SR-417-003-01 (6)
F:\PCD\Share\prefww.msw Santa Monica, California
Council Meeting: December 7, 1999
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
Subject: Recommendation Adopt a Resolution Amending City Council Resolution
9344 to Establish Preferential Parking Zone WW and Expand Preferential
Parking Zone L
Introduction
This report recommends the City Council:
1. Adopt a resolution establishing Preferential Parking Zone WW for the area bounded
by the Santa Monica Freeway, Pico Boulevard and Stewart Street and expanding
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Preferential Parking Zone L to include the area bounded by 10 Street Ocean Park
Boulevard, Euclid Avenue and the Santa Monica Freeway.
2. Direct Finance Department staff to make the budget adjustments outlined in this
report.
Proposed Zone WW--Discussion
A petition for preferential parking on Urban Avenue between Pico and Yorkshire, and
Dorchester Avenue, between Pico and the Santa Monica Freeway was submitted to the
City in October, 1998. It was signed by residents representing 36 out of 51 residences
on the street, or 70% of the total. Staff is recommending that the City Council
establish a zone bounded by the Santa Monica Freeway, Pico Boulevard and Stewart
Street, and direct staff to implement regulations on any block within this area for which
petitions have been received and verified.
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Residents in the proposed Zone have been affected by spillover parking from
commercial uses along Pico Boulevard, including automobile repair uses during the
day and restaurant and club uses in the evening. The block most severely affected
during the day is Yorkshire Avenue, from Pico Boulevard to Urban Street, where the
staff survey revealed cars parked as high as 140% of capacity on one side of the street
and 100% of capacity on the other side. Dorchester, from Pico to Urban also had
100% occupancy on both sides of the street for some daytime hours. Since these
blocks are short blocks, implementation of restrictions here may result in spillover to
other blocks in the neighborhood. Therefore, staff is recommending that the whole
neighborhood be designated as a Preferential Parking Zone, and that each block would
become eligible for restrictions as its residents submit the required petitions. If Council
approves the Resolution as proposed, staff will be authorized to implement restrictions
on Urban Avenue between Pico and Yorkshire, and Dorchester Avenue, between Pico
and the Santa Monica Freeway. The recommended restrictions are: two-hour parking
Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and no parking from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.,
except by permit.
Staff invited residents and businesses in the affected area to a meeting to discuss the
propsed regulations in September. Business representatives at the meeting raised
many issues about preferential parking and indicated that they would have a
particularly difficult time accepting night time regulations in this area. After the
meeting, several residents also expressed concern that the regulations might be too
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onerous for their business neighbors and urged staff to develop a better solution. Staff
also received complaints about inadequate noticing for the meeting, and confirmed that
an incomplete list had been used for the mailing. To supplement the input from
residents at the meeting, staff mailed a notice regarding the staff recommendation and
a survey to a complete mailing list and gave residents the opportunity to provide
comments. Of those who responded to the survey (from 35 residences), 50% indicated
support for the proposed regulations, 12% supported preferential parking, with some
modification to accommodate businesses, and 38% wanted no preferential parking.
Staff also worked with business operators to help them identify modifications to other
parking regulations in the area, such as modification to parking meter times, other
sources of parking, such as recovery of red curb spaces and leasing of private property
for parking, and other possible programs to improve the availability of parking in the
area.
Business leaders, on their own, have been encouraging business neighbors to address
problems raised by residents and to work cooperatively and actively to improve the
parking outlook for the neighborhood. They invited residents on both sides of Pico to a
neighborhood meeting to discuss the parking situation and the options they are
considering. The businesses may ask the City to support their efforts to improve
parking conditions by modifying parking meter times or hours, or by supporting new
parking development projects or cooperative parking programs for the neighborhood.
In addition, business operators have asked for a six-month delay in implementing
Preferential Parking Zone WW, to allow time for other solutions to be implemented.
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Although many residents of the area are supportive of the business neighbors? efforts,
the survey results support the petition submission and general conclusion from the
neighborhood meeting: 62% of the residents of the area would like preferential parking
of some kind, and of those who support regulations, most support those recommended
by staff. Although 38% percent of survey respondents indicated they do not support
preferential parking, the total number opposed is below the 33% minimum required to
stop preferential parking. Staff will continue to work actively with the business
neighbors to identify and implement other programs and policies to manage parking in
the commercial area to support the business community?s needs.
Expansion of Zone L -Discussion
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A petition for Preferential Parking on Cedar Street between 11 and Euclid was
submitted in November, 1998. The petition was signed by residents from 19 out of 25
residences or 76% of the total units on this block. A petition for Preferential Parking on
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Pine Street between 11 and Euclid was submitted in December 1998. The petition
was signed by residents from 14 out of 20 residences or 70% of the total on this block.
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A qualifying petition has since been submitted for Grant Street between 11 and Euclid.
These blocks are directly adjacent to, but just outside of the boundaries previously
established for Preferential Parking Zone L, the college zone. Zone L was established
by the City Council in 1988 in response to the large number of non-resident parkers
generated by Santa Monica College. The parking problems experienced by residents
on Cedar and Pine Streets are also associated with college parking. The City Council
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has previously recognized the continuing encroachment of college parking into this
neighborhood by establishing preferential parking on Pacific Street and Pearl Street
just west of established Zone L. Although a staff-conducted survey revealed relatively
low parking occupancies, in the 9-40% range, on a weekday in April when the college
was in session, the observed parking problem is most serious on the ends of the blocks
closest to the college. In addition, residents reported high parking occupancies on
days at the beginning of each semester. Staff conducted an additional survey on
August 31, 1999 and was able to document on-street parking occupancy of over 85%
on each side of Cedar street from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with a peak occupancy rate of
91% on each side of the street from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Pine Street also had a
demonstrated problem on the same day, with a peak occupancy of 80% from 10:00
a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The resolution simply expands the existing Zone L around the college to include blocks
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as far west as 11 Street, as long as residents submit the required qualifying petition.
By adopting this change, Council will authorize staff to post Cedar, Pine and Grant
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Streets, between 11 and Euclid with restrictions identical to those in Zone L. It will
also speed up the processing time for other blocks in this area, if the residents choose
to petition for preferential parking.
Residents, business people and the college were invited to a neighborhood meeting on
September 13, 1999 to discuss the proposed restrictions. Approximately 30 residents
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attended the meeting and, with one exception, they supported the proposed
regulations.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
Initially, it is estimated that approximately 240 permits will be purchased by area
residents in the proposed and expanded zones. This will generate approximately
$3,600 annually in additional revenue in FY 99/00 at account 01415.400290. The
preferential parking signs will be installed by City crews.
CEQA Analysis
The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt from the
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Article 19,
Section 15301 ( c ) which was recently amended to define Class 1 exempt projects in
the following way: ?Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting,
leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities,
mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving little or no expansion of use
beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency?s determination. . .? This exemption
lists as an example of ?existing facilities:? ?( c ) Existing highways and streets,
sidewalks, gutters, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and similar facilities.? Preferential
parking zones involve only the issuance of permits for the use of an existing public
street and include negligible or no expansion of this existing use.
Recommendation
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It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Approve the attached Resolution establishing Preferential Parking Zone WW,
expanding Preferential Parking Zone L and Amending Resolution 9344 CCS
(Resolution of the City Council of the City of Santa Monica Re-Establishing Various
Preferential Parking Zones) by replacing Exhibit A.
2. Direct Finance Department staff to make the budget adjustments outlined in this
report.
Attachments:
A Resolution Establishing Preferential Parking
Exhibit A - Preferential Parking Zones
B Vicinity Maps
Prepared by: Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development
Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager
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