Title
Restricted Decal Parking Area Zone 7 Expansion (B)
This item is a request to expand the existing Zone 7 restricted decal parking area to the west to cover the area between the existing area and the east side of SW 5th Street. The existing Zone 7 Decal Parking Area is bounded by SW 2nd Avenue, SW 2nd Street, SW 4th Avenue and SW 3rd Street.
Explanation
The residents that reside contiguous to Decal Parking Area Zone 7 and immediately east of the Jefferson 2nd Avenue Complex requested that the City of Gainesville study their area for a possible decal parking. Their request is due to the lack of available parking for the residents. Decal Parking Area Zone 7 is in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Public Works Department staff conducted a study in accordance with Gainesville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26, Section 26-117(a), the criteria and procedures for establishing controlled vehicular parking areas. The Ordinance requires that the parking occupancy rate be more than 50%. The study revealed that the occupancy rate was greater than 90%.
Based upon the results of this study, the City Manager authorized staff to conduct a ballot of the property owners in the area. For approval, a majority of the registered property owners must vote in favor of the petition. For the ballot, 16 registered property owners were mailed ballots and 11 were returned (68.7%) voting in favor of expanding the existing Decal Parking Area Zone 7.
The next step in the process is to hold a public hearing before the City Commission with notice to the registered property owners in the affected area. The program can be implemented if, after the public hearing, the City Commission finds that the area meets the requirements of Chapter 26, Section 26-117(a) of the Code of Ordinances and designates the area of controlled vehicle parking.
This expansion does not include eligibility for the residents of Jefferson 2nd Avenue. The chief complaint from the residents that led to this petition was the perception that the residents of Jefferson 2nd Avenue are parking in the neighborhood in lieu of parking in the garage owned by Jefferson 2nd Avenue. Staff did not factually validate this statistic but field observations reveal that many motorists parking in the neighborhood are walking to the Jefferson 2nd Avenue development. Staff did investigate the parking arrangements at Jefferson 2nd Avenue and determined there is an extra $30 monthly charge in addition to rent to park in the development's garage. This could lead to the residents parking in the neighborhood for free as opposed to paid parking in their garage.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $500 for materials and supplies is available in the Public Works FY 2010 operating budget.
Recommendation
Recommended Motion: The City Commission: 1) hold a public hearing; 2) consider the findings of the study, the recommendation of the City Manager, the results of the vote of the property owner, and any other information the Commission deems relevant; and 3) decide whether to approve the expansion of Zone 7.