Agenda Item #15.1
For Council Meeting of: December 5, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ALAN ALTON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
SUBJECT: PETITION TO EXPAND THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONE TO INCLUDE THE 300 BLOCK OF LINCOLN STREET SITUATED BETWEEN WASHINGTON STREET AND MORGAN STREET AGENDA ACTION: PUBLIC HEARING
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Finance Department that the Council, by resolution, approve the petition to expand the Downtown Residential Permit Parking Zone to include the 300 block of Lincoln Street between Washington Street and Morgan Street.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Finance Department has received a petition from residents of the 300 block of Lincoln Street. Residents from this block are requesting to be included in the Downtown Residential Permit Parking Zone, with restrictions limiting on-street parking to two (2) hours, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
BACKGROUND
Santa Rosa City Code 11-44.050 establishes that neighborhoods impacted by non-resident parking may submit a petition to the City Council to have their area added to the Residential Permit Parking Program (“Program”). Residents of the 300 block of Lincoln Street have submitted a petition to be included in the Program. The Program was established to provide on-street parking relief in the form of time limited parking in neighborhoods being impacted by a high volume of non-resident parkers who are attracted to that area, such as Santa Rosa Junior College, the Fairgrounds, Memorial Hospital, and the periphery of downtown Santa Rosa. Residential units within the designated permit area are eligible for permits which exempt them from the posted on-street time limits.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable
ANALYSIS
The petition for application to the Program exceeds the City’s requirement of 60% support from residential units in the proposed area. Sixty-two percent (62%) of residential units on the 300 block of Lincoln Street (8 of 13) are in support. Exhibit A shows the proposed area to be included into the Downtown Residential Permit Parking Zone.
The area requested for inclusion in the Program is near downtown Santa Rosa and is experiencing spill over parking impacts, which make it difficult for residents to park near their homes.
A neighborhood meeting was held on October 3, 2023, to discuss the parking concerns of residents on this block, describe the pros and cons of inclusion in the program, and assess neighborhood support for the request.
Since the neighborhood is bordering an area currently patrolled by parking enforcement personnel additional staffing is not expected to be required. There is an annual administration fee of $20 for the issuance of residential permits. The fee is per transaction and three permits may be issued per eligible residential unit.
FISCAL IMPACT
It is estimated it will cost approximately $1,900 to purchase and install the necessary signage, which can be absorbed in the adopted annual budget for fund 1641 – Parking District Fund. It is also estimated approximately 13 permits will be issued in this expanded area, which will generate $260 per year in Residential Permit revenue in fund 1641. Any Parking Enforcement revenue generated in this zone will be receipted in the General Fund. However, the vast majority of Parking Enforcement revenue collected in the General Fund is offset by a reimbursement to the Parking Fund for Parking Enforcement expenditures. Consequently, this new parking zone will have a negligible impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
As per City Code Section 11-44.050 (C), notice of the public hearing was posted 10 days prior to the hearing on all blocks proposed to be included in the residential permit parking zone. Additionally, notice was published in the Press Democrat.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution/Exhibit A (Agreement)
Public Hearing Notice
PRESENTERS
Alan Alton, Chief Financial Officer
Chad Hedge, Parking Manager, Finance Department
Tania Cordova, Administrative Analyst, Finance Department LINCOLN STREET PETITION FOR RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONE TO INCLUDE THE 300 BLOCK OF LINCOLN STREET SITUATED BETWEEN WASHINGTON STREET AND MORGAN STREET PAGE 3 OF 3