Agenda Item
City Traffic Commission
Item #: 4.2. 10/12/2022 File #: 22-0556
TO: Chair and Members of the City Traffic Commission
THRU: Larry Tay, City Traffic Engineer
FROM: Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst
1. SUBJECT
Request to implement permit parking on both sides of Lilac Lane from Culver Avenue to Orchard Avenue; both sides of Plum Lane from Culver Avenue to Orchard Avenue; and both sides of Orchard Avenue from Flower Street to the easterly terminus of the street.
2. SUMMARY
A request for permit parking on the subject streets was made by an eligible resident. The request meets the city’s long-standing Neighborhood Permit Parking Program (NPPP) implementation criteria. However, while this request was being processed, the City Council approved changes to the NPPP that could potentially affect how permit parking, if approved, would be implemented in this neighborhood.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Approve permit parking both sides of Lilac Lane from Culver Avenue to Orchard Avenue; Both sides of Plum Lane from Culver Avenue to Orchard Avenue; and both sides of Orchard Avenue from Flower Street to the easterly terminus of the street.
2. Forward to the City Council for final approval.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The total expenditure for the project is $1,000 and will be funded in Minor Traffic Control Devices (16302) through Traffic Improvement Measure M2 (263).
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 1: Provide for a safe community
b. Provide and maintain infrastructure necessary to ensure the safety of the public.
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
Background
A resident of Lilac Lane submitted a request to initiate the process for neighborhood permit parking on the above noted streets on November 8, 2021. (Note: Flower Street between Orchard and Culver avenues was included in said request but not a part of the recommendation for reasons described in this report.) Upon receipt of the application fee, Traffic Division staff initiated the parking occupancy study to determine which streets would be eligible under the City’sNeighborhood Permit City of Orange Printed on 10/7/2022Page 1 of 3
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Item #: 4.2. 10/12/2022 File #: 22-0556
occupancy study to determine which streets would be eligible under the City’sNeighborhood Permit Parking Program (NPPP) guidelines.
Existing Conditions
Staff mapped and counted the number of legal parking spaces for each of the four streets in the study area. Because the demand for on-street parking was highest in the evenings, staff conducted the parking observations during those hours. Beginning at 5:30 P.M., and progressively later each night, staff made seven observations in the subject neighborhood. Per the City’sadopted NPPP, a street parking occupancy rate of 75% in required to qualify for permit parking. The level of parking occupancy observed by staff for all the streets in the study area is 83.3%.
Because parking occupancy exceeded the minimum 75% threshold, a petition was circulated to determine the level of neighborhood support. A petition letter and a list of permit parking advantages and disadvantages were provided by the Traffic Division to each of the resident property owners and absentee property owners in the study area. Traffic Division staff mailed petition letters to the unsigned property owners on two separate occasions to give everyone the opportunity vote in favor or opposed to parking permits. The table below shows the street-by-street results of the neighborhood polling as of August 18, 2022.
Affected Streets Households In Favor Households OpposedUnreturned Lilac Lane 8 80% 1 10% 1 20%
Plum Lane 8 80% 1 10% 1 20%
Orchard Ave. 8 80% 1 10% 1 20%
East side Flower St. 2 40% 0 0% 3 60%
For non-returned petitions, Traffic Division staff made two attempts to notify the property owners of the active permit parking petition process and encourage the return of a completed petition to the City, which did yield additional participation. The final results of the petition indicate that each of Lilac Lane, Plum Lane, and Orchard Avenue have 80% of property owners in favor of the permit parking program, which exceeds the minimum 75% required under the program implementation policy. The east side of Flower Street had only 40% in favor and, therefore, is excluded from the recommendation.
Analysis
Staff has documented a consistently high demand for on-street parking in the subject area that becomes progressively greater through the evening hours. The level of parking demand exceeds the minimum requirements under the long-standing policies of the NPPP. And, with the exception of Flower Street, the neighborhood satisfies the minimum support necessary to implement permit parking.
NPPP Changes Potentially Affecting This Request
Unrelated to this request and in August 2022, the City Council updated the NPPP to include streamlined permit parking options in designated areas (permit parking opportunity areas) with a high potential for parking intrusion. Subsequent to this report’spublication, but prior to the October 12 CTC meeting, the City Council may consider including the subject streets into one of several permit parking opportunity areas being proposed. Should that occur, staff’srecommendation to support City of Orange Printed on 10/7/2022Page 2 of 3
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Item #: 4.2. 10/12/2022 File #: 22-0556
parking opportunity areas being proposed. Should that occur, staff’srecommendation to support permit parking would remain unchanged. However, when presented to the City Council for final approval, the three subject streets would be considered a part of the designated permit parking opportunity area, rather than a stand-alone area.
Recommendation
Based on the analysis, staff recommends that the Traffic Commission approve the implementation of a Neighborhood Parking Permit Program for the following street segments, and forward to the City Council for final approval:
· Both sides of Lilac Lane Avenue from Culver to Orchard avenues. · Both sides of Plum Lane from Culver to Orchard avenues. · Both sides of Orchard Avenue from Flower Street to the easterly terminus.
The proponent and all residents and businesses within potential impact areas of this neighborhood were notified of this item on Traffic Commission Meeting agenda.
7. ATTACHMENTS
· Letter of Request
· Area Map
· Parking Occupancy Study
· Notification Letter
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