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CC 2013-09-10_11.a. Resolution Restricting Parking in the VillageMEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: TERESA MCCLISH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BY: MATTHEW DOWNING, ASSISTANT PLANNER SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF RESTRICTED PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC LOTS DATE: SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended the City Council adopt a Resolution amending parking restrictions in the Village to: 1) eliminate 2-hour parking restrictions on Sundays; and 2) replace the overnight parking prohibition in public parking lots in the Village with a 12-hour parking restriction. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: Impacts to financial and personnel resources include a one-time materials cost to replace Village parking signs as necessary and costs for Public Works personnel to replace the necessary parking signs. BACKGROUND: On October 25, 2011, after receiving a recommendation from the Downtown Parking Advisory Board, the City Council adopted a Resolution to: 1) eliminate restricted parking in the Village except on West and East Branch Streets between Traffic Way and Mason Street and on Bridge Street between W. Branch Street and the Bridge Street Bridge; and 2) to make all the restricted parking 2-hour parking and thus eliminate the 30-minute parking area on one section of E. Branch Street adjacent to the Car Corral. Following the modification to parking restrictions for the Village, inconsistencies arose regarding the days of the week that restrictions were to be in effect. Specifically, the question is whether the parking restrictions are to be in effect Monday through Saturday, leaving only Sunday with unrestricted parking, if restrictions are to be in effect only during the typical work week, leaving both Saturday and Sunday with unrestricted parking, or if restrictions are to be in effect every day. Currently, the provisions in the Resolution do not address exemptions on any days of the week, but signage is not consistent throughout the Village. Item 11.a. - Page 1 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF RESTRICTED PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC LOTS SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE2 Downtown Parking Advisory Board The Downtown Parking Advisory Board (DPAB) reviewed the proposed modifications at a meeting on August 26, 2013. The DPAB recommended the City Council adopt a Resolution amending parking restrictions in the Village as recommended by staff. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: Parking is an important component in many land use decisions. It affects trip generation, mode choice, urban design and form, economic viability, and personal mobility. In an automobile dependent state, region, and county, the character, competitive capability, and commercial convenience of the Village is largely determined by the quantity and quality of parking availability for both short-term and long-term uses. Weekend Parking Restrictions One general objective of regulating parking time limits is to balance the need and availability for both customer and employee parking. Most cities, including Arroyo Grande, try to manage on-street parking in front of businesses as the most convenient source for short-term customer parking while providing for longer-term parking elsewhere on perimeter or side public streets and public parking lots. The current 2-hour parking limits on the applicable portions of West and East Branch Streets and Bridge Street were an attempt to preclude employees from parking in front of businesses at the start of the work day and thus removing a short-term parking space from the short-term parking supply, as well as reserving convenient parking for customers making brief stops. Some businesses depend upon local customers that need convenient parking to make a quick purchase, while others cater more to customers making longer shopping trips. Therefore, an adequate supply of both short and long-term parking is needed. The weekends typically see an increase in visitors to the Village, primarily on Saturday. Due to this increase, an argument can be made that enforcement of the 2-hour parking regulations should be continued through the weekend, at least on Saturday. Others could argue that parking restrictions may hurt tourism if out of town visitors receive a parking citation, which occurs primarily on weekends. Finally, others argue that fewer businesses in the Village are open on the weekends, particularly on Sunday, and therefore, parking restrictions should be removed on one or both of the weekend days. Because the City does not charge a user fee for public parking, such as meters or pay stations, the impact on visitors of continuing to enforce parking regulations through the weekend is that extended-stay visitors must park in one of the public lots instead of on West and East Branch Streets and Bridge Street. It is also particularly not visitor friendly when a tourist receives a parking ticket. The continued enforcement of parking regulations also has financial cost to the City. Neighborhood Services Technicians (NSTs) from the City Police Department currently enforce the parking regulations of the City as well as other code enforcement efforts. Item 11.a. - Page 2 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF RESTRICTED PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC LOTS SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE3 Continued enforcement of parking