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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 ON-STREET PARKING IN OLD TOWN RESIDENTAL AREAMEETING DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: SUMMARY: Agenda Item 5 AGENDA REPORT Reviewed City Manager Finance Director A NOVEMBER 15, 2016 JEFFREY C. PARKER, CITY MANAGER ELIZABETH A. BINSACK, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ON -STREET PARKING IN OLD TOWN RESIDENTIAL AREA During the past several years, Old Town residents have expressed concerns about the negative impacts related to an increase in on -street parking in the Old Town residential area. Concerns were expressed at the various public workshops and public hearings held on the subject of second residential units in Old Town Tustin in 2013, 2014, and 2015. To address these concerns, the City Council directed staff on September 15, 2015, to take several actions including outreach, facilitation of permit parking requests, and increased enforcement. City staff then met with impacted residents and members of the Tustin Acres Homeowners Association Board, surveyed available on -street parking capacity, and conducted a parking study in conjunction with the preparation of the Downtown Commercial Core Plan, while the Police Department continued its enforcement of illegally parked vehicles. On September 27, 2016, the Planning Commission considered the Vintage project, a request to subdivide a 6.81 -acre lot for condominium purposes to construct 140 residential units at the southwest corner of Sixth Street and B Street. At the public hearing, Old Town residents again expressed concerns regarding on -street parking. The Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the proposed project and that staff communicate public comments to the Council related to parking concerns in Old Town Tustin residential neighborhoods. This report summarizes the general concerns related to on -street parking in the Old Town residential area and the City's 2015 Old Town parking survey and findings; and recommends additional actions for the Council's consideration. RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: 1) Direct staff to take the following actions to further address the issue of on -street parking in the Old Town residential area: City Council Report November 15, 2016 Old Town Parking Page 2 a. Update the 2015 parking study by counting and analyzing on -street vehicles in the Old Town residential area (see attached location map); b. Conduct a resident survey to assess the issue and gather input; c. Hold community workshops on the issue of parking in the Old Town residential area; d. Meet with apartment managers and owners in Old Town and the vicinity; e. Study potential parking impacts to the entire Old Town area in conjunction with the proposed Downtown Commercial Core Plan; f. Continue to outreach to the residents of the Tustin Acres community to encourage the use of available on-site parking spaces and reduce parking impacts within the Old Town residential area; g. Establish additional permit parking zones on single-family streets, if desired and necessary; h. Continue to enforce the Califomia Vehicle Code for illegally parked cars obstructing sidewalks, driveways and/or accessible ramps; and, i. Continue to enforce illegally constructed or converted structures. 2) Direct staff to report back to the City Council with the results of the community workshops, resident survey, meetings, updated parking study, and other efforts to provide the basis for a recommended strategy for Council consideration. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed actions would have an impact on City resources, which would result in fiscal impacts to the General Fund. The magnitude of these impacts depends on the actions taken and is undetermined at this time. CORRELATION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN: The proposed actions to address the issue of on -street parking in the Old Town residential area further Goal B of the City of Tustin Strategic Plan pertaining to Public Safety and the Protection of Assets, in that these actions are intended to ensure that Tustin is an attractive, safe, and well maintained community in which people feel pride. INTRODUCTION: This staff report provides the City Council with some background, an analysis and discussion, as well as available options to further address the issue of on-site parking in the Old Town residential area. The report is organized as follows: • BACKGROUND — A brief description of prior actions at the public workshops, Planning Commission hearings, and City Council hearings related to the issue of parking in Old Town. City Council Report November 15, 2016 Old Town Parking Page 3 • ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION — A discussion of: • Summary of the predominant public input received regarding parking issues in Old Town. • Actions taken by City staff/Police Department and their findings. • OPTIONS — A summary of available options to further address parking in the Old Town residential area for City Council consideration. BACKGROUND: 2015 Issues The City conducted public workshops on the subject of second residential units in Old Town Tustin on February 20, 2013, March 12, 2013, and March 11, 2014. Significant input was received at the workshops and via a public survey. Public hearings were held on February 24, 2015, and March 24, 2015, by the Planning Commission and on April 21, 2015, and May 5, 2015, by the City Council. Issues raised at the workshops and hearings related to parking and traffic included: 1) increased traffic and on -street parking in Old Town, 2) changes to the single family character of the Old Town residential area, 3) increased housing density, 4) permit parking, 5) illegal parking, and 6) the use of garages for living space. In response to input received during the public hearings, on May 5, 2015, the City Council directed staff to take the following actions regarding on -street parking, residential privacy, and illegally converted structures in the Cultural Resources (CR) District: a. Explore solutions to address parking impacts within the CR District; b. During the plan check process, examine ways to respect residential privacy for properties adjacent to any proposed second floor residential project; c. Continue to enforce the California Vehicle Code for illegally parked cars obstructing sidewalks, driveways and/or accessible ramps; and, d. Continue to enforce illegally constructed or converted structures. 2016 Issues On September 27, 2016, the Planning Commission considered the Vintage project, a request to subdivide a 6.81 -acre lot for condominium purposes to construct 140 residential units at the southwest corner of Sixth Street and B Street, and recommended that the City Council approve the proposed project and that staff communicate public comments to the Council related to parking concerns in Old Town Tustin residential neighborhoods. Although the proposed residential community would provide an attached two -car garage for each residence that would be required by CC&Rs to be accessible for parking and would provide a total of sixty-nine (69) guest parking spaces, when only thirty- City Council Report November 15, 2016 Old Town Parking Page 4 five (35) guest spaces are required, concerns were expressed regarding the impact to on - street parking in the Old Town residential area. Issues raised at the Planning Commission hearing related to parking and traffic included: 1) increased traffic in Old Town and the legitimacy of the traffic report, 2) garages being used for storage rather than parking, 3) on -street parking overflow within single family areas from multiple -family developments, 4) storage of vehicles on Main Street, 5) the potential for additional parking on B Street south of Sixth Street, and 6) a lack of adequate outreach to the public. Based on the input regarding on -street parking received during the public workshops and public hearings between 2013 and 2016, it is evident that the concern regarding on -street parking in Old Town is a broader issue that should be addressed in a more comprehensive manner versus on a project by project basis. ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION: In summary, according to many residents, Old Town currently has a variety of parking issues as follows: • Many vehicles are parked on the residential streets of Old Town, especially in areas that are adjacent to properties with existing rental units and in locations close to businesses and multiple family residences. • Vehicles frequently obstruct sidewalks and driveways. • On -street parking is further impacted when garages are used for storage rather than vehicles, and when individuals from other areas park their vehicles in front of single family residences. • It was expressed that there is illegal construction and/or conversions of garages or other structures to living units which increases the need for additional parking. • Residents were concerned that the addition of residential units via second residential units, new condominium projects, and possible future projects would exacerbate the demand for on -street parking in Old Town. • Residents feel that additional outreach and communication to the impacted area should be provided. City Actions to Date In response to City Council direction to analyze on -street parking in Old Town, the Tustin Police Department conducted vehicle counts in the summer of 2015 of on -street vehicles parked overnight in the Old Town residential area (from First Street to Sixth Street and from the 55 Freeway to EI Camino Real) and then identified the ownership of these vehicles. Of the vehicles counted, approximately forty-nine (49) percent were registered to addresses outside of Old Town Tustin, and thirty-five (35) percent were registered to addresses outside of Tustin. However, it should not be assumed that all of these parked vehicles belong to residents outside of Old Town Tustin, because some of these vehicles may be owned by Old Town Tustin residents who previously lived City Council Report November 15, 2016 Old Town Parking Page 5 elsewhere and had their vehicles registered at other addresses, and subsequently moved to Old Town Tustin. Of those parked on the streets, a total of 65 of 311 counted vehicles were registered to residents of the Tustin Acres community. Although many of these vehicles were parked on Main Street adjacent to Tustin Acres, many were parked on nearby streets, including ten (10) vehicles on Pacific Street between Main Street and Sixth Street. In general, approximately twenty (20) percent of the vehicles parked overnight were registered to residents of Tustin Acres. The ratio was considerably higher on Pacific Street between Sixth Street and Main Street, where about thirty-three (33) percent of the on -street vehicles belonged to Tustin Acres residents. It has also been observed that the Tustin Acres parking structure is not fully utilized, especially on the upper level. Based upon the parking survey data, the impacted parking is largely the result of Tustin Acres residents not fully utilizing their on-site parking spaces. City staff met with members of the Tustin Acres Homeowners Association Board in November of 2015 to identify ways to reduce the impact to on -street parking in the Old Town area. As of this date, the Homeowners Association has improved the lighting within the parking structure, but has not taken any other significant steps to address the parking issue. Since then, the Tustin Police Department has continued to enforce illegally parked vehicles and City staff has met with impacted residents, surveyed available on -street parking capacity in Old Town, and conducted a parking survey in conjunction with the preparation of the Downtown Commercial Core Plan. OPTIONS TO ADDRESS PARKING IN OLD TOWN: Following the September 27, 2016, Planning Commission meeting, City staff from various departments including Community Development, Public Works, Police, and the City Manager's Office, have met to discuss strategies to address parking in Old Town. It was determined that additional research and outreach are necessary to address the issue comprehensively. The following actions could be undertaken to fully understand and address the public's input and concerns related to parking in Old Town: • Update the 2015 parking study by counting and analyzing on -street vehicles within the entire Old Town residential area (see attached location map). Conduct a resident survey to comprehensively assess the issue and gather input. • Hold community workshops on the issue of parking in the Old Town residential area. • Meet with apartment managers and owners in Old Town and the vicinity to discuss better utilization of on-site parking and ways to reduce on -street parking impacts. City Council Report November 15, 2016 Old Town Parking Page 6 Study potential parking impacts to the entire Old Town area in conjunction with the proposed Downtown Commercial Core Plan. Continue to meet with the Tustin Acres Homeowners Association Board and management company to identify the most effective ways to outreach to all residents of the community to encourage the residents to use all available on-site parking spaces, including full utilization of garages, carports and parking structure, prior to parking on the streets within Old Town. Outreach methods may include direct mailings to owners/tenants, City staff presentations at homeowners association meetings, and informational flyers posted in common areas within the community. Better utilization of on-site parking could be achieved through lighting and safety improvements to the parking structure and the removal of stored items from garages. • Establish additional permit parking zones on single-family streets, if desired and necessary. Continue to conduct enhanced enforcement of on -street parking violations within Old Town. Additional parking enforcement by the Tustin Police Department is an additional way to address parking issues in Old Town, such as vehicles that are obstructing the sidewalk or access to driveways and ADA accessible ramps. The Police Department is aware of the public's desire for increased parking enforcement in Old Town and has been responding accordingly. • Continue to enforce illegally constructed or converted structures. Scott Reekstin Elizabeth A. Binsack Principal Planner Director of Community Development Attachment: Location Map of Impacted Area 3 F� R 1S.. FTTI '1S .8. 'N 1S V. 'N G w • 210 1M3K NIVINJIL 1 ..e