TO: Chair and Members of the City Traffic Commission
THRU: Larry Tay, City Traffic Engineer
FROM: Gabrielle Hayes, Principal Civil Engineer
1. Subject
title
Request for permit parking on both sides of E. Avenida Palmar from west City limits to N. Thora Street and on both sides of N. Sandpiper Circle.
body
2. Summary
This request is to implement permit parking on the aforementioned streets, which are adjacent to Permit Parking Area AA.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Approve the implementation of permit parking on the following streets:
a. Both sides of E. Avenida Palmar from west City limits to N. Thora Street.
b. Both sides of N. Sandpiper Circle.
2. Forward to the City Council for final action.
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4. Fiscal Impact
None. Implementation involves minimal staff time and minimal expenditures that have already been approved in the City’s operating budget.
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 5: Improve Infrastructure, Mobility, and Technology
6. Discussion and Background
Background
In December 2023, the City Council approved the establishment of Permit Parking Area AA for the streets of E. Ryals Lane and 200 block of N. Renee Street (as depicted on the Area Map attached). Since implementation of permit parking in Area AA, residents on neighboring streets have observed an increase in demand for on-street parking on their frontages. Staff received two separate requests to initiate the process for permit parking on streets adjacent to existing Permit Parking Area AA.
The first request was from a property owner on N. Sandpiper Circle asking for the cul-de-sac to be incorporated into Permit Parking Area AA. The second request was from a property owner on N. Thora Street asking for three streets to be studied: the 300 block of N. Renee Street, E. Avenida Palmar from west City limits to N. Thora Street, and N. Thora Street.
In accordance with the City’s Neighborhood Permit Parking Program (NPPP), staff performed an initial screening of the study area to determine the following:
1. Whether each street is eligible to be considered for permit parking; and
2. If so, does said street lie within a City-defined permit parking opportunity area with streamlined procedures.
After evaluating the four streets requested for study, staff determined the 300 block of N. Renee Street was ineligible for permit parking for several reasons. The west side of N. Renee Street provides curbside parking along a residential property located within unincorporated County of Orange. Residents who live outside the City of Orange, such as this property, are ineligible to participate in the permit parking program. Additionally, the only site that takes direct access off of N. Renee Street is 349 N. Renee Street, a residential property that also operates as a wedding venue under a Conditional Use Permit with the City. The NPPP is intended to serve residential streets and the commercial nature of this site precludes this street from consideration for permit parking.
The remaining three streets of N. Sandpiper Circle, E. Avenida Palmar, and N. Thora Street were identified as eligible for permit parking and outside of a City-defined permit parking opportunity area. As such, minimum levels of parking occupancy and property owner support must be met to recommend permit parking. Both are discussed below.
Parking Occupancy Study
Staff mapped and counted the number of legal parking spaces for each of the streets in the study area. The proponents provided staff with the days and times when parking demand in the neighborhood was believed to be at its highest. Staff then conducted the parking observations during those report hours. Per the City’s NPPP, a street parking occupancy rate of 75% is required to qualify for permit parking. E. Avenida Palmar and N. Sandpiper Circle were the only streets to exceed the 75% threshold, with an average parking occupancy of 76% and 75%, respectively.
N. Thora Street (57%) failed to meet the 75% parking occupancy threshold.
Petition Results
Because the parking occupancy exceeded the minimum 75% threshold only on E. Avenida Palmar and N. Sandpiper Circle, petitions were circulated for the residents on each street (Thora Street was not included). The petition letter and a list of permit parking advantages and disadvantages were provided by the Traffic Division to each of the resident property owners and absentee property owners on the candidate streets. The table below shows the results of the neighborhood polling.
|
Affected Streets |
Households In Favor |
Households Opposed |
Unreturned |
|
E. Avenida Palmar |
15 |
88% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
12% |
|
N. Sandpiper Circle |
6 |
75% |
0 |
0% |
2 |
25% |
The final results of the petition process indicate that both Avenida Palmar and Sandpiper Circle meet the required minimum 75% of property owners in favor of the permit parking program.
Findings
Through the parking occupancy studies, staff have documented a consistently high demand for on-street parking on E. Avenida Palmar, from west City limits to N. Thora Street, and N. Sandpiper Circle. Since the level of demand for parking exceeds the minimum requirements under the City’s NPPP, permit parking is recommended on the aforementioned streets.
The following should be kept in mind:
1. Under the NPPP, property owners on any adjacent street experiencing spillover may request to initiate permit parking within a year without having to pay the application fee. Parking occupancy, petition thresholds, and other requirements in effect at the time would still apply.
2. Any vehicle parked in a designated parking-by-permit area without a permit is subject to citation. Parking permits do not supersede the street sweeping restrictions in the neighborhood.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Letter of Request
• Notification Letter
• Area Map
• Site Sketch & Petition Area Map