City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2014
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing, Second Reading and Final Passage of an Ordinance of a Proposed Amendment to Title 5 (Transportation and Environmental Services), Chapter 8 (Parking and Traffic Regulation), and Title 10 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic), Chapter 4 (Stopping, Standing and Parking) of The Code of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, 1981, as amended. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Recommendation to amend different sections of City Code to comply with the following
1- Text amendment approved by Council on November 10, 2008 regarding allowing non-resident property owners to obtain temporary parking permits for persons doing business at their property
2- Block number changes in Carlyle
3- Mobile parking program
4- Discontinuation of the free one-day tourist parking permits
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council hold a public hearing on Saturday, February 22, 2014, and adopt the ordinance to:
a. Amend Section 5-7-74 to remove sunset language and clarify the rights of non-resident property owners to apply for certain parking permits;
b. Amend Section 5-8-92 to correctly identify certain metered block faces;
c. Amend Section 5-8-93, -96 and -97 and Section 10-4-25 to account for the implementation of a mobile technology or other technology based parking payment system;
d. Delete Section 10-4-32 pertaining tourist parking permits
BACKGROUND: In keeping with the City's parking management strategies over the past few years staff has made a series of policy changes to improve parking conditions for resident and visitors. In reviewing the City's Code, it became apparent that some of these policies were not clearly stated in the code. This docket reflects the aforementioned modifications to the City Code.
DISCUSSION:
a. Amend Section 5-7-74 to remove sunset language and clarify the rights of non-resident property owners to apply for certain parking permits:
In 2008 City Council approved a recommendation to allow non-resident property owners to obtain temporary parking permits. However, City Code was never revised to reflect these changes. Under the current City ordinance, non-resident owners of property in parking districts cannot obtain parking permits for their vehicles, or for the vehicles of guests, visitors or persons doing business at their residential properties. Thus, when hiring a contractor to maintain or upgrade an occupied property, the non-resident owner must ask the tenant to obtain any needed temporary parking permits for the contractors. If a property is vacant and the non-resident owner desires to make improvements or renovations prior to occupancy, the owner cannot obtain temporary parking permits for contractor vehicles. The proposed amendment will make it possible for non-resident property owners to obtain temporary parking permits for persons doing business at their property. This amendment applies to residential properties only and retains the limit of three temporary parking permits per property, valid for up to 30 days.
b. Amend Section 5-8-92 to correctly identify certain metered block faces:
The following metered blocks are listed incorrectly under the current City Code:
- 2000 block of Ballenger Ave ( listed as 1700 block of Ballenger)
- 1800 block of Emerson Avenue ( listed as 1700 block of Emerson)
Staff believes that these streets were numbered after the site plan for Carlyle was approved and the metered section of the Code was drafted. This change will rectify this issue.
c. Amend Section 5-8-93, -96 and -97 and Section 10-4-25 to account for the implementation of a mobile technology or other technology based parking payment system:
The current section of City Code pertaining metered parking spaces does not address the recently launched mobile parking payment system. City Code should allow drivers to pay for on-street parking using multispace meters, single space meters or the new mobile parking system. City Code Section 5-8-93, -96 and -97 and Section 10-4-25 need to be revised to account for the implementation of the mobile parking payment system.
d. Delete Section 10-4-32 pertaining tourist parking permits:
Under the current City Code visitors can obtain a one-time "free visitor parking" pass issued by Alexandria Conventions and Visitor Association (ACVA). This program was discontinued in July 2013. Section 10-4-32 of the code should be deleted to reflect this change.
FISCAL IMPACT: ACVA discontinued issuance of one-time "free visitor parking" passes in fall 2013. According to data gathered by ACVA, 3,845 passes were issued during FY 2013. Therefore, if customers choose to park all day at City garages instead, assuming a flat rate of $10, discontinuation of free passes would result in additional revenue gain of $38,450 per year.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Ordinance Cover
Attachment 2: Ordinance
Attachment 3: Docket item dated November 10, 2008 regarding allowing non-resident property owners to obtain temporary parking permits for persons doing business at their property
STAFF:
Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager
Richard J. Baier, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services
Chris Spera, Deputy City Attorney, City Attorney's Office
Jerome Fletcher II, Special Assistant to the City Manager, City Manager's Office
Sandra Marks, Acting Deputy Director, Transportation and Environmental Services Bob Garbacz, Division Chief, Traffic, Transportation and Environmental Services Antonio Baxter, Division Chief, Traffic, Transportation and Environmental Services Faye Dastgheib, Principal Parking Planner, Transportation and Environmental Services