Agenda Item: 3
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: April 11, 2023
SUBJECT: FIRST READING OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL
CODE REGARDING OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING
REGULATIONS AND VEHICLES PARKED OVER 72 HOURS
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: Tracy Sullivan
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Introduce an ordinance entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 12.08 (DEFINITIONS) AND CHAPTER 12.64.200 (VEHICLES PARKED OVER 72 HOURS) OF THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE;” waive reading of the text and consent to reading by title only, as listed on the agenda; and pass to second reading.
2. Introduce an ordinance entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 12.94.020 (OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING REGULATIONS-PENALTIES-APPEALS) AND CHAPTER 12.94.030 (OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING PERMITS) OF THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE;” waive reading of the text and consent to reading by title only, as listed on the agenda; and pass to second reading.
3. Adopt conforming changes to City Policy I-11.1, Enforcement of Oversized Vehicle Ordinances.
4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts, amendments, and associated documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) regularly reviews the Santa Clarita Municipal Code (SCMC) to ensure it reflects the needs of the community; is current with federal, state, and local legislation;
and is consistent with the direction of the City Council. This review process includes gathering feedback from residents on areas that need improvement, incorporating observations by enforcement staff, and considering modifications to clarify the intent of the regulations within the SCMC and improve the quality of life in Santa Clarita.
The City’s Parking Enforcement Program (Program) works to improve the quality of life for the community by enforcing State of California (State) and City vehicle regulations with empathy and integrity. Parking regulations help maintain traffic flow and enhance public safety while complementing the City’s commitment to promoting a safe environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. The Program operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with services provided by a third-party contractor. The Program primarily addresses parking violations on a reactive or complaint-driven basis. However, health and safety violations (i.e., handicap, red curb, and fire hydrant violations) are addressed on a proactive and reactive basis. Parking Enforcement Officers also proactively patrol areas in the City where resident complaints are high, such as areas near apartment and condominium complexes, select major thoroughfares, and school zones, which have limited street parking.
In 2022, the Program addressed 10,102 parking-related Resident Service Center (RSC) requests, with the top concern being vehicles parked over 72 hours. Additional commonly submitted concerns include failure to obey signs, parking in fire lanes and handicap spaces, and oversized vehicle (OSV) issues.
The following updates are being recommended to improve the overall effectiveness of the City’s current parking regulations in helping to address concerns regarding safety and quality of life.
Chapter 12.64 (Vehicle Parked Over 72 Hours):
Chapter 12.64 of the SCMC establishes a 72-hour limit on street parking, meaning that vehicles cannot be parked on a public street for more than 72 consecutive hours without moving. As currently defined in the SCMC, a vehicle is considered in compliance if it is moved any distance in either direction within the 72-hour timeframe. Staff is finding that vehicle owners, after receiving a warning notice for the 72-hour restriction, will oftentimes move their vehicles a few inches forward or backward to remain in compliance. In effect, the vehicle continues to be stored on the public right-of-way, in the same place, prohibiting the use of the roadway for other vehicle owners. It has also been observed and noted that with no established minimum distance, vehicle owners are able to physically push non-operational vehicles forward or backwards a few inches to meet the requirements of the SCMC.
Both of the aforementioned practices create challenges for residents parking in already dense areas with limited parking. As a result, the Program has seen a significant increase in the volume of resident complaints related to the topic. In 2022, the Program received 4,711 RSC requests regarding abandoned vehicles, which represents a 30 percent increase over 2021. The current parameters of the SCMC, as previously stated, make enforcement of the matter a challenge and provide little relief for negatively affected residents.
To more effectively address abandoned and/or inoperable vehicles being parking on City streets, staff is proposing a minimum distance of 150 feet for a vehicle to be moved from its original marked location within the required 72 hours. Staff performed a benchmark study of other cities
with 72-hour parking rules, and it is common to stipulate a minimum distance. The prevailing minimum distance across benchmark cities is 300 feet or the length of one block. The recommended distance of 150 feet would effectively resolve the aforementioned challenges, while not creating an undue burden on Santa Clarita residents as it relates to parking their vehicles on public roadways. In addition to the establishment of a minimum distance, updates to various definitions are being recommended for additional clarity.
The complete list of redline changes to SCMC Chapter 12.64 is included as Exhibit A of the proposed ordinance.
Chapter 12.94 (Oversized Vehicle Parking Regulations):
Chapter 12.94 of the SCMC prohibits OSVs from parking on any public street, except for the purposes of loading, unloading, and minor repairs, provided that these activities do not exceed 48 consecutive hours. Owners of OSVs additionally have the option of applying for an Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit, which allows them to park their OSV on the public street for up to 72 hours under the provisions of the permit. The SCMC allows for a maximum of three OSV parking permits per registered owner within any 90-day period.
By definition, OSVs are larger than standard vehicles, which can create potential issues with line of site for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. For this reason, and to protect the safety and welfare of Santa Clarita residents, a time restriction of 48 consecutive hours is imposed on OSVs. The challenge is an additional exemption within Chapter 12.94 of the SCMC, which allows for OSVs to be parked on a public roadway during holidays and weekends. In effect, if timed correctly, OSV owners can combine both exemptions and potentially have their OSVs parked on a public roadway for in excess of 96 consecutive hours. Staff has observed this practice being frequently leveraged, causing a significant number of complaints regarding OSVs that are effectively being stored on public streets. Given the current language of the SCMC, enforcement of the matter has been ineffective and difficult, thereby infringing on traffic safety and resulting in complaints to the City. In 2022, the City responded to 783 complaints regarding OSVs parked on public roadways, which represents an increase of 8 percent compared to 2021.
To address the aforementioned issues, staff recommends eliminating the weekend and holiday exemption for OSVs. In effect, OSVs would need to be completely removed from the public right-of-way within 48 hours, regardless of whether it falls on a weekend or holiday. In addition, staff recommends changing the allowed frequency of permit issuance. A maximum of three OSV parking permits would be allowed per registered owner within any 120-day period, as opposed to the current 90-day period. These changes will allow Parking Enforcement to more effectively address OSV violations, while still providing OSV owners an appropriate amount of time to park their vehicles on a public right-of-way for the purposes and intent of the SCMC.
The complete list of redline changes to SCMC Chapter 12.94 is included as Exhibit A of the proposed ordinance.
City Policy I-11.1 (Enforcement of Oversized Vehicle Ordinances):
The City Council adopted the City's Enforcement of Oversized Vehicle Ordinances Policy on January 9, 2001, establishing guidelines for the enforcement of Chapter 12.94 of the SCMC regarding oversized vehicle parking regulations. To reflect the proposed changes to Chapter
12.94 discussed above, staff recommends conforming updates to the Enforcement of Oversized Vehicle Ordinances Policy.
The complete list of redline changes to City Policy I-11.1 is included as Exhibit B.
Upon approval of the recommended actions, the proposed changes will be brought back to the City Council for a Second Reading on April 25, 2023, and if approved, take effect on May 25, 2023.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance-Chapter 12.64 Code Revisions (Definitions and 72 Hour Violation) Ordinance-Chapter 12.94 Code Revisions (Oversized Vehicle Parking Regulations) Policy I-11.1 Revisions (Enforcement of Oversized Vehicle Ordinances)