City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Introduction and First Reading. Consideration. Passage of an Ordinance to Amend Section 5-8-93: Parking Meters; Hours and Days of Operation, Maximum Time Limits, Rates.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Consideration of an ordinance to amend Section 5-8-93 to allow for metered parking sessions of longer than four hours.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council pass the proposed ordinance on first reading and schedule it for second reading, public hearing and final passage on Saturday, September 14, 2019.
BACKGROUND: Parking meter time limits were previously specified in the City Code. In June 2016, the City Council approved the current language of section 5-8-93 to allow for metered parking sessions that do "not exceed" four hours, which accommodated the change to allow 3-hour time limits on the parking meters west of Alfred Street.
In December 2018, the City Council approved an amendment to the City Code that included a new process for establishing or changing parking meter time limits and rates. The updated Code allows for the City Council to approve meter hours and rates by resolution rather than being established in the Code. This allows flexibility in adopting different meter rate structures in different locations, rather than the standard $1.75 per hour rate, but it did not change the maximum time limit of four hours.
During the FY 2020 budget process, the potential to adjust meter time limits to better meet demand and improve utilization was discussed. Allowing all day parking in areas that are typically underutilized was one potential adjustment. In order to implement these changes, the City Code must to be amended to remove the four-hour limit.
DISCUSSION: Section 5-8-93 (b) currently requires that maximum...
Click here for full text