HomeMy WebLinkAboutA004 - Council Action Form dated November 14, 2000 oid CAF
Item #
Date: Novem er 14 2000
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: EMERALD PARKING PROHIBITION REQUEST
BACKGROUND:
In August, City Council directed staff to evaluate a parking prohibition change
along Emerald Drive (Garden Road to Jewel Drive) that was requested by petition
from area residents. According to the petition, residents requested to change the
parking prohibitions along Emerald Drive from the east to the west side due to the
increased demand for on-street parking. With this parking change, petitioners indicated
that there would be an additional number of available (12) on-street parking spaces to
accommodate the increased parking demand. Residents also believed that there would
be fewer problems with the on-street parking if it was along the east side since there are
a lessor number of mailboxes and driveways along this side of the street as compared
to the west side.
As you may remember, the City had responded to residents' request last year and had
designated parking prohibitions along the east side of the street. This mitigated the
problem last year when there were as many as 17 parked vehicles present along both
sides of the street that created a narrowed one-lane street and traffic problems for
motorists, emergency vehicles, and busses. Due to comments received last year,
parking prohibitions were designated along the east side to accommodate predominant
users who resided along the west side of Emerald Drive. By allowing parking on this
side of the street, it was believed that safety and convenience would be enhanced since
there would be a lessor number of users needing to cross streets to use their vehicles.
However, by changing the parking prohibitions to the west side, as requested by
residents this year, staff believes that there would be a trade-off in safety since
there would be fewer sight distance problems due to the lessor number of
driveways along this side of the street. By designating prohibitions on the west side
instead of the east side, the street would still have the same two-lane travel width where
traffic, emergency vehicles, and busses would not be impeded while traveling along the
street.
In order to evaluate this parking prohibition change along Emerald, staff did notify
residents and property owners to seek input and comments. After reviewing the
attached comments, it appears that the majority of the property owners and residents
support the measure to change the parking prohibitions. Of the fourteen residents and
property owners petitioning and writing comments, twelve supported the measure, as
compared to one that had opposed the measure. It should be noted that one resident
had suggested that the on-street parking prohibitions be only designated along the 3300
and 3400 blocks, and not along the 3500 block of Emerald Drive. However, staff
believes that it is important to provide a consistent parking prohibition along this entire
CAF — Emerald Parking Prohibition
November 14, 2000
Page 2
street section for traffic safety purposes. It should be noted that this section of Emerald
Drive also has higher traffic volumes and greater emergency access needs than street
sections south of Garden Road due to the number of multi-unit apartments at the north
end of Emerald Drive.
The proposed parking change will increase the number of available on-street parking
spaces (12) due to the lessor number of mailboxes and driveways along the east side,
as compared to the west side of the street. It would also improve safety, since motorists
along the west side of the street would not have the sight limitations when backing out
of driveways. Also, this recommendation includes designating parking prohibitions
along the east side of Emerald Drive 150 feet west of Jewel Drive to provide sufficient
maneuvering space at the intersection.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the petitioner's request to change parking prohibitions along Emerald
Drive (Jewel Drive to Garden Drive) from the east to the west side. Also, this includes
designating parking prohibitions along the east side of Emerald Drive 150 feet west of
Jewel Drive to provide sufficient maneuvering space at the intersection.
2. Do nothing, thereby maintaining the parking prohibitions along the same side of
Emerald Drive.
3. Designate parking prohibitions along only the 3300 and 3400 blocks of Emerald
Drive.
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 draft an ordinance to change parking
prohibitions along Emerald Drive (Jewel Drive to Garden Drive) from the east to the
west side. Also, this includes designating parking prohibitions along the east side of
Emerald Drive 150 feet west of Jewel Drive to provide sufficient maneuvering space at
the intersection.
COUNCIL ACTION: