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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMS Parking Recreation Vehicles Near Davidson"r Agenda Agenda Item No: 4_c Meeting Date: December 21, 2015 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: Management Services — Parking Services Prepared by: Jim Myhers, Parking Services City Manager Approval: Manager; Dean Allison, Director of Public Works TOPIC: PILOT PROGRAM PROHIBITING PARKING OF RECREATIONAL AND OVERSIZED VEHICLES NEAR DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBJECT: RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM PROHIBITING, PURSUANT TO SAN RAFAEL MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 5.48, PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND OVERSIZED VEHICLES ON CERTAIN PUBLIC STREETS IN A DEFINED AREA SURROUNDING DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Resolution BACKGROUND: Over the last several months, there has been an increasing number of complaints received by various City Departments and Divisions regarding recreational vehicles, motorhomes, campers, park trailers and similar vehicles designed for use/used for human occupancy (hereafter "recreational vehicles"), and other oversized vehicles parked in the vicinity of Davidson Middle School and surrounding streets. The complaints include recreational vehicles occupying multiple parking spaces, hazardous trash and human waste being deposited on public sidewalks, lines of sight being blocked for pedestrians and bicyclists, drinking of alcohol outside occupied recreational vehicles and other illegal activities. Issues surrounding oversized vehicles additionally have to do with dumping of trash, furniture and appliances that may present a hazard to pedestrians. Students biking to school are forced to go far into the street in order to avoid these types of vehicles. (See Attachment 2) Currently, recreational vehicles can park on City streets for up to 72 hours without penalty and commercial vehicles are allowed to park in the commercial/industrial areas surrounding the school for up to an hour from 7am-7pm and can park overnight without penalty. Many other cities in California have varying restrictions on the parking of recreational vehicles. For example, Mill Valley prohibits overnight parking by such vehicles on any public street. Santa Barbara restricts any recreational vehicle between the hours of 12:00 A.M and 6:00 A.M. in a defined part of that city. San Francisco restricts parking in certain areas to vehicles of a defined height and length. Staff believes that it would be appropriate to initiate a pilot program prohibiting parking of recreational and similar vehicles and oversized vehicles in the area FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: 9-3-87 Council Meeting: la/ r 3o S Disposition: / 404 R SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 around Davidson Middle School to address the numerous adverse public health and safety impacts. ANALYSIS: California Vehicle Code Section 22507 authorizes a city, "by ordinance or resolution" to prohibit or restrict the stopping, parking, or standing of vehicles on certain streets or highways, or portions thereof, during all or certain hours of the day. California cases have held that this provision permits a city to prohibit the parking of recreational and oversized vehicles on some or all streets of the city with appropriate signage. In addition, Chapter 5.48 of the San Rafael Municipal Code authorizes the City traffic engineer to regulate, restrict or prohibit parking on specified streets and during specified hours, effective upon the posting of appropriate signs giving notice of the particular prohibition. Pursuant to this authority, Attachment 1 is a proposed Council Resolution directing the City traffic engineer to implement, as a pilot program, a prohibition against the parking of recreational and oversized vehicles (as defined in the Resolution) in a designated area around Davidson Middle School. Staff has studied the areas around Davidson Middle School to determine the best boundaries for the proposed pilot project area. Davidson is bordered by areas zoned residential, mixed use and industrial while an adjacent elementary school, Laurel Dell, is bordered by residential zones. Staff is recommending that the intersections of the following streets comprise the border of the restricted area as shown in Exhibit 1 to Attachment 1. 1. Jordan and Lindaro 2. Lovell and Irwin 3. Lovell and Woodland 4. Bungalow and Picnic 5. Picnic and Woodland 6. Octavia and C 7. Woodland and B Street Signs, at a spacing and height to be determined by Public Works, would be installed at each intersection and in other appropriate locations in the designated area to alert the public of the parking restriction. (See Attachment 3 for signage examples) Installation of signage throughout the entire area would take approximately four weeks after passing of the resolution; however staff's plan is to start by posting signs along Jordan and Woodland directly adjacent to the school in order to get the project underway there, then to gradually post the remaining areas if and as necessary. Enforcement will consist of citations and/or towing. As set forth in the proposed Resolution, Staff is recommending the following regulations: 1. No recreational vehicle or oversized vehicle (as defined in Attachment 1) shall be allowed to park, stop or stand, subject to specified exceptions, in the pilot project area around Davidson Middle School. Vehicles violating the prohibition may be cited and/or towed pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 22651(n). 