The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutA003 - Council Action Form dated May 23, 2000 Item # Date: May 23, 2000 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: MCKINLEY, HAYES AVENUE, AND 20TH STREET PARKING PROHIBITIONS BACKGROUND: In 1995, temporary parking prohibitions on McKinley, Hayes Avenue, and 20th Street had been designated for one year to alleviate problems caused by the heavy utilization of parking by high school students. These parking regulations consisted of a "7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on School Days Only" along both sides of Hayes Avenue (McKinley to 24th Street) and along both sides of McKinley (Hayes Avenue to Van Buren Avenue). It also consisted of a "7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on School Days Only" prohibition on the north side of 20th Street from Hayes Avenue to the west property line of the Fellows Elementary School. Other prohibitions were also designated to alleviate traffic and problems in the neighborhood. These included a "8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday" prohibition on the west side of Hayes Avenue abutting the Tree Top Nursery (2015 Hayes), and an "all times" prohibition on Hayes Avenue from 20th Street to McKinley. Both staff and residents had supported this short term measure in 1995 and believed that it was needed only until the temporary class room buildings were moved out of the high school's north parking lot, which would allow the use of approximately thirty parking spaces. However, it was quite evident that when these temporary class room buildings were moved off the premises, that the thirty available parking spaces were not enough to accommodate all the parking needs for the students. Currently, it is observed that streets such as Ridgewood and 20th Street (west of Coolidge Drive) are still heavily parked by students and that the high school parking lots are overflowing. It should be noted that many students are now parking along Coolidge Drive, where as many as 40 parked vehicles were counted last week. Since it was clear that the high school overflow parking problems will not be alleviated in the near future, staff met with area residents on May 2"d to discuss the time period extension of the parking prohibitions along Hayes Avenue, McKinley, and 20th Street. Of the ten residents who either attended the meeting or had contacted staff prior by telephone, all supported the extension of the 1995/96 parking prohibitions. Furthermore, these residents believed that the parking prohibitions should be made permanent since long term measures have not been initiated to alleviate the overflow parking problem. It should be noted that they do intend to continue seeking from the Ames School Board a plan that would accommodate all student and staff parking within the High School boundary. CAF — McKinley, Hayes, 20th Parking May 23, 2000 Page 2 The temporary parking prohibition signage still remains on Hayes Avenue, McKinley, and 20th Street, though they were only in effect during the 1995/96 school year. These parking prohibitions were and still are effective in regulating parking along these streets during school periods, since surveys indicate that there are relatively few vehicles parked along these streets during school days. In contrast, there were forty vehicles parked by students along Coolidge Drive that had no regulations and is located further east from the high school building. Also at the May 2"d meeting, staff met with the Coolidge Drive residents. They expressed traffic safety concerns similar to those previously raised by the residents of McKinley, Hayes Avenue, and 20th Street. Staff has implemented similar regulations on the west side of Coolidge Drive on a temporary measure for the remainder of this school year. Staff and residents hope to have a more permanent solution in place by the start of the next school year. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve a measure to permanently designate parking prohibitions along Hayes Avenue, McKinley Drive, and 20th Street as indicated in the above report. The parking prohibitions designated to alleviate the high school parking problem would be abolished when the high school is able to accommodate parking within the school boundary. 2. Do nothing. MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt alternative number 1, thereby directing the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance designating parking prohibitions along Hayes Avenue, McKinley Drive, and 20th Street as indicated in the above report. The parking prohibitions designated to alleviate the high school parking problem would be abolished when the high school is able to accommodate parking within the school boundary. COUNCIL ACTION: