SR-8-A (14)
CA 77-131RLK:~:jak
Council Mtg: 11'22-77
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J/...z,z",77
Santa Monica, Californla
November 10, 1977
TO: Mayor and City Councll
FROM: Clty Attorney
SUBJECT: Responslblllty Regarding Drlveway r4atters
Introductlon
The ordlnance attached to th1s report transfers
the duties with respect to drlveway Slze, locatlon, and
other matters from the Street Superlntendent to the Parklng
and Trafflc Englneer, and adds a fourth circumstance under
WhlCh the Parklng and Trafflc Englneer may grant a variance
from certaln code prOV1Slons pertainlng to drlveway~.
Background
After the conslderatlon of a September 20, 1977
report prepared by City Staff, the City Councll, at ltS meetlng
of September 27, 1977, adopted a motlon lnstructlng the Clty
Attorney to prepare an ordlnance conslstent wlth the
recommendatlons In sald report.
Pursuant thereto, the ordlnance annexed hereto
makes the following changes:
A. The tenn "Parklng and Traffic Engineer"
1S substltuted for "Superlntendent of Streets" throughout
Sectlons 7112A, 7112B and 7112C of the Santa Mon1ca
Munlclpa1 Code, thereby, transferr1ng the above discussed
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CA 77-131
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funct20ns relative to driveways from the latter to the
former mentioned Clty official. Addltionally, the word
ItCity" replaces "Super~ntendent of Streets" ~n Sectlon 7402
of sald Code.
B. Subdlvislon (d) is added to Sectlon
7112C of the Santa Monlca Municlpal Code, WhlCh specifies
a fourth instance, whereby the Parking and TrafflC Eng2neer
may grant a var2ance from certaln restrict20ns J..n connectJ..on
wlth driveways. This Sltuat10n would be where the varlance
requested ar1ses from unusual or extraordinary physlcal
cond2tions Wh1Ch do not apply generally to other lots, the
granting of the var1ance requested w21l not adversely
affect the rlghts of adJacent property owners or tenants,
and the grantlng of the varlance requested is necessary to
do substantlal justice and to aVOld unnecessary hardship
or results lnconslstent wlth the general purposes of said
Sections w1th regard to driveways.
C. The dis]unctlve "orn is 1nserted after
Subdlvislon (c) of Sectlon 7112C of the Santa Monica Munlclpal
Code 1n order to clarlfy that a variance may be granted if
one, and not all, of the clrcumstances described 2n
subd1vislons (a), (b), (c) or (d) eXlst.
Alternat1ve Solutlons
Not appl1cable.
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CA 77-131
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Recommendatlon
Pursuant to the recommendatlons contalned In
sald September 20, 1977 report, lt lS respectfully urged
that the Clty Council lntroduce the attached ordlnance
for flrst readlng and hold a publlC hearlng thereon.
Prepared by:
Rlchard L. Knlckerbocker, City Attorney
Dennis TOmato, Deputy City Attorney
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Santa r:onica, Califorma, Septer;'ber20, 1977
TO:
FROi"; :
f'.)ayor and City Council
City Staff
S'jSJE:CT:
Responsibil ity for D-rive\'lay Size, Location, and General Layout
Irnc\ODUCTlm~
This I~eport tr.ansmits backgl"ound inFormation to support a request that the
l~e.sp::msibi1ity for drivevr'ay size, location, and ger.eral layout be tl~ansFerred
from the Street Superintendent to the Traffic Engineer and that certain changes
be m~de in the Santa ~onica Municipal Code to facilitate enforcement and to
up~ate and moderrize the Code in this area.
3..;C KS;:lOUil D
i-:istotical1y 1n we C"it.}' of Santa ,.:onica, tre responsibl1ity and u:Jthority
for approving dri~e~ay construction, location, size, and general layout has
be~n that of the Street S~~erintcnj2nt) while the Traffic E~gineer has had the
res:-:;onsibility for pJrking layouts and traffic flow. Ttns mear"lS that
differ'el't ar-eas or t~e same function are u;Jproved by different people with>
p~r~~p3, different views. These r2quire~ents are set forth in the Puniclpal
CO.)2 Grid thus C01"1I,01: be cYlc,nged ac.m ni strati ve ly.
1112(2 are iiBny situatior"ls l;'here the f~urllcipal Cace prCVls10n d02s not apply
to s1tuations actual1y encountered In the field, or lf applicable, does not
produce an adequate remedy for the situ2Lion. It is believed t~at in the
b?st interests of service to the citizens, the total responsibll1ty and
a'Jt!writy should be placed in ore City official.
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To: ~1yor d~d Council
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S~ptember I, 1977
r:ECOi'l~'~:=-NDA TrONS
It is n'co;n:,lended that the C 1 ty Council ins trllct the City Attorney to prepare
an ordiPJnce which wll1 d251gnate the Traffic Engin~er as the responsible
authorlty for the location, size, and general layout of all driveways in the
City of Sante:. r'ionica.
Prepared by: S~an Scholl
Dave Thorne