Agenda Item C.4
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEM
Meeting Date: March 5, 2024
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
SUBMITTED BY: Jaime A. Valdez, Neighborhood Services Director PREPARED BY: Scott Shapses, Deputy City Attorney
SUBJECT: Large Vehicle Parking Prohibitions on Pacific Oaks Rd Between Hollister Ave and Phelps Rd, and Phelps Rd Between Pacific Oaks Rd and The Coastal Zone Boundary
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Resolution No. 24 -__, entitled “ A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, Authorizing No Parking Zones for Large Vehicles on Pacific Oaks Road Between Hollister Avenue and Phelps Road, and on Phelps Road Between Pacific Oaks Road and the Coastal Zone, Excluding from this Prohibition any Portions of Those Roadways Within The Coastal Zone.”
BACKGROUND:
Since August of 2023, the City has received over 30 requests for service and over one hundred emails regarding the parking of oversized vehicles on Pacific Oaks Road and Phelps Road. While residents are concerned about a growing trend of people sleeping in their vehicles at night, the biggest concerns were expressed about large recreational vehicles (“RVs”) parking in violation of current City ordinances. The complaints of residents have described that the RVs create nuisances to the community in the form of loud noise, significant trash production, exhaust from idling engines, blocking of views, public sex or nudity observed by nearby resi dents, public urination/defecation, and reduced parking availability for non- “Large vehicles”1 in a residentially zoned area.
On November 14, 2023, the Homelessness Issues Standing Committee held a public forum with over 30 people in attendance to hear from residents about their concerns and make recommendations to staff. The primary recommendation regarding RV parking was to bring back proposals to the Ordinance Standing Committee at a future date. It was determined at that meeting that because the matter relates to a parking issue rather than 1 Pursuant to Goleta Municipal Code Section 10.01.280, “Large vehicle” means any vehicle, as that word is defined in Section 670 of the California Vehicle Code, or a combination of connected vehicles and/or trailers, as defined in this section, that exceeds 25 feet in length or 80 inches in width or 82 inches in height, exclusive of such projecting lights or devices as are expressly allowed under the California Vehicle Code. Large vehicle shall not mean or include pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles, which are less than 25 feet in length and 82 inches in height. 1 Meeting Date: March 5, 2024
a homelessness issue, the Ordinance Standing Committee was the appropriate body to address the parking impacts discussed in that meeting.
On January 23, 2024, the Ordinance Standing Committee considered two proposals for Pacific Oaks Road. The first proposal would prohibit all overnight parking on Pacific Oaks Road during specific hours. The second proposal , reflected in the resolution recommended by staff provided in Attachment 1, would ban all Large vehicle parking on both Pacific Oaks Road between Hollister Avenue and Phelps Road, and on Phelps Road between Hollister Avenue and Cannon Green Drive with the exemption of the part of Phelps Road in the Coastal Zone. The Ordinance Standing Committee recommended that this resolution be brought before the full City Council for adoption.
Figure 1: Depiction of No Large Vehicle Parking Zone
Pacific Oaks Road and Phelps Road are also used for resident overflow parking, recreational use, and for parking by commercial vehicles. There has been an increasing number of RVs parked there, creating significant nuisances to adjacent residents.
DISCUSSION:
Current Regulations and Enforcement
The City of Goleta has several ordinances that relate to RV parking but are inadequate to fully address the issue.
Goleta Municipal Code (GMC) 10.01.290 Large Vehicle and Trailer Parking Restrictions – This ordinance is currently being enforced. Between September 24, 2023, 2 Meeting Date: March 5, 2024
and January 9, 2024, law enforcement reported twenty-four (24) citations for illegal Large vehicle parking in areas with significant increases in RV usage. This section of the GMC only applies on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:3 0 p.m. When a vehicle has a disabled parking placard, it is currently exempted from compliance with this requirement by the GMC. At all other times, RV parking is allowed. Parking enforcement reports that they are regularly citing RVs for violations, incl uding parking for more than 72 hours consecutive hours pursuant to GMC 10.04.010.
GMC 10.01.310 Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit – This section of the GMC is primarily applied to people who want to park their RVs and campers on streets near their residences and receive short -term permits to do so from Neighborhood Services.
