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 "AA" as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
Residents of Parkcrest Street, adjacent to the south side of Heartwell Park, east of Bellflower Boulevard and south of Carson Street, have requested the establishment of a new Preferential Parking District to seek on-street parking relief due to overflow parking generated by the public using the Heartwell Park sport facilities. The residents have also requested that a one-hour parking restriction from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, except holidays, be established within that Preferential Parking District.
A parking study conducted by staff during a peak period of activity at Heartwell Park, revealed that all the existing on-street parking spaces within a five-block area were occupied at the time of the survey. In addition, it was discovered that 86 percent of the vehicles parked were not registered to residents of the neighborhood.
A petition formally requesting the establishment of a Preferential Parking District and a one-hour parking restriction from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, except holidays, was circulated among the residents of the five-block area. A copy of the petition is attached as Exhibit A. A review of the petition by staff revealed that 83 percent of the residents of two blocks supported the implementation of preferential parking and the proposed parking restriction. The level of support was less in the remaining blocks; however, over the entire five-block area only 20 percent of residents expressed opposition to preferential parking, 28 percent were unavailable or had no opinion, and 52 percent supported the implementation of preferential parking.
The City Traffic Engineer has reviewed the results of the parking study and the resident petition.and he has determined that conditions on the streets adjacent to Heartwell Park meet minimum municipal code criteria as outlined in LBMC 10.32.020 for the consideration of a Preferential Parking District. Although resident support for the establishment of a Preferential Parking District exceeds two-thirds for only two blocks of the impacted area, the City Traffic Engineer recommends that City Council consider designating the entire five-block area as Preferential Parking District "M" as outlined in Exhibit B to prevent the migration of the parking problems to adjacent streets.
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy Burton on May 12, 2010, and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on May 14, 2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on June 1, 2010 in order to proceed with this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The 5th District City Council Office provided the $1,310 application fee for the engineering study and to bring this matter forward for City Council consideration. All signage costs necessary for implementation of preferential parking will be borne by the affected residents. City Council has previously established a $109 fee, per sign, to recover such implementation costs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
MICHAEL P. CONWAY |
APPROVED: |
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS |
|
|
|
|
PATRICK H. WEST |
|
CITY MANAGER |