SR-11-11-2014-11ACity Council Meeting: November 11, 2014
Agenda Item: j
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Planning and Community Development Director
Subject: Amendment of Preferential Parking Zones QQ & YY
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Reclassify the 2700 block of Washington Avenue between Princeton and Harvard
Streets from Zone YY to Zone QQ and amend the regulations on this block to "2
hour parking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, except by permit."
2. Approve the attached Resolution amending Preferential Parking Zones QQ and YY
and amending Resolution 9344 CCS (Resolution of the City Council of the City of
Santa Monica Amending Preferential Parking Zones) by replacing Exhibit A.
Executive Summary
Residents of the 2700 block of Washington Avenue have submitted a petition to change
the existing preferential parking regulations on their block to be less restrictive. The
current restrictions are: "Two hour parking between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily, except by
permit." The petitioners assert that these regulations are too restrictive and impact their
ability to have visitors. Staff recommends changing the regulations to "Two hour parking
between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, except by permit."
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 to park on
blocks within their district. Permits may be used within two block faces of the permit
owner's address.
1
Residents may petition to modify the regulations in 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. The Council evaluates the preferential parking request and Municipal
Code requirements when considering the amendment of a preferential parking zone.
Once Council amends preferential parking regulations, the changes are implemented
within eight weeks.
Discussion
Zones QQ and YY were established by Council on October 27 1998 and February 13
2001, respectively. Attachment B provides a map of the area preferential parking
regulations. The neighborhood is predominantly single family residences north of
Wilshire Boulevard, with multifamily residences between Wilshire and Santa Monica
Boulevards. Commercial uses line Wilshire Boulevard.
The regulation in Zone QQ is: "Two hour parking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday
through Friday, except by permit." There are currently two types of regulations in Zone
YY. North of Arizona Avenue, the regulations are: "Two hour parking between 9 a.m.
and 10 p.m. daily, except by permit." The regulations on and south of Arizona Avenue
are: "No parking between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily, except by permit."
A qualifying petition to implement preferential parking regulations on the 2700 block of
Washington Avenue was submitted on August 12, 2013. In October 2013, a petition
representing 79 percent of the households on the block was submitted to change the
existing preferential parking regulations on the 2700 block of Washington Avenue
between Princeton and Harvard Streets. A parking occupancy study of this and adjacent
streets had been conducted four months prior to receipt of the petition. That data was
used to evaluate this request. The parking occupancy of this and adjacent streets was
observed hourly between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 and
Saturday, June 15, 2013. Preferential parking restrictions were not yet implemented on
the 2700 block of Washington Avenue when the parking study was conducted.
2
The study indicates high weekday occupancies on this block, with the peak observation
of 93 percent between noon and 2 p.m. on weekdays before preferential parking
regulations were implemented. Harvard Street between Washington Avenue and
Wilshire Boulevard, which is similarly located and which has the same preferential
parking regulations as proposed for the 2700 block of Washington Avenue, was
observed with a peak parking occupancy of only 66 percent during the same time
window.
On weekends, the peak parking occupancy observed on the 2700 block of Washington
was considerably lower at just 59 percent between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. This is
comparable to the peak occupancy observed on Harvard Street between Washington
Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, which was 61 percent between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Maps
of the peak parking occupancies are included as Attachment C.
A community meeting was held on May 21, 2014 to discuss amending the preferential
parking regulations. Twelve community members were in attendance. Residents and
businesses in attendance expressed unanimous support for reducing the regulations on
this block of Washington Avenue. Residents find that the current regulations are too
restrictive and prevent them from having spontaneous gatherings or visitors at their
homes.
In response to this request, staff recommends reclassifying the 2700 block of
Washington Avenue from Zone YY to the adjacent, less restrictive Zone QQ, which has
the following regulation: 'Two hour parking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through
Friday, except by permit."
Alternatives
The Council could maintain the existing conditions or adopt different hours and types of
restrictions than recommended.
0
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.
Next Steps
If the preferential parking regulations are amended, they would be implemented on the
petitioning block within eight weeks.
Staff is planning on returning to Council in 2015 with proposed changes to the
preferential parking ordinance in light of the input received at the study session held
August 26, 2014, including making the process less onerous when residents request
less stringent regulations.
0
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of this
action. Staff will return to Council if specific budget actions are required in the future.
Implementing this recommendation will result in a one -time cost in the amount of $500
for the purchase and installation of new signage. Funds are available in the FY 2014 -15
budget in division 01416; the expenditures will be charged to account 01416.544010.
Prepared by: Beth Rolandson, AICP, Principal Transportation Planner
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10 ��W 0
David Martin
Director, Planning and Community
Development
Rod Gould
City Manager
Attachments:
A. Resolution Establishing Preferential Parking, Exhibit A — Preferential Parking
Zones
B. Existing parking regulation's map
C. Parking occupancy data maps
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Reference:
Resolution No. 10846
(CCS)