TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation, including the petitions, into the record, conclude the public hearing, and request the City Attorney to prepare an amendment to the Long Beach Municipal Code, to expand Preferential Parking District “U” as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer. (District 4)
DISCUSSION
Residents on Los Santos Drive between Chatwin Avenue and Garford Street have requested inclusion in Preferential Parking District “U.” Residents are seeking on-street parking relief due to overflow parking generated by California State University Long Beach students. Currently, students park on their block to avoid parking on restricted streets that are already part of the Preferential Parking District “U.” The residents have also requested that a one-hour parking restriction from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, be established within the proposed preferential parking district expansion.
A parking study conducted by Public Works staff during a peak period of activity at Los Santos Drive revealed that 86 percent of the existing on-street parking spaces within the block area requested were occupied at the time of the survey, with 90 percent of the vehicles not registered to residents of the neighborhood.
To determine support for the establishment of a preferential parking district, a petition formally requesting the inclusion on the preferential parking district, and a one-hour parking restriction from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, was circulated among the residents of the four-block area. A copy of the petition is attached (Exhibit A). A review of the petition by staff revealed that 89 percent of the residents of the block supported their inclusion in the preferential parking district and the proposed parking restriction.
To prevent parking spillover in the blocks adjacent to the proposed preferential parking district expansion, 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: Chatwin Avenue and Marber Avenue between Atherton Street and Garford Street; Garford Street between Marber Street and San Anseline Avenue; San Anseline Avenue between Los Santos Drive and Garford Street; and, Lave Avenue between Los Santos Drive and Garford Street. Residents of these streets were informed of the proposal by mail and feedback was requested. With the exception of Los Santos Drive, 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 preferential parking district expansion is attached (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 the expansion of a preferential parking district. Although resident support for the inclusion of a Preferential Parking District exceeds two-thirds for Los Santos Drive only, the City Traffic Engineer recommends that City Council consider designating the entire ten-block area as part of the Preferential Parking District “U” expansion, 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 July 10, 2017 and by Budget Management Officer Julissa Jose-Murray on July 5, 2017.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on August 8, 2017, to complete this project expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost for the expansion of the preferential parking district is $9,399, which includes $8,050 for signage and an application fee of $1,349. These costs are offset by Fourth Council District FY 16 one-time Divide by Nine funding, currently budgeted in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Public Works Department (PW). There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CRAIG A. BECK
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER