Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MAY 7, 2024
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, P.E. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR PREPARED BY: JEROME JOAQUIN, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER
SUBJECT: STREET SWEEPING OPERATION AND ENFORCEMENT ALTERNATIVES
SUMMARY
Update on street sweeping enforcement and street sweeping operation alternatives.
PROPOSED MOTION
Maintain current street sweeping operations with enforcement.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Maintain current street sweeping operation level without street sweeping parking enforcement Implement biweekly street sweeping operation, with or without street sweeping parking enforcement Implement alternating street sweeping operation, with or without street sweeping parking enforcement Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager is seeking direction from the City Council. Each of the options (with the exception of non-enforcement) would meet the Clean Water Act requirements for the City. However, each option also has impacts on residents who do not have alternative parking options. Some of the options do provide some mitigation of those impacts while maintaining permit requirements.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organization Stability
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The average monthly net revenue came to approximately $33,000 prior to citywide street sweeping parking enforcement. The City anticipated an increase in citations after completing the street sweeping parking signage project and implementing citywide enforcement. This surge peaked in September 2023 with net revenue from street sweeping parking citations totaling $128,500. Monthly net revenue has steadily declined since that time, with $101,500 average monthly net revenue from November 2023 to March 2024.
This report discusses the fiscal impact of each street sweeping and enforcement alternative. Staff notes many variables could influence the cost implications from street sweeping citations, the operational costs associated with street sweeping and compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit regulations.
If City Council proceeds with one of the proposed alternatives, any additional costs could impact the General Fund (Fund 10).
The program aims to meet City storm water management program requirements while attempting to limit impacts on residents and businesses.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The City street sweeping contractor, Sweeping Corporations of America (SCA), provides citywide weekly street sweeping services. The City is in the sixth year of its seven year contract with SCA. The City Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) requires regular street sweeping as an effective and best management practice for stormwater compliance. The City relies heavily on street sweeping to remove trash, plant material, sediment and other unsightly debris that can clog storm drain systems and prevent pollutants and contaminants from entering the stormwater system.
Vehicles parked in the street sweeper path make cleaning less effective and can result in NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit noncompliance. The City adopted street sweeping ordinances but had limited enforcement over the past several years due to reduced staffing levels and inadequate street-sweeping signage. The City contracted with SP+ to address this issue and provide increased citation services. The City is in the last term year of the SP+ contract. The City installed “No Parking - Street Sweeping” signage in 2023 to aid enforcement. The City provided ample warning to residents and resumed enforcement in September 2023.
Street Sweeping Enforcement Update
Staff collected and analyzed data from the street sweeping parking citations and observed a notable increase in citation issuance since the installation of citywide street sweeping parking signage in August 2023 as shown on the following diagram. City anticipated this increase due to expanded enforcement areas and efforts to improve the street sweeping operation. However, citation frequencies have steadily declined and this downward trajectory indicates progressive compliance with street sweeping parking regulations, as evidenced by decreased calls pertaining to street sweeping enforcement received by staff.
The following heat map indicates a concentration of street sweeping parking citations in the south side of the City, particularly in high-density residential areas. This suggests a higher frequency of violations in these regions. This could be attributed to the volume of vehicles competing for limited parking spaces in these neighborhoods.
Additionally, residents in multifamily housing might be less likely to have ample designated parking spots, leading to increased instances of illegal parking during street sweeping hours.
Street Sweeping Alternatives
Staff believes the City has the most effective street sweeping operation in place. Staff has explored various alternatives to current operations and notes the following alternatives have various cost implications and operational effectiveness impacts:
Alternative No. 1: Maintain current street sweeping operation level without enforcement.
This alternative would not ticket vehicles to parked on streets during street sweeping operations, resulting in incomplete street cleaning which could lead to debris, litter and pollutant accumulation, detracting from cleanliness and visual appeal of the streets and surrounding areas. The buildup of debris and pollutants poses a threat to water runoff quality potentially contaminating nearby water bodies, harming local ecosystems and increasing the flood risk during heavy rainfall events. If residents voluntarily complied this option would comply. However if residents did not voluntarily comply, this noncompliance could jeopardize City adherence to MS4 permit regulations.
Eliminating street sweeping parking citations could prevent complete street sweeping operations due to parked vehicles obstructing the sweeping process and warrant manual cleaning of catch basins and curbs and gutters, necessitating a full-time and ongoing maintenance program to manually clean curbs and gutters, catch basins and inlet baskets. The City would likely need to hire an additional field crew and procure vehicles to perform this citywide operation, incurring costs that run counterproductive to the efficiency achieved through contracting a street sweeping service provider.
Alternative No. 2: Biweekly street sweeping operation.
Biweekly street sweeping would clean streets every other week. Transitioning to biweekly street sweeping provides benefits in cost reduction and easing the burden on residents and businesses without alternative parking. The city could save operational expenses associated with street sweeping by halving the frequency of sweeping, reducing the estimated annual sweeping contract cost by approximately 32%, or from $800,000 to $545,000. Implementing bi-weekly street sweeping operations requires replacing signage to inform residents and visitors of the schedule. Staff estimates replacing signage would cost $350,000 and take approximately 11 months to complete.
Reducing the frequency of street sweeping can have negative implications. Less frequent sweeping may lead to slightly more debris accumulation between sweepings which could lead to an unsightly appearance of the City, especially in areas that experience higher levels of foot or vehicle traffic. These areas may require more frequent attention from street sweeping to maintain cleanliness. While this option may result in slightly less frequent sweeping, it can still effectively manage debris and maintain cleanliness, especially if residents do not litter excessively. The City would comply with its MS4 permit regulations when implementing a biweekly street sweeping schedule.
Alternative No. 3: Alternating sides of the street sweeping operation, with or without street sweeping parking enforcement.
This alternative would require revising the street sweeping contract to reflect the expanded scope of work and associated expenses such as increased drive time and fuel usage. SCA indicated this alternative would necessitate an extra sweeper to maintain the current level of sweeping service. Staff projects this adjustment could increase the contract cost by approximately 15%, raising the current $800,000 annual street sweeping contract with SCA to an estimated $938,000. Any changes to the street sweeping schedule would require signage replacement at approximately $350,000.
The City would also need to coordinate street sweeping with solid waste hauler routes, with costs for route changes and cost implications of this coordination unknown at this time.
Conclusion:
The street sweeping program has operated since 1980, providing an effective method for complying with stormwater regulations, a practice widely adopted by many cities in California. Staff recommends maintaining current parking enforcement measures to ensure program effectiveness. Sanitation Funds (Fund 23) support street sweeping expenses. Sanitation Fund allocation is limited to existing street and landscape maintenance needs.
If City Council proceeds with one of the proposed alternatives, staff recommends funding any additional costs through the General Fund (Fund 10). This approach would ensure continued effectiveness of the street-sweeping program while allowing the necessary financial support to implement alternative operations.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Street Sweeping Operation and Enforcement Alternatives
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