2. This parking restriction would be a pilot project for a period of approximately 6 months following the posting of required signage, through June 30, 2016, but may be extended at the discretion of the City Manager. 3. The City traffic engineer would be authorized to make minor modifications to the border of the restricted area shown in Attachment 1 as he deems necessary during the implementation of the pilot program. FISCAL IMPACT: Signage costs are estimated at $110 per sign plus staff time for installation. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 ACTION REQUIRED: Adopt the Resolution ATTACHMENTS 1. Proposed Resolution with attached Exhibit 1(map of pilot project area); 2. Letter from Davidson Principal RESOLUTION NO. 14048 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL ESTABLISHING A PILOT PROGRAM PROHIBITING THE PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND OTHER OVERSIZED VEHICLES IN LIMITED DESIGNATED AREAS WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to preserve the safety and attractiveness of the City's streets; and WHEREAS, certain public streets in the City of San Rafael are increasingly used to regularly or routinely park or store certain vehicles built or modified to temporarily or permanently domicile persons or animals, such as recreational vehicles, campers, trailers, motorhomes, and boats, hereafter referred to for convenience as "RV's"; and WHEREAS, it has become apparent that RV's parked or stored on City streets are increasingly being actively used for habitation purposes, despite habitation of vehicles being prohibited by San Rafael Municipal Code Chapter 8.30; and WHEREAS, the regular or routine parking and/or storage of RV's and other oversized vehicles on City streets often creates driver's line of sight obstructions from intersections and driveways, thus creating hazards to vehicular and pedestrian travel and reducing effective ingress and egress of emergency and critical service vehicles; and WHEREAS, the routine parking and/or storage of RV's additionally creates public health and safety hazards due to the occurrence of illegal discharges of septic waste, wastewater, fuels, trash or garbage from such vehicles into City streets, sewers or storm drains; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael has seen an increase in the number of complaints of traffic danger and health concerns regarding the routine or regular parking and/or storage of RV's and oversized vehicles on public streets in certain areas of the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that regulating the parking of RV's and oversized vehicles will promote the safety of public streets for motorists, pedestrians and children by improving visibility and driving conditions, and will improve the health and safety of the entire San Rafael community by minimizing the use of City streets and thoroughfares for the illegal discharge of septic waste, wastewater, garbage and trash; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to prohibit the parking and storage of RV's and oversized vehicles in limited designated areas within the City on a trial basis through a temporary pilot program, to determine whether improvements to the public health and safety can be achieved without the creation or exacerbation of other adverse impacts to the health, safety and welfare of the San Rafael community; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the adverse public health and safety impacts associated with parking and/or storage of RV's and oversized vehicles are particularly acute and disturbing on the streets surrounding Davidson Middle School, due to the large number of children impacted, and that this area should be a priority for inclusion in a pilot program to prohibit the parking of RV's; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adoption of a pilot program prohibiting the parking of RV's and oversized vehicles on limited designated City streets is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") Guidelines Section 15301 concerning the operation or minor alteration of existing public facilities involving negligible or no expansion of use. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Rafael does hereby establish a pilot program prohibiting the parking of RV's on public streets in designated areas within the City, as set forth in Exhibit 1 attached hereto and incorporated herein. The pilot program regulations shall be enforceable in accordance with the provisions of San Rafael Municipal Code Chapter 5.12, and vehicles violating such regulations may be immediately removed pursuant to the authority of San Rafael Municipal Code Section 5.12.090. I, ESTHER C. BEIRNE, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on Monday, the 21S` day of December, 2015 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS Colin ESTHER C. BEIRNE, CITY CLERK ,0 IAJI FLO- Co UR RD. sou, JAMES B. DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL San Rafael City Schools Bob Marcucci, Principal 280 Woodland Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 415-485-2400 davidson.sres.org September 21, 2015 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to provide the perspective of the James B. Davidson Middle School administration on the route to and from school along Woodland Avenue west of the school. There are several concerns that we share with the school community as it concerns student safety. As school administrators, keeping our students safe to, during, and from school is priority number one. Since I began my tenure as Davidson Principal roughly a year ago, I have received many inquifies and/or complaints from concerned parents about the number of RV's parked along the street leading up to the school. I have heard many stories, and have seen for myself, the kinds of trash that get left behind or spill out onto the sidewalk from these parked RV's. There have been occupants passed out in the front seat and bottles of alcohol outside the cars. As I talk to students about the issue they express (in their own words) being "creeped out" by having to walk along a narrow sidewalk next to the open doors and windows of these RV's. Also, due to the size of these vehicles, students who ride their bikes along that stretch of Woodland have to unsafely go out into the street too far to get around them and into the high level of traffic heading toward campus. We have had some close calls on the way to school just this year. Along with the RV's, our students have to navigate through trash that gets dumped along the sidewalk against the hill. We have seen couches and other furniture, appliances, glass, etc. We believe that anywhere near a school is the absolute wrong place for these overnight inhabitants to be allowed to park. I know that all of us in this community want our young people to walk to school along a route that instills pride in where they live and go to school. The Davidson administration team is ready and willing to be partners in finding a solution. Regards, Bob Marcucci, Principal Mary Charlesworth, Assistant Principal Aaron Feldstein, Assistant Principal ROUTING SLIP / APPROVAL FORM INSTRUCTIONS: Use this cover sheet with each submittal of a staff report before approval by the City Council. Save staff report (including this cover sheet) along with all related attachments in the Team Drive (T:) 4 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS 4 AGENDA ITEM APPROVAL PROCESS 4 [DEPT - AGENDA TOPIC] Agenda Item # Lt L Date of Meeting: Click here to enter a date. From: Jim Myhers Department: Management Services/Parking Services Date: 12/21/2015 Topic: TOPIC: PILOT PROGRAM PROHIBITING PARKING OF RECREATIONAL AND OVERSIZED VEHICLES NEAR DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Subject: SUBJECT: RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM PROHIBITING, PURSUANT TO SAN RAFAEL MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 5.48, PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES AND OVERSIZED VEHICLES ON CERTAIN PUBLIC STREETS IN A DEFINED AREA SURROUNDING DAVIDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL Type: ® Resolution ❑ Ordinance ❑ Professional Services Agreement ❑ Other: APPROVALS ❑ Finance Director Remarks: ® City Attorney Remarks: LG -Approved 12/15/15. ® Author, review and accept City Attorney / Finance changes Remarks: JM -Approved 12/15/15 ® City Manager Remarks: FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Council Meeting: Disposition: Esther Beirne From: Stacee Brown <brownphysicaltherapy@hotmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 12:02 PM To: KRice@marincounty.org; DConnolly@marincounty.org; SKinsay@marincounty.org; KSears@marincounty.org; Esther Beirne Subject: Support of initiatives for DMS I am writing as a parent and resident of San Rafael to support two initiatives 1. Restricting RV parking during school hours on key streets adjacent to DMS 2. Underwriting a new contract with Downtown Streets Team to clean up the Mahon path/Davidson adjacent area on a regular basis Thank you for your time and consideration. Happy Holidays! Stacee Brown, PT, DPT, ATC Form Physical Therapy 2358 Pine Street - Flow Studios San Francisco, CA 94115 78 Main Street Tiburon, CA 94920 415-297-4113 brownphvsicaltherapv(@hotmail.com Z December 21, 2015 To Whom it may concern: I support the pilot program prohibiting parking of recreational and oversized vehicles near Davidson Middle School. There are often too many of these vehicles on Woodland just before Davidson. It constricts the traffic flow, causes trash build up, and poor visibility of pedestrians. Thank you, Jennifer Numainville 21 Wolfe Ave. San Rafael, CA 94901 To Whom it may concern: support the following resolution. