SR-510-012 (5)
EPWM:CP/ F:/EPWM/ADMIN/STAFFRPT/Parking Meter Waiver
City Council Meeting: October 22, 2002 Santa Monica, California
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
Subject: Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending Santa
Monica Municipal Code Section 3.16.120 Relating to Vehicles
Displaying Clean Air Vehicle Decals and Waiving of Parking Meter
Fees
Introduction
This report recommends that City Council introduce for first reading an ordinance
amending SMMC Section 3.16.120 to waive parking meter fees for all vehicles
displaying Clean Air Vehicle Decals. The proposed ordinance would broaden the
current waiver to include any alternative fuel vehicle that qualifies for a Clean Air
Vehicle Decal from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Discussion
On February 26, 2002, City Council adopted an amended ordinance exempting
electric vehicles displaying Clean Air Vehicle Decals from depositing money in
City parking meters. Vehicles displaying the decal still have to comply with
posted time limits and other posted parking restrictions at meter locations.
Staff now recommends that all alternative fuel vehicles that display the Clean Air
Vehicle Decal be waived from parking meter fees within Santa Monica. This
change would expand the qualified exempt vehicle list to include compressed
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natural gas (CNG) powered vehicles and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) powered
vehicles. The purpose of the waiver is to encourage the purchase and/or use of
electric, natural gas, and liquid petroleum gas vehicles by members of the public.
The expanded use of such vehicles in Santa Monica and Southern California will
contribute to fewer exhaust emissions and cleaner air in the region.
Budget/Fiscal Impact
Approximately 1,500 qualified alternative fuel vehicles are privately owned in all
of Southern California. It is therefore not anticipated that the loss of parking
meter revenue from those vehicles parking in Santa Monica will be significant. As
market penetration of clean air vehicles becomes more widespread, the need for
the incentive and its impact on City revenues will be revisited.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that City Council approve for first reading an ordinance
amending SMMC Section 3.16.120 to waive parking meter fees for all vehicles
displaying Clean Air Vehicle Decals.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, EPWM Director
Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager
Attachments: Proposed Ordinance
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f:\atty\muni\laws\mjm\electricvehiclesamend-1.wpd
City Council Meeting 10-22-02 Santa Monica, California
ORDINANCE NUMBER ____
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA AMENDING SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE
SECTION 3.16.120 RELATING TO VEHICLES DISPLAYING
CLEAN AIR VEHICLE DECALS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 3.16.120 is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Operation of parking meters.
Section 3.16.120
When any vehicle shall be parked in any metered parking
space, the operator immediately shall deposit the required coin in
the manner prescribed on the parking meter unless the parking
meter indicates an unexpired portion remains of the period for
which coins had been deposited previously, or the operator
immediately has placed into operation an in-vehicle parking
regulator in compliance with rules and regulations approved by the
City Council or in a period of emergency determined by an officer of
the Fire or Police Department, or in compliance with the directions
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of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal. In no event shall it
be lawful to park a vehicle in a designated metered parking space
in excess of the maximum parking time limit set by the Parking and
Traffic Engineer. Operators of electric vehicles displaying Clean
Air Vehicle Decals shall not be required to deposit money in parking
meters.
SECTION 2. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or
appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the
extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to
that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of
this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a
decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the
validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby
declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each and every section,
subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional
without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 4. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the
passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published
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once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance
shall become effective 30 days from its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
MARSHA JONES MOUTRIE
City Attorney
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