Currently, oversized vehicle owners apply for a no -fee three -day parking permit from Neighborhood Services allowing the parking of their vehicles during normally prohibited days and hours (Monday through Friday, 7:30 am-4:00 pm, excluding City recognized holidays). The purpose of authorizing the issuance of oversized vehicle parking permits is to allow owners of Large vehicles additional time to park their Large vehicles on a public street adjacent to their residences or businesses for the purpose of loading or unloading such Large vehicles and to allow an out-of-town visitor to park on a street adjacent to the residence that the out-of-town visitor is visiting for a limited time period.
The proposed resolution would address the primary issue raised by residents – that Large vehicles represent a danger to public health and safety. This resolution would establish a No Parking zone for the part of Pacific Oaks Road between Holliste r and Phelps Road, and on the south side of Phelps Road between Pacific Oaks and Cannon Green Dr. (except for the portion in the coastal zone) for all Large vehicles as defined by GMC
10.01.280. Large vehicles shall not mean or include pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles, which are less than 25 feet in length and 82 inches in height. For this resolution, the state authority comes from CVC 22507. The no parking restriction would apply to all Large vehicles, at all times, on all days of the week.
One concern raised by the Ordinance Standing Committee was the impact of disabled parking placards. Currently, disabled parking placards allow Large vehicles to park during the day when they would otherwise be prohibited. By establishing a No Parking zone, this resolution will also apply to those Large vehicles that have disabled placards.
The impact of this resolution will likely be that Large vehicles will park elsewhere in the City. However, given the specific health and safety concerns of this community, thi s limited approach will rectify a particularly intense nuisance in one residential area.
While this resolution will take effect upon Council ratification, enforcement will not proceed until signs are posted. The Public Works Department anticipates the need to go out to bid for this effort and estimates about a three -month timeframe to order, receive, and install the new signs if Council decides to move forward with the recommended resolution.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
3 Meeting Date: March 5, 2024
This resolution will require the placement o f signs and increased parking enforcement during overnight hours.
The preliminary estimate from the Public Works Department for the placement of signs on both sides of Pacific Oaks Road and the south side of Phelps Road is $30,000. Table 1 below shows where these funds could be sourced , depending on how costs are allocated.
Table 1: Funding Sources
New Parking Restrictions on Portions of Phelps Rd and Pacific Oaks Rd, FY 2023/24 Fund Type Account FY 23/24
Current Budget
YTD
Actuals
Total Available
Budget
General Fund 101-50-5800-51031 $120,000 $67,148 $52,852 General Fund 101-50-5800-51300 $154,000 $73,549 $80,451 Total $274,000 $140,697 $133,303
Note: For sign/pole purchases: 101-50-5800-51031 (Special Department Supplies).
For installation of signs: 101-50-5800-51300 (Contract Services)
Enforcement of the no parking restrictions will come from nighttime and daytime enforcement. These responsibilities would fall to regular Sheriff’s Department patrols and the Parking Enforcement Officer.
ALTERNATIVES:
The alternative to this resolution is the maintenance of the status quo on Pacific Oaks and Phelps Roads.