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into an Agreement with the Downtown Streets Team for Services Outside of the Downtown Core Area in an Amount Not to Exceed $25,000 (ED). The Woodland Ave area tends to collect trash on the hillside and street. It is an eye sore and not safe for the middle schoolers to walk through to and from school. Thank you, Jennifer Numainville 21 Wolfe Ave. San Rafael, CA 94901 Esther Beirne From: Jim Lynch <jimrlynch70@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 9:45 AM To: Esther Beirne Subject: City council meeting tonight Hello I wanted to express my strong support for 2 items that are on tonight's agenda: 1. Restrictions on RVs near Davidson Middle School 2. A contract to hire the Downtown Streets Team to clean the path(s) near Davidson. My hope is that in passing both measures, we can deter homeless and transients from loitering near the school and our children. Thank you - Jim Lynch San Rafael Resident Sent from my Whone Esther Beirne From: Sheila Evans <sheilaevans144@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 9:57 AM To: Esther Beirne Subject: Homeless I am a Davidson middle school parent and my son walks to school from the gerstle park neighborhood. He has witnessed some very shady characters As well RV's parked right across the street with people residing in them. For my bright eyed 11 year old I would like to think we can keep the routes to school a little safer and clean this up. Thank you, Sheila Evans Sent from my Whone Esther Beirne From: Alex Burnham <alexbmbk@comcast.net> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 8:43 AM To: Esther Beirne Subject: Homeless and Campers near Davidson Middle School Hello Esther - I am writing to support the actions being discussed at tonight's city council meeting regarding homeless and campers near Davidson Middle School. Specifcally the following items: 1) restricting RV parking during school hours on key streets adjacent to DMS 2) underwriting a new contract with Downtown Streets Team to clean up the Mahon path/Davidson adjacent area on a regular basis. Regarding campers near the school, those on Woodland Ave near Davidson and Trinity, are particularly disturbing and need to be banned during and after school hours, at least one hour after the kids are released. Thanks for your consideration. Alex Burnham alcybmbLC coillcatit.nct 415.215.7092 Esther Beirne From: Barbara Henricks <barbara@dentistsf.com> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2015 2:49 PM To: Esther Beirne Subject: Homelessness Dear members of San Rafael City Council - I urge you to support the 2 items up for discussion at the upcoming council meeting. 1. Please restrict RV parking on the streets adjacent to DMS. 2. The Downtown Streets Team should be contracted to clean up the Mahon path regularly. I understand the difficulties involved in finding a solution to the homeless issue, and the real "fix" will need to happen from a much larger base than our small community. However, we need to keep our community safe and discourage San Rafael from becoming a destination for homeless from outside the area because of the services and tolerance of local policies and law enforcement. Thank you for your service and time. Sincerely, Barbara Henricks 124 Convent Court San Rafael Barbara Sent from my Wad Esther Beirne From: Steve Franchetti <sfranchetti@tfewines.com> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2015 3:54 PM To: Esther Beirne Subject: City Council Meeting Initiatives I am in support of the following two initiatives to be discussed on Monday night: 1) restricting RV parking during school hours on key streets adjacent to DMS and 2) underwriting a new contract with Downtown Streets Team to clean up the Mahon path/Davidson adjacent area on a regular basis. In fact, I think the homeless situation in San Rafael is definitely out of control. I know numerous families who will not walk downtown due to this problem. I realize that the homeless problem needs to be handled in some fashion, but having grown up visiting my grandparents in San Rafael, I can absolutely say that this is the worst it has ever been. Downtown used to be a thriving spot to be, but no longer, and it is in large part due to how this issue has been allowed to worsen over the years. I have been a resident of SR for the last 8 years and the downtown area is an embarrassment. Steve Franchetti I Managing Director Sales Administration Trinchero Family Estates Office: 1-707-302-3158 1 Ext. 2609 i. Mobile: 1-707-695-3242 sfranchetti a tfewines.com Confidentiality Notice: This message, and any document,, files or previous e-mail messages attached to it, is the property of Trinchero Family Estates or its affiliates. It is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is non-public, proprietary, privileged, confrcienti,il, and/or exempt from diSCI05111'e under applicable law or may constitute attorney work product. If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of any of the information contained in or attached to this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by reply e mail and destroy the original communication and its attachments without reading or saving them to disk or other storage medium. Thank you. -�D BNC 12/20/15 Esther Beime City of San Rafael Re: Homeless issues near Davidson Middle School Dear Ms. Beime — Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation I am a small business owner in San Rafael and also a parent of 2 kids. My son is a 71' grader at Davidson Middle School and my daughter just started her first year at San Rafael High School. We live in San Rafael as well on Belle Ave. Needless to say, we are very committed to the San Rafael community and would support any efforts to restrict RV parking during school hours near Davidson, as well as supporting the costs to keep the areas around the Mahon path and DMS as clean