TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Vice Mayor Chappie Jones
CITY COUNCIL Councilmember Matt Mahan
SUBJECT: City Roadmap - Encampment DATE: April 29, 2022 Management Strategy
Approved
RECOMMENDATIONS
Accept staff recommendation (a) with amendment to (a)(3) regarding exploring programming to remove discharge and human waste from recreational vehicles (RV) and other lived-in-vehicles as follows:
1. Research best practices from other cities for designated RV and lived-in vehicle locations for implementation within the City of San José in addition to the existing Safe Parking locations being considered;
2. Return to Committee or Council with a proposal and budget appropriation by the end of November 2022.
DISCUSSION
Our council offices continue to receive an alarming rate of community concerns regarding RVs parked in residential and neighborhood streets for extended periods of time. Currently, this issue falls outside of the scope of the Department of Transportation’s Vehicle Abatement Team.
BeautifySJ and the Homeless Response Team conduct outreach and provide services to individuals residing in RVs. However, it is incumbent upon the City to consider longer term solutions for RV parking. It is unfortunate yet understandable that individuals reside in RVs due to increased rents and high cost of living. As BeautifySJ and the Homeless Response Team continue to work toward providing services and support to these individuals, it is important that we take constituent concerns into consideration when it comes to public safety issues. Oversized vehicles parked on residential neighborhood streets can result in limited visibility which make neighborhood streets unsafe for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
We recommend that staff explore various alternatives for RV parking in addition to the existing Safe Parking initiatives by analyzing best practices implemented by other cities. For example, the City of Mountain View recently adopted a Narrow Streets Ordinance which restricts the parking of oversized vehicles which exceed 22 feet in length, or 7 feet in width, or 7 feet in COUNCIL AGENDA: 05/03/22
ITEM: 7.1
height, including boats, large trucks, and recreational vehicles (RVs), on narrow streets to address traffic safety concerns.1 This ordinance was implemented in December 2021 after Mountain View voters adopted a ballot measure which passed with a majority of the vote in the November 2020 election, but was met with a lawsuit earlier this year. The ordinance is currently on hold until July 4, 2022. We have the foresight of the Mountain View ordinance and lawsuit to explore comprehensive policies by pairing solutions with restrictions.
Another example is in February 2022, the City of Oakland introduced a similar ordinance at a Public Works Committee meeting, banning oversized vehicles from parking on two-lane streets based on the dimensions of the vehicle.2 That vote was delayed to May 24 to further study the implications of this type of ordinance. In addition to exploring this ordinance, in 2020 the Oakland City Council adopted an ordinance establishing a Pilot Program to allow RVs to occupy vacant properties where residential actives are permitted.3 Other cities such as Sebastopol implemented an ordinance in March 2022 focusing on regulating RV parking through zoning rather than vehicle size.4 Solutions to RVs parked on neighborhood streets can include utilizing private lots owned by businesses through public-private partnerships and designated RV parking on streets located in commercial or industrial zoned areas. Supplying services such as free dumping, toilets, other amenities at these locations may also be useful to explore.
As other cities pilot and explore potential solutions for RV parking within their municipalities, the City of San José should take this opportunity to evaluate best practices and lessons learned.
The City has a responsibility to acknowledge and address the needs of all its residents. It is imperative that we consider potential policies and ordinances that both preserve the rights of individuals living in RVs while simultaneously ensuring streets are safe and accessible for all community members.
The signers of this memorandum have not had, and will not have, any private conversation with any other member of the City Council, or that member’s staff, concerning any action discussed in the memorandum, and that each signer’s staff members have not had, and have been instructed not to have, any such conversation with any other member of the City Council or that member's staff.
1 https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/pw/transport/narrow_streets.asp 2 https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=10643750&GUID=58A02224-7CDC-4E37-BAC5- 6D93BD659A02
3 https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/rv-pilot-program-for-vacant-properties-1 4 https://ci.sebastopol.ca.us/City-Government/Departments-Services/Police/RV-Parking-Ordinance