LEGAL REVIEW BY: Megan Garibaldi, City Attorney
APPROVED BY: Robert Nisbet, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Goleta, California, Authorizing No Parking Zones for Large Vehicles on Pacific Oaks Road Between Hollister Avenue and Phelps Road, and on Phelps Road Between Pacific Oaks Road and The Coastal Zone, Excluding from this Prohibition Any Portions of Those Roadways Within The Coastal Zone
4 Attachment 1
A Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Goleta, California, Authorizing No Parking Zones For Large Vehicles On Pacific Oaks Road Between Hollister Avenue And Phelps Road, And On Phelps Road Between Pacific Oaks Road And The Coastal Zone, Excluding From This Prohibition Any Portions Of Those Roadways Within The Coastal Zone
5 65266.00009\42043191.2
RESOLUTION NO. 24-XX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GOLETA, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING NO PARKING ZONES
FOR LARGE VEHICLES ON PACIFIC OAKS ROAD BETWEEN
HOLLISTER AVENUE AND PHELPS ROAD , AND ON PHELPS
ROAD BETWEEN PACIFIC OAKS ROAD AND THE COASTAL
ZONE, EXCLUDING FROM THIS PROHIBITION ANY PORTIONS
OF THOSE ROADWAYS WITHIN THE COASTAL ZONE
WHEREAS, Public Works staff and Neighborhood Services staff have responded to the concerns of residents living along Pacific Oaks Road about the increasing number of large vehicles parking on both sides of this street; and
WHEREAS, large vehicles are defined by Goleta Municipal Code 10.01.280 as any vehicle, as that word is defined in S ection 670 of the California Vehicle Code, or a combination of connected vehicles and/or trailers, as defined in this section, that exceeds 25 feet in length or 80 inches in width or 82 inches in height, exclusive of such projecting lights or devices as ar e expressly allowed under the California Vehicle Code. Large vehicle shall not mean or include pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles, which are less than 25 feet in length and 82 inches in height; and
WHEREAS, Public Works staff and Neighborhood Services staff have determined that parked large vehicles interfere with and obstruct visual access to streets, traffic control signs and signals, other vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and sidewalks, thereby substantially increasing the risk of collisions between vehicles, as well as collisions between vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, at intersections, near driveways, and on all streets in the city, including curved roadway sections, narrow streets, busy streets, commercial districts, and neighborhood streets; and
WHEREAS, parked large vehicles decrease general welfare by obstructing visual access to scenic resources, including historic landmarks and natural resources, such as the coastal mountains, beaches, and Pacific Ocean; and
WHEREAS, parked or stopped large vehicles are frequently left with engines, refrigeration systems, or generators running, thereby contributing to the deterioration of local air quality and quiet neighborhoods , creating nuisances for residents; and
WHEREAS, large vehicles require a significant amount of space to park and the City desires to allow as great a number of people to access Girsh Park as possible; and
6 65266.00009\42043191.2
Resolution 24-XX
No Parking Zone for Large Vehicles
@BCL@A8146A74
WHEREAS, Public Works staff and Neighborhood Services staff have determined that a no parking zone for large vehicles along both sides of Pacific Oaks Road for large vehicles is in the interest of public safety; and WHEREAS, in enacting this resolution, the City i ntends to reserve parking on Pacific Oaks Road for special types of vehicles, within the meaning of Section 22511.5(a)(3) of the California Vehicle Code, which special vehicles are any vehicle which is not a large vehicle as defined above; and WHEREAS, other parking areas are available for large vehicle parking within the City, including but not limited to a parking area located near the intersection of Phelps Road and Ocean Walk Lane; and
WHEREAS, Section 21351 of the California Vehicle Code authoriz es the City to place and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained, such appropriate signs, signals, or other traffic control devices as may be necessary to properly indicate and carry out the provisions of the Vehicle Code or local traffic ordinances, or to warn or guide traffic; and
WHEREAS, Section 10.01.120 A of the Goleta Municipal Code requires Council to act by resolution to designate a No Parking Zone; and WHEREAS, City has restricted parking protocols for noticing and has complied with those protocols.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GOLETA, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
All recitals above are true and correct and are incorporated herein.
SECTION 2.
A No Parking zone for all large vehicles, as defined above, is hereby established on Pacific Oaks Road between Hollister Avenue and Phelps Road, and on Phelps Road between Pacific Oaks Road and the Coastal Zone, excluding any portions of those roadways within the Coastal Zone .
The no parking zone is depicted in the attached Exhibit “A.” SECTION 3.
The City Manager or their designee shall provide for the installation and maintenance of the appropriate signage and/or markings for this location identified above.
7 65266.00009\42043191.2
Resolution 24-XX
No Parking Zone for Large Vehicles
@BCL@A8146A74
SECTION 4.
The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of March, 2024.
__________________________
PAULA PEROTTE, MAYOR
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________ __________________________
DEBORAH S. LOPEZ MEGAN GARIBALDI
CITY CLERK CITY ATTORNEY
8 65266.00009\42043191.2
Resolution 24-XX
No Parking Zone for Large Vehicles
@BCL@A8146A74
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ss.
CITY OF GOLETA )
I, DEBORAH S. LOPEZ, City Clerk of the City of Goleta, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 24-__ was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Goleta a t a regular meeting held on the 5th day of March, 2024 by the following vote of the Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
(SEAL)
_________________________
DEBORAH S. LOPEZ
CITY CLERK
9 65266.00009\42043191.2
EXHIBIT A
Depiction of No Large Vehicle Parking Zone
10