as possible. My office is in the canal and I've often met with homeless who are in my area. I am aware that they tend to be reasonable and friendly and I personally support efforts to move them into better living conditions or provide medical help as warranted. However, with respect to the school community, it feels prudent to limit access to our DMS Cougars where possible. Thank you for all you are doing for San Rafael. David Brown President 415-336-6074 or aasketballdavid(o)yahoo.com Berkeley Nucleons Corporation - 2955 Kerner Blvd, San Rafael CA 94901 USA Tel. 415453-9955 Fax: 415-453-9956 E. into(Nberkelevr,uueunics.co6 Chat. www.berkeleynucleonics.com Esther Beirne From: Tammy Nygard <tammy.nygard@gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2015 9:42 AM To: Esther Beirne Subject: RV parking and Mahon Path Hi I attended a meeting at DMS in October. As a very concerned citizen, I am asking that the city take any precautions to improve the safety of our community. We live in fear as the homeless have taken over this city and with that, has brought a wave of security concerns. I understand there are two initiatives being voted on... 1) that RV's no longer be allowed to park in front of trinity. I whole heartedly believe RVs should not be allowed to park anywhere within the city. Park them in a state park but our city streets is not the place. Are we waiting for a child addiction to occur before we ban them? 2) having the Downtown Streets Team clear the Mahon Path would be a way to improve our children's safety as they walk to and from school. Honestly, my children will not be walking to Davidson or anywhere near downtown (they are currently at Coleman) unless the homeless situation improves dramatically. The two initiatives are very small improvements but we must do everything and anything to turn things around. We feel like prisoners in our own city, unable to freely walk like we used to. We don't feel safe downtown, cannot shop at Safeway, cannot go to the parks. We did not sign up for this lifestyle when we moved here 10 years ago. It makes us very sad that the epicenter of beautiful Marin has turned to garbage. Quality business are gone from downtown. The charm is dead. Please do what you can to improve this situation by mandating that Ritter house be moved elsewhere. That's going to make the largest impact. Entice quality businesses to come back to downtown with tax breaks, etc. We are sad for our town. And worried for our safety. Thank you. Tammy Nygard Sent from my iPhone Esther Beirne From: Kehoe, Shane <Shane.Kehoe@gexpro.com> Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2015 10:15 AM To: Esther Beirne Subject: Upcoming City Hall Meeting I am writing to you to urge support for 2 initiatives on the agenda for 12/21/2015 meeting: 1. Restricting RV parking during school hours on key streets adjacent to Davidson school 2. Underwriting a new contract with Downtown Streets Team to clean up Mahon path on a regular basis Please let the council members aware of this support prior to the meeting Thank you Shane Kehoe Esther Beirne From: kevin seeley <k_p_seeley@yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 3:48 PM To: Esther Beirne Subject: Initiatives: Cleaning up around Davidson Middle Dear City Council, As parents and citizens of San Rafael, We fully support the 2 iniatives proposed to reduce the RV usage nearby as well as overall cleanup of homeless situation near out school! Thanks, Kevin and Meagan Seeley Esther Beirne From: Lauren Monson <Imonson@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 9:46 PM To: Esther Beirne Cc: Ben Thurmond Subject: 12/21/15 City Council meeting - letter in support of clean up initiative re homeless around Davidson Middle School To Whom it May Concern: It was brought to my attention that an initiative addressing cleaning up trash and other paraphernalia around Davidson Middle School, as well as restricting RV parking in the area, will be in front of the council on Monday 12/21. In particular, I believe two items are up for discussion: 1) restricting RV parking during school hours on key streets adjacent to DMS and 2) underwriting a new contract with Downtown Streets Team to clean up the Mahon path/Davidson adjacent area on a regular basis. I write to express my whole hearted support for these initiatives and request that the council proceed with whatever steps necessary to make this happen. Although I do not have a child at Davidson, I do have a child at Trinity Preschool on Woodland down the street. I regularly observe homeless people in that area that are loitering and appear to be under the influence. It causes me great concern that young impressionable pre teens and teens have to walk by and through these people on a daily basis. In addition, Woodland is littered with oversized vehicles, rvs, trucks, etc that make driving in that area very dangerous. It is extremely difficult to pull out of the driveway at Trinity because visibility of oncoming traffic is next to zero due to these vehicles. Please pass along my concerns to the City Council. I hope they will take these concerns and proposed initiatives seriously. Best, Lauren Monson San Rafael resident Lauren Monson, Attorney at Law labor and employment • advice and counseling • workplace investigations 415-317-0564 1 Imonson@gmail.coi„