SR-417-003-01 (95)
F:\PCD\Share\2002CouncilStaffReports\prefparkKK.doc Santa Monica, California
Council Meeting: September 10, 2002
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
th
Subject: Resolution 1) Amending Preferential Parking Zone KK (17 Street
th
between Colorado Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard and 18 Street
between Colorado Avenue and Broadway) and enlarging it to be bounded
thth
by Santa Monica Boulevard, 19 Street, Colorado Avenue, and 14
th
Street, 2) Eliminating Zone Y (19 Street between Santa Monica
Boulevard and Broadway) as it would be surrounded by the larger Zone
KK, and 3) Amending City Council Resolution 9344 CCS
Introduction
This report recommends the expansion of Preferential Parking Zone KK to include the
thth
area bordered by Santa Monica Boulevard, 19 Street, Colorado Avenue, and 14
Street, with the exceptions of the commercial boulevards, namely: Santa Monica
Boulevard, Broadway and Colorado Avenue. The expanded zone would incorporate
four blocks that currently have preferential parking regulations and a larger area that
would be pre-approved for preferential parking. The larger area includes three blocks
on which regulations would be implemented immediately because residents have
submitted qualifying petitions.
Background
This neighborhood has experienced problems previously with long-term non-resident
parking. Previously, the City has addressed these problems by enacting various
preferential parking regulations. The neighborhood currently has two preferential
th
parking zones encompassing four blocks. Preferential Parking Zone Y, on 19 Street
between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway, was created in 1992 with ?No
1
Parking? regulations between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday,
th
except by permit. Preferential Parking Zone KK, on 18 Street between Santa Monica
Boulevard and Broadway, was created in 1998 with the same restrictions as Zone Y. It
th
was further amended and enlarged in February 2000 to include two blocks of 17 Street
between Santa Monica Boulevard and Colorado Avenue.
th
In November 2000, residents of the 1500 block of 15 Street submitted a qualifying
petition that once again initiated the study process in this neighborhood. Residents of
the following three blocks have now completed and submitted petitions for preferential
parking:
ththth
?
1500 blocks of 15, 18, and 19 Streets between Colorado Avenue and
Broadway.
Neighborhood Parking Issues
This area is primarily a multi-family neighborhood with a fair amount of commercial
businesses near the intersections of Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway, and Colorado
Avenue. Residents in this area are affected by employee parking from area
businesses, especially from car dealerships along Santa Monica Boulevard. Neighbors
have expressed frustration by the amount of parking generally taken up by the car
th
dealerships. Employees of both UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital (15 and Arizona) and
th
St. John?s Hospital (20 and Santa Monica) spill over into the area. Patrons from the 14
th
Below Bar at 14 and Santa Monica also park later into the night and can make noise.
This area is surrounded by other preferential parking districts. In addition to the
ththth
preferential parking which exists on 17, 18, and 19 Streets (within this study area),
2
the 1300 blocks to the north (between Santa Monica and Arizona) have preferential
parking and Euclid Street to the west also has restrictions. (See Attachment B: Vicinity
Map).
Study Findings
During the fall of 2001, the area bounded by Euclid Street, Santa Monica Boulevard,
th
20 Street, and Colorado Avenue was studied to determine parking occupancies and
usage. A summary of peak parking occupancies is included as Attachment C. The
study demonstrates that parking occupancies are moderate (greater than 50 percent but
less than 85 percent) and high (greater than 85 percent). Average occupancies on the
residential blocks in the study area without preferential parking range from 67 percent to
87 percent. The range of average occupancies on blocks with preferential parking is
slightly lower?from 43 percent to 71 percent. The three petitioning blocks have
average occupancies in the mid-70 percent range, with peak occupancies ranging from
86 percent to 94 percent around the noontime hour. Peak occupancies on blocks in the
area that already have preferential parking, however, occur in the early morning,
signifying residents parking on the street where they live. Saturday midday
occupancies for blocks without preferential parking range from 67 to 84 percent, while
occupancies for blocks that have preferential parking are lower.
