing the duration of parking permissible in designated parking impacted areas. This methodology will allow for flexibility on the part of the Development Services Department to be able to analyze the unique conditions in an impacted area to determine the most applicable limitation. Additionally, this amendment will allow all selected parking restrictions to be enforceable as posted. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The Amendment to the Uniform Traffic Ordinance of the Arcadia Municipal Code is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Section 21065 because this action is not considered a project. FISCAL IMPACT There is minimal fiscal impact as a result of this action. New signs in selected areas will have a minor cost, which will be generally offset by additional revenues from enforcement actions in any newly-designated restrictive parking locations. Ordinance No. 2358 Parking Restrictions December 18, 2018 Page 3 of 3 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 2358 amending the City Uniform Traffic Ordinance to create additional parking zone restrictions. Attachment: Ordinance No. 2358