TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation, including the petitions, into the record, conclude the public hearing, and request City Attorney to prepare an amendment to the Long Beach Municipal Code, to establish Preferential Parking District “AC” as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer. (District 7)
DISCUSSION
Residents on the west side of Cherry Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Marshall Place, and Marshall Place between Cherry Avenue and Gardenia Avenue have requested the establishment of a new preferential parking district to seek on-street parking relief due to overflow parking generated by employees of businesses located along the east side of Cherry Avenue. The residents have also requested that a 30-minute parking restriction, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday, except holidays, be established within the proposed preferential parking district.
A parking study conducted by staff during the peak period of activity on Cherry Avenue and Marshall Place revealed that 75 percent of existing on-street parking spaces within a two-block area were occupied at the time of the survey. In addition, it was determined that 59 percent of the vehicles parked along these two blocks were not registered to residents of the neighborhood.
A petition formally requesting the establishment of a preferential parking district and a 30-minute parking restriction from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday, was circulated among the residents of the two-block area. A copy of the petition is attached as Exhibit A. A review of the petition by staff revealed that 76 percent of the residents are in favor of implementing a preferential parking district and the proposed parking restrictions.
In order to prevent parking spillover in the blocks adjacent to the proposed preferential parking district, the City Traffic Engineer is proposing to expand the preferential parking district to include streets that may be impacted. The streets included in the proposed expansion are: the west side of Cherry Avenue; Gardenia Avenue; Roosevelt Road; and Bixby Road. Residents of these streets were informed of the proposal by mail and feedback was requested. These streets in the proposed expansion will not include signage or parking restrictions at this time; however, by including these streets in the preferential parking district, the residents could request parking restrictions in the future through a well-supported petition. A map showing the proposed new preferential parking district is attached as Exhibit B.
The City Traffic Engineer has reviewed the results of the parking study, the resident petition and the feedback responses from the mailing, and has determined that the area qualifies for establishment of a preferential parking district. Although resident support for the establishment of a preferential parking District exceeds two-thirds for the west side of Cherry Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Marshall Place, and Marshall Place between Cherry Avenue and Gardenia Avenue only, the City Traffic Engineer recommends that City Council consider designating the entire seven-block area as Preferential Parking District “AC” as outlined in Exhibit B to prevent the migration of the parking problems to adjacent streets.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on October 21, 2015, and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on October 26, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on December 1, 2015 in order to proceed with this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The $3,445 application fee and signage installation is budgeted in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW). The application fee and signage costs will be funded by the Seventh Council District’s non-recurring funds. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ARA MALOYAN, PE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER