REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Re-instatement of Residential Preferential Parking Zone for Florence Street between Evelyn Avenue and Washington Avenue (Information Only)
Report
BACKGROUND
In 2009, per a request by a resident, the City studied several areas including Florence Street between W. Evelyn Avenue and W. McKinley Avenue (100 and 200 blocks) to determine if a Residential Preferential Parking Zone (RPP) was warranted. Council adopted an ordinance in 2009 and the RPP was established in several areas. However after approximately one year, enforcement of the RPP on Florence Avenue was discontinued as the majority of residents did not want to maintain it. Recently a petition was filed by the residents of the 100 block of Florence Street requesting re-instatement of the RPP. The petition, which as required by the municipal code included over 50% of the residents, states that significant, disruptive non-residential parking has re-occurred on the 100 block of Florence Street.
The RPP under consideration would install street signs, enforce seven hour limited parking, and issue parking permits for the residents and their guests, which is allowable by current ordinance.
EXISTING POLICY
Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 10.26 Preferential Parking on Residential Street allows the City Council to designate by ordinance (Attachment 1) certain residential streets as a preferential parking zone.
DISCUSSION
City Staff recently conducted a parking study to determine the percentage of commuters and non-residential oriented vehicles that may substantially and regularly interfere with the use of available public street parking. It was observed that since there are no parking regulations, a weekday average occupancy of 70 percent is present on the 100 block of Florence Street and 41 percent of the weekday average occupancy consists of commuters or non-residential oriented vehicles.
Staff will implement the RPP on Florence Street and install the seven hour limited parking signs and issue parking permits for the residents and their guests in the area shown on the RPP Map (Attachment 2).
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff estimates that the initial cost of an exemption permit program for the street in question will be approximately $6,600 for the installation of time limit parking signs, printing and distribution of permits. The annualized cost for the program will be approximately $3,400 for printing and distribution of permits in the succeeding years. Costs will be dependent upon the number of participants in the program. Participation in the program will be voluntary, but residents electing not to participate will be subject to the time-restricted parking. Costs for the program are proposed to be recovered through a permit fee. Costs of the permits are currently established at $19.00 per permit. Per the Municipal Code, permits would need to be renewed annually, and fees are adjusted at this time to assure cost recovery. Permit costs would be re-evaluated annually as part of the establishment of the City's fee schedule.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
Staff
Prepared by: Joshua Llamas, Traffic Engineering Technician
Reviewed by: Manuel Pineda, Director, Public Works
Reviewed by: Robert A. Walker, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance No. 2898-09
2. Current and Proposed Preferential Parking Zones