regulations on the weekend will require more time resources to be spent on parking enforcement rather than other code enforcement tasks. Since Saturday can be the busiest day in the Village, the circumstances warranting parking restrictions during the week are even more evident on Saturday. However, a number of businesses are closed on Sundays and parking supply is not normally a problem. It is common practice in most cities to exempt parking restrictions on Sundays. Therefore, staff recommends and the DPAB concurs that the parking restrictions apply to Monday through Saturday and not Sunday. Overnight Parking Restrictions Currently, overnight parking in public parking lots in the Village is not permitted. This was recommended largely to avoid individuals from utilizing the public lots for long-term parking of their personal or sometimes abandoned vehicles. These restrictions, however, do not apply to the nearby public streets. Patrons of bars and other drinking establishments in the Village often park in the lots prior to the conclusion of 2-hour street parking limitations. Patrons that drink too much and should not drive home risk leaving their vehicles in the lots overnight and returning the following day to find the vehicles cited or towed. This can cause some individuals to move their vehicles to one of the nearby public streets to be left overnight. More importantly, it often serves as an incentive for individuals to drive home under the influence rather than utilizing a cab and leaving their vehicle overnight. In an effort to encourage patrons of such establishments in the Village to be safe, the Police Department is proposing to eliminate overnight parking in the public lots around the Village and replace it with 12-hour parking limits. This would allow those individuals who have overindulged to leave their vehicles overnight and return the following day to safely collect their vehicles. This proposal by the Police Department, however, will not allow people to sleep in their cars since that is considered camping and is regulated in Title 9 of the Municipal Code. If approved, the Police Department will educate bar employees to inform patrons of the parking availability. ALTERNATIVES: Staff has identified the following alternatives for consideration regarding parking regulation enforcement on the weekends: • Adopt the attached Resolution to limit enforcement of Village parking regulations Monday through Saturday, but not Sunday and to eliminate overnight parking restrictions in public lots around the Village in favor of 12-hour parking limitations; • Modify and adopt the attached regarding enforcement of Village parking restrictions; • Do not adopt the attached Resolution regarding enforcement of Village parking regulations; or • Provide direction to staff. Item 11.a. - Page 3 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF RESTRICTED PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC LOTS SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 PAGE4 ADVANTAGES: The recommendations will provide consistency in parking signage and restrictions, eliminate potential infractions and citations on Sundays, reduce the need for enforcement on Sundays when it is unnecessary, and help discourage driving under the influence by Village bar patrons. DISADVANTAGES: Parking restrictions on Saturdays may result in tourists receiving parking citations, which would negatively impact their experience. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required for this item. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall on Thursday, September 5, 2013. The Agenda and staff report were posted on the City's website on Friday, September 6, 2013. No public comments were received. Item 11.a. - Page 4 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE ESTABLISHING PARKING ENFORCEMENT IN THE VILLAGE AND OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC LOTS WHEREAS, Chapter 10.16 of the Arroyo Grande Municipal Code regulates parking of vehicles on City streets and municipal parking lots; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 2008, the City Council adopted an ordinance to allow the Council to adopt parking restrictions on any street or in any municipal parking lot by resolution; and WEHREAS, on October 25, 2011, the City Council adopted a Resolution establishing 2- hour parking restrictions on certain public streets within the Village area; and WHEREAS, on August 26, 2013, the Downtown Parking Advisory Board recommended the City Council amend parking restrictions in the Village to eliminate 2-hour parking restrictions on Sundays and replace overnight parking prohibition in public parking lots in the Village with a 12-hour parking restriction. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande does hereby eliminate 2-hour restricted parking in the Village Core Downtown District on Sundays. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande does hereby eliminate the prohibition on overnight parking in public parking lots in the Village Core Downtown District and hereby establishes a 12-hour parking restriction in public parking lots in the Village Core Downtown District. On motion by Council Member ___ seconded by Council Member ___ and by the following roll call vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 1 oth day of September, 2013. Item 11.a. - Page 5 RESOLUTION NO. PAGE 2 TONY FERRARA, MAYOR ATTEST: KELLY WETMORE, CITY CLERK APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: STEVEN ADAMS, CITY MANAGER APPROVED AS TO FORM: TIMOTHY J. CARMEL, CITY ATTORNEY Item 11.a. - Page 6