sr-050812-11a%
City of City Council Report
Santa Monica,
City Council Meeting: May 8, 2012
Agenda Item:. (( A
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Planning and Community Development Director
Subject: Amendment of Preferential Parking Zones GG and MM
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Amend Zone GG to include Michigan Avenue between 7th Street and Lincoln
Boulevard with the following regulations: "No parking, except by permit."
2. Amend the existing regulations in Zone GG to: "No parking, except by permit."
3. Amend Zone MM to include Pearl Street between Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street
with the following regulations: "Two hour parking 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday
and two hour parking 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, except by permit."
4. Approve the attached Resolution amending Preferential Parking Zones GG and MM
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.
Executive Summary
Residents of two neighborhoods have petitioned to create preferential parking
regulations because unregulated non - resident parking is impacting their ability to find
parking near their homes. In existing Zone GG directly adjacent to Santa Monica High
School ( Samohi), the established regulations do not include weekends. With an
increase in weekend activity at Samohi, including sporting events and arts
performances, residents have found it increasingly difficult to find parking on Saturdays
and Sundays. Additionally, the residential portion of Michigan Avenue between 7th
Street and Lincoln Boulevard is not included in the current preferential parking zone.
Similarly, residents of Pearl Street between Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street are
unable to find parking near their homes because spaces are occupied by Santa Monica
College students and Lincoln Boulevard employees who park on this street. The
majority of the streets surrounding this block have preferential parking regulations that
further restrict their ability to find parking. Staff recommends the addition of this block to
the existing Zone MM.
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Should Council approve the recommended action, it is estimated that new permit sales
would generate $1,890, which would offset, but not fully recover, the cost to the City of
issuing permits to residents. Additionally, new signage would be required at an
estimated cost of $1,200.
Background
Preferential parking is a tool the City uses to manage non - resident parking on
residential streets, as authorized by Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 3.08 and the
California Vehicle Code. Preferential parking regulations manage the use of on- street
parking to assist residents in finding parking near their home. Only residents who live on
a block with preferential parking restrictions are eligible to purchase a permit. Permits
may be used up to two blocks away from the address of the permit owner.
Residents may petition to initiate a preferential parking zone at any time. Upon receipt
of a petition representing two- thirds of the residential units on a block, a parking
occupancy study of the neighborhood is conducted and a community meeting is held. In
evaluating the petitions, staff typically evaluates the larger neighborhood, rather than an
individual block due to the potential for parking displacement when regulations are
established or changed. As a result, staff typically recommends pre- approving
regulations for a neighborhood to streamline and expedite the process for adjacent
blocks should some displacement occur. Ultimately, the Council considers the request
and can approve creating or modifying the preferential parking zone. Changes to
established regulations are achieved by the same process.
Discussion
Zone GG
Zone GG near Samohi, was established by Council on May 14, 1996. Zone GG is
comprised of 7th Street between Michigan Avenue and Pico Boulevard. The east side of
the street is zoned R3 (Medium Density Multiple Family Residential), while the west side
of the street is Samohi. The south side of Michigan Avenue at 7th Street is also
residential. Commercial uses line Lincoln Boulevard, including a coffee shop,
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automotive services, offices, and shops. Refer to Attachment B for a map of the area
parking regulations.
Preferential parking regulations were originally approved for this zone in 1996, with the
following regulations: No parking Monday through Friday, except by permit. Across
Lincoln Boulevard, the blocks to the east of this zone have the following regulations:
Two hour parking 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and no parking overnight from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.
daily, except by permit.
Approximately 68% of the households on the 700 block of Michigan Avenue between 7th
Street and Lincoln Boulevard petitioned for preferential parking. This stretch of Michigan
Avenue only has six residential- adjacent parking spaces. Inclusion in the zone would
also allow residents on this block to obtain permits to park on 7th Street between
Michigan Avenue and Pico Boulevard.
As a result of the petition, a parking occupancy study was conducted. The parking
occupancy of each block was field checked in January and February 2012. The counts
indicate that the residential- adjacent parking on Michigan Avenue is frequently 100 %
occupied on weekdays as well as weekends. Parking demand on this block is high due
to pressures from Samohi students and area employees. Full study results are included
as Attachment C. Parking on these blocks is further impacted due to the lack of parking
on adjacent streets of Pico and Olympic Boulevards, which are primarily no parking or
passenger loading zones only.
A community meeting was noticed to residents, Samohi administration, businesses and
property owners in the neighborhood and held on February 21, 2012. Staff has been in
contact with the petitioner, who expressed that frequent weekend events at Samohi
continue to make finding parking extremely difficult. The petitioner is circulating another
petition to extend the existing regulations on 7th Street between Michigan Avenue and
Pico Boulevard to include weekends and staff recommends pre - approval of this change.
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Staff recommends expanding Zone GG to include the residential portion of Michigan
Avenue between 7th and Lincoln Boulevard with the following regulations: No parking,
except by permit. For the time being, the existing pick up and drop off restrictions along
this stretch of Michigan would be retained to facilitate safe passenger loading
operations at Samohi; however this may be reevaluated in the future. Staff also
recommends pre- approving 7th Street between Michigan Avenue and Pico Boulevard for
these same regulations, which would be implemented upon receipt of a petition with
signatures representing two - thirds of the residential units on the block. While stringent,
these regulations are necessary to help residents find parking near their homes.
Zone MM
Zone MM, which encompasses the blocks immediately east of Lincoln Boulevard south
of the Santa Monica Freeway, was established on March 5, 2002 and amended on
March 23, 2004. Zone MM has two sets of regulations:
1. Two hour parking from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, except by permit on the following streets:
a. Bay, Grant and Pacific Streets between Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street
(north side of street only).
2. Two hour parking from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and no parking overnight from 6 p.m. to
9 a.m. daily, except by permit on the following streets:
a. Michigan Avenue between Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street, and
b. 9th Street between Pico Boulevard and the Santa Monica Freeway.
Zone MM is proposed to be expanded to include Pearl Street between Lincoln
Boulevard and 10th Street, which is zoned R2 (Low Density Multiple Family Residential).
Zone L is located to the east of this zone, with parking restrictions of: no parking 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, except by permit.
Preferential parking regulations were originally approved for Zone L in 1988 and the
zone has been augmented several times since. To the south, are located Zones V
(adopted on July 23 1991) and Z (adopted August 11 1992). Refer to Attachment B for
a map of the petitioning block and the various existing zones in the vicinity.
In October 2011 67% of the households on this block of Pearl Street petitioned for
preferential parking restrictions. Over the years, as pre- approved blocks in adjacent
zones became preferential parking zones, Santa Monica College student and Lincoln
Boulevard employee and customer parking pressure became concentrated on this
block. Residents of these blocks cannot purchase permits to park around the corner in
adjacent zones which compounds the problem.
As a result of the petition, a parking occupancy study of this block was conducted in
November and December 2011. The counts indicate that on- street parking on Pearl
Street can be difficult to find, with observed occupancies ranging between 78 and 88 %.
Full study results are included as Attachment D.
Five residents attended a community meeting held February 21, 2012. Those in
attendance were unanimously in favor of implementing preferential parking regulations
Staff recommends restrictions that match the blocks to the north in the existing Zone
MM: Two hour parking 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hour parking 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, except by permit. The center of the SMC campus is a 15 -20
minute walk from this block of Pearl Street. The longer walk and limited parking time
would make this area ineffective for most students' parking needs. At the same time,
these regulations would allow flexibility for residents and their guests.
Alternatives
The Council could maintain the existing conditions or adopt different hours and types of
restrictions than recommended. Additionally, Council could direct staff to reevaluate
who is eligible to purchase permits. Currently, only residents who live on the block with
preferential parking regulations are eligible to purchase a permit. Residents may be
frustrated when an adjacent block petitions for preferential parking because they can no
longer park on those blocks. If all residents within one or two blocks of a zone were
eligible to purchase a permit, it would address the issue and may reduce the number of
blocks applying for parking permits.
