Title
CONSIDERATION OF AMENDING TITLE 10, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, BY ADDING CHAPTER 10.52.495, PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES PROHIBITED ON CITY STREETS EXCEPT BY PERMIT, TO THE CHULA VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA AMENDING TITLE 10, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, BY ADDING CHAPTER 10.52.495, PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES PROHIBITED ON CITY STREETS EXCEPT BY PERMIT, TO THE CHULA VISTA MUNICIPAL CODE (FIRST READING)
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Recommended Action
Council conduct the public hearing and place the ordinance on first reading.
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SUMMARY
The City has received input from residents and business owners regarding the parking of recreational vehicles on city streets. The input cited several concerns associated with the parking of these vehicles including health and traffic safety, perceived security, littering, and community ambiance. The purpose of this ordinance is to prohibit parking of recreational vehicles on city streets except by permit.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Project qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 Existing Facilities of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines.
DISCUSSION
Currently, the City of Chula Vista regulates the parking of vehicles on city streets in accordance with the Chula Vista Municipal Code (CVMC) parking regulations, including over height vehicles parking away from intersections and storage of vehicles. Over height Vehicle means any vehicle with a height of six feet or more at any point, including the load, cab or body, when measured from the roadway. A vehicle is considered to be stored when it has been left standing on a street without having been moved more than one-tenth of a mile within a 72-hour period.
Additionally, CVMC 10.84.020 regulates parking of vehicles on portions of private property. The CVMC 10.84.020 “Parking prohibited on portions of private property”, states the following:
No vehicle, vacation trailer, camping trailer, boat, boat trailer, camper or recreational vehicle may be parked or placed within the front yard or exterior side yard (i.e., street side of a corner lot) setback, except as follows:
A. In a garage or carport.
B. On a paved driveway.
C. On a dust-free area adjacent to a paved driveway. “Adjacent” shall mean within 10 feet of the edge of the driveway.
D. When parking is not available under subsections (A) through (C) of this section, then consideration shall be given by the zoning administrator to select a parking area on the opposite side of the lot or other appropriate locations.
Unmounted campers and camper shells may not be placed in the front yard, driveway, or unscreened (by solid six-foot-high fence or hedge) exterior side yard setback area for a period of more than 72 hours.
The City has recently received input from residents and business owners regarding the parking of recreational vehicles on city streets. The input cited several concerns associated with the parking of these vehicles including health and traffic safety, perceived security, littering, and community ambiance. The purpose of this ordinance is to prohibit parking of recreational vehicles on city streets except by permit.
Summarized below are concerns that have been expressed:
- Health Safety: wastewater discharge dumped directly onto the street and adjacent public right of way.
- Traffic safety: recreational vehicles typically have a high profile. Therefore, when parked close to an intersection or driveway, they may impair the sight distance for vehicles attempting to enter the main street. They may also impair sight distance for pedestrians attempting to cross the street. The parking of these vehicles on narrow streets may impede access and block visibility of oncoming traffic on curves. In addition to being large, they constitute a hazard if hit by a vehicle, because they are fixed and resist movement.
- Perceived security: the size of recreational vehicles and the inability to see inside the vehicle make the residents of a neighborhood uncomfortable with these vehicles parking on their streets.
- Littering: the parking of recreational vehicles in some cases is associated with the generation of trash. Residents and business owners have noticed that locations where the vehicles are parked appear to generate more trash and debris than what would typically be expected. Trash and debris has been found to be dumped directly onto the street and adjacent public right of way.
- Neighborhood ambiance: the parking of recreational vehicles and trailers with boats on residential streets limits on-street vehicle parking, blocks the view of neighborhood children playing, neighbors and surrounding landscaping. In addition, parked recreational vehicles may restrict the views of mountains, canyons, and the ocean, where those views may exist. Therefore, recreational vehicle parking affects the residential character of a neighborhood.
Staff researched existing parking regulations used by other municipalities. Several were found to have regulations specific to recreational vehicles including prohibition of parking on streets except by permit. The specifics details of the regulations varied widely but typically addressed: the type, weight or size of vehicle being defined as a “recreational vehicle”; the streets being restricted; the times and days of restriction.
Other municipalities have used the prohibition of parking of recreational vehicles on city streets along with a permit process to allow temporary parking (24 hours) to address this issue. City staff contacted several of these municipalities for input on its effectiveness as well as their establishment and evaluation procedures. This ordinance incorporates the information received.
California Vehicle Code section 22507 authorizes local authorities, by resolution or by ordinance, to restrict the parking of vehicles on streets. A resolution or ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may contain provisions that are reasonable and necessary to ensure the effectiveness of this ordinance. Such a parking restriction shall not apply until signs or markings giving adequate notice thereof are placed.
This Ordinance specifies that the City manager has authority to adopt procedural rules and regulations governing the permit process and to issue a parking permit for the parking of a recreational vehicle on a public street to any Chula Vista resident, for the resident’s use or for the use of a resident’s guest, if (1) a written application is made to the City Manager including the address of the resident; and (2) the appropriate fees are paid. This Ordinance states the permitted recreational vehicles is subject to all other applicable parking restrictions in the California Vehicle Code and the Chula Vista Municipal Code.
Conclusion:
Existing City regulations deal only with parking on private property, over height vehicles, and the storage of all vehicle types for a period longer than 72 hours. No existing City regulations apply to recreational vehicles associated with many of the community concerns listed above. The typical regulations used by City staff to address parking related issues and concerns would not appropriately address this specific issues listed above regarding the parking of recreational vehicles on residential streets. The input cited several concerns associated with the parking of these vehicles, including traffic safety, perceived security, littering, and community ambiance. The purpose of this ordinance is to prohibit parking of recreational vehicles on city streets except by permit.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the 500-foot rule found in California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a) (11), is not applicable to this decision for purposes of determining a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict of interest in this matter.
LINK TO STRATEGIC GOALS
The City's Strategic Plan has five major goals: Operational Excellence, Economic Vitality, Healthy Community, Strong and Secure Neighborhoods and a Connected Community. This action item supports the Strong and Secure Neighborhood strategy identified in the City's Strategic Plan.
CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for the signs, installation of signs and administration of the permits will be funded by the collection of the permit fees; therefore, no direct impact to the General Fund.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
Upon completion of the project, the improvements will require only routine City maintenance.
Attachment: Proposed Recreational Vehicle Parking Ordinance
Prepared by: Muna Cuthbert, Sr. Civil Engineer, Public Works Dept.