Community Input
Businesses and residents in the study area were invited to attend a meeting to discuss
preferential parking in their neighborhood in March 2002. Residents at the meeting
3
generally wanted preferential parking, but there were varying opinions on the types of
restrictions that they wanted. Some residents wanted restrictions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
only, while others wanted restrictions that began at 7 a.m. and lasted until 9 p.m. or
later. Residents generally agreed that they wanted ?No parking? versus ?Two-hour
parking?. This is consistent with other preferential parking zones in the area and typical
of areas affected by large employers/institutions with significant off-street parking
resources and neighborhoods where a significant percentage of the parking spaces on
the residential blocks are located adjacent to commercial/institutional enterprises (and
therefore, not subject to preferential restrictions). Residents were also divided about
whether or not they wanted Saturday restrictions. One owner of a small business in the
area was concerned about the lack of available parking to support their business.
th
Employees of an office building in the area near the intersection of 15 and Broadway
were concerned that many of their visitors do have a need to park on the street for short
periods of time during the day, and those needs are not met on-site. However, a
significant amount of parking will be unaffected by preferential parking regulations as
that parking is directly adjacent to business and commercial uses on these residential
thth
streets. Combining all of the on-street parking for 14 and 15 Streets between
Colorado Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, 55 percent is adjacent to commercial
properties and will not be restricted by preferential parking. Based on a review of
conditions in adjacent preferential zone XX, which has similar regulations, it appears
that sufficient parking will be available, and that any displaced vehicles can be
accommodated at meters on Santa Monica Boulevard, Broadway and Colorado
Avenue. Implementation of regulations in zone XX reduced overall parking occupancies
4
on residential streets by only 14 percent. Comments from the neighborhood meeting
and other correspondence received are summarized in Attachment D.
In addition, a survey was sent to all residents asking them about their preferences on
restrictions, specifically, whether they preferred ?No parking? or ?two-hour parking?, what
hours they preferred, and which days of the week they wanted restrictions. The current
restrictions on the four blocks within the study area are ?No parking 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday through Saturday?, and this is one option for other blocks. The largest group of
respondents to the survey, 40 percent, wanted ?No parking 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday
through Friday.? Twenty-eight percent wanted ?No parking 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday
through Friday?, while 23 percent wanted two-hour parking restrictions. Only nine
percent wanted ?No restrictions? from Monday through Friday. The desire for Saturday
restrictions was again almost evenly divided among survey respondents. However,
survey respondents who live on blocks that already have preferential parking
regulations decidedly preferred Saturday restrictions. Overall, the survey yielded an 11
percent return. Both the survey and results from the survey are included with
Attachment E.
Recommendations for Expanded Zone KK
The objective of these regulations is to alleviate the parking pressure on residential
streets and provide consistent regulations within the area. The entire area is to be pre-
approved for preferential parking so that any block-to-block spillover associated with the
regulations will be incorporated within the proposed zone and within adjacent existing
5
zones. Staff recommends that the following regulations be approved adjacent to
residential properties:
1) No parking between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except
by permit on:
thththththth
?
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 Streets between Santa Monica Boulevard and
Colorado Avenue.
This includes the blocks which currently have preferential parking, and would require no
changes to these four blocks.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
Initially, it is estimated that area residents in the proposed zone will purchase
approximately 300 new permits. This will generate approximately $6,750 in additional
revenue in FY 02/03 ($7.50/permit for the remainder of 2002, and $15/permit for 2003),
and $4,500 in subsequent budget years at account 01415.400290. The budget should
be amended to reflect this additional revenue.
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
6
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.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Approve the attached Resolution amending and enlarging Preferential Parking
th
Zone KK so that it is bounded by Santa Monica Boulevard, 19 Street, Colorado
th
Avenue, and 14 Street, eliminate Zone Y (which would now be included in Zone
KK), and amend 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. Approve the revenue budget adjustment outlined in this report.
ATTACHMENTS NOT AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY
Attachments: A Resolution Establishing Preferential Parking, Exhibit A ?
Preferential Parking Zones
B Vicinity Map
C1 Parking Occupancy Summary
C2 Parking Utilization Summary
D Summary of Comments from Neighborhood Meeting and
Correspondence Received
E Preferential Parking Survey
E1 Preferential Parking Survey Results
Prepared By: Suzanne Frick, Director of Planning and Community Development
Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager
Beth Rolandson, Senior Transportation Planner
Ruth Harper, Transportation Planning Associate
7