Finally, Council could direct staff to further explore citywide implementation of Land Use
and Circulation Element (LUCE) policy T22.2: "Expand management options for
residential parking permit districts in order to increase parking availability for residents"
(p. 4.0 -71). Options include:
• Limiting the number of residential permits issued, so that permits are "more than
just a 'hunting license "' (p. 4.0 -68). Currently, residents are issued one permit for
every vehicle they own and up to two visitor permits per household. In many
neighborhoods, this results in a stark imbalance between the number of permits
issued and the amount of on- street parking spaces. One way to achieve this
would be to have an escalating fee schedule, where second or third permits cost
more than the first permit.
• Excluding new residential projects from participation in preferential parking to
various degrees (p. 4.0 -69).
• Incentivizing residents to use garages for parking rather than storage (p. 4.0 -69)
or preventing residents with available off - street parking from purchasing permits.
Environmental 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 defines 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 negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing
at the time of the lead agency's determination." This exemption includes: "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.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
An estimated 126 new permits would be sold in Zone MM upon Council approval. This
will generate $1,890 in account 01225.400290, which would offset the cost to the City of
issuing permits to residents in the zone. In Zone GG, the change in regulations would
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not change the number of permits sold. Currently, the Preferential Parking program
does not reflect the full cost recovery; each $15 permit costs the City $18.77 to issue.
New signage will need to be ordered and installed for both zones at an estimated cost
of $1,200. Funds are available in account 01486.544010.
Prepared by: Jason Kligier, Transportation Planning Associate
Approved:
Uki
David Martin
Director, Planning and Community
Development
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachments:
A. Resolution Establishing Preferential Parking, Exhibit A — Preferential Parking
Zones
B. Map
C. Zone GG parking occupancy data
D. Zone MM parking occupancy data
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Attachment C
Occupancy data for parking spaces adjacent to residential properties on Michigan Avenue
between 7th Street and Lincoln Boulevard:
Day of
Week
Date
Time
Available
Spaces
Cars
Parked
%
Available
%
Occupied
Friday
13- Jan -12
4:00 PM
0
6
0%
100%
Saturday
14- Jan -12
8:00 PM
3
3
50%
50%
Wednesday
18- Jan -12
11:OOAM
0
7
0%
100%
Saturday
4- Feb -12
7:00 PM
0
6
0%
100%
Attachment D
Occupancy data for parking spaces adjacent to residential properties on Pearl Street between
Lincoln Boulevard and 10th Street:
Day of
Week
Date
Time
Available
Spaces
Cars
Parked
%
Available
%
Occupied
Thursday
10- Nov -11
9:00 AM
3
23
12%
88%
Friday
18- Nov -11
2:30 PM
4
21
16%
84%
Monday
28- Nov -11
11:00 AM
6
21
22%
78%
Saturday
10- Dec -11
4:00 PM
5
24
17%
83%
Amendment of Preferential Parking
Zones GG and MM
May 8, 2012
Item 11 -A
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Preferential Parking Overview
• Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 3.08
• Petition representing two - thirds of the
households on a block
• Parking occupancy study
• Community meeting
• Staff makes recommendation to Council to
approve petitioning blocks and pre- approve
larger residential area
Staff Recommendation
• Michigan Avenue (Zone GG)
—Extend existing preferential parking regulations, and
—Establish regulations on a blockthat does not currently
have preferential parking
• Pearl Street (Zone MM)
—Establish regulations on a blockthat does not currently
have preferential parking
• Both areas have submitted qualifying petitions
• Noticed community meetings were held
• Notifications were also sent for tonight's meeting
Michigan Avenue (Zone GG)
Recommendation:
No parking daily,
except by permit.
I i ` 14,
05/08/2012
1
Pearl Street (Zone MM)
Gelilion requesting restrictions from
Ilse eW Block of Vearl Smear between
linaoln Boulevard and lo* street
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Pearl Street (Zone MM)
Recommendation:
Two hour parking 7am -9pm Mon -Fri,
9am -6pm Sat, except by permit.
0s /0a /2012
Reference Resolution No.
10677 (CCS)