City of Lafayette Staff Report Circulation Commission Meeting Date: September 5, 2016 Staff: Subject: James Hinkamp, Transportation Planner Consideration of a No Parking Zone on Victoria Avenue Summary Staff request Commission consideration of a proposed no parking zone on Victoria Avenue. Background On June 30, 2017, City staff received a letter from a resident suggesting a series of changes to existing on-street parking regulations along Victoria Avenue in order to improve travel sight distance near the intersection of the said street and Moraga Boulevard. The letter author, Ms. Pam-Anela Messenger, opines that on-street parking should be prohibited on both sides of Victoria Avenue, from the Moraga Boulevard intersection and extending eastward approximately 200 feet along Victoria Avenue. As alleged in the letter, sight distance is compromised when neighbors vehicles are parked on the shoulder of both sides of Victoria Avenue. A copy of the letter received is provided in Attachment 1 to this report. Staff have assessed existing conditions to verify the cause for concerns described in the letter. Photo documentation and analysis are detailed in the subsequent section of this report. Supplemental to the site visit, staff also researched available collision data at this location and found no reported incidents in the last ten years. In response to Ms. Messengers concerns, staff propose prohibiting on-street parking on the south side of Victoria Avenue, extending approximately 140 feet eastward from the Moraga Boulevard intersection. This proposal aims to mitigate sight distance obstructions caused primarily by vehicles parked on the roadway shoulder adjacent to the eastbound lane along Victoria Avenue. Per the Lafayette Municipal Code Article 10, Section 8-893, prior to implementing a no parking area the City Council must adopt a resolution to permit legal enforcement of the parking prohibition. Discussion Victoria Avenue is a local streetway located southeast of Downtown Lafayette. The roadway is generally aligned east-west parallel to Moraga Boulevard, although it is also a through street that intersects Moraga Boulevard in two locations, essentially forming a loop. The two intersections with Moraga Boulevard are approximately 900 feet apart. The area of concern and focus of this report - is specific to the west side of Victoria Avenue, within 200 feet of that intersection with Moraga Boulevard. Within the subject area of concern, the maximum roadway width is twenty-two feet. Page 1 of 4 Item 6B
Currently, on-street parking is permissible on the north and south sides of Victoria Avenue, with the exception of approximately 60 feet of raised curb fronting the north side, notwithstanding an existing driveway. Although parking is not explicitly regulated along this raised curb section via signs or red curb markings, California Vehicle Code section 22500 (g) prohibits stopping, standing, or parking a vehicle in a manner that obstructs traffic. Thus, along this particular curb section parking is impermissible since it would result in nearly complete obstruction of the WB travel lane. Otherwise, on-street parking on the northerly side is permissible eastward of the raised curb, along the rolled curb shoulders and flat paved sections adjacent to the WB travel lane. Comparably, on-street parking is also permissible along the southerly side, including rolled curb and flat sections adjacent to EB travel lane. Photo documentation below confirms the existing conditions at the subject location. Photo 1 Existing Parking Conditions: Raised Curb Frontage Raised curb frontage prevents driver encroachment onto shoulder. On-street parking not allowed along curb per CVC section 22500 (g). Photo 2 Existing Parking Conditions: Rolled Curb Sections On-street parking permissible along north and south shoulders with rolled curb. Page 2 of 4
Two additional photos, below, simulate a driver s view at the Victoria Avenue/Moraga Boulevard intersection. The first point of view is looking northeast from Moraga Boulevard, towards Victoria Avenue (Photo 2); the second point of view provides an EB perspective of the same condition (Photo 3). As sampled in these photos, a single compact vehicle partially obstructs the EB travel lane, effectively reducing the lane width to six feet. In addition to partially obstructing through EB travel, the presence of a parked vehicle in this location obstructs sight distance around the curve for both EB and WB travelers and causes EB travelers to maneuver into the opposing lane at the curvature. (Staff personally observed this maneuver during field observations). Although on-street parking demand is not considered prevalent at this location, staff foresee circumstances where a large vehicle or even multiple vehicles parked in the same location could exacerbate safety concerns when maneuvering through the curvature in the aforementioned manner. Photos 3 & 4 Car Parked on South Side Shoulder of Victoria Avenue (facing EB) By introducing a resolution for the proposed no parking area on the southerly side of the subject street, the prohibition can become enforceable by law and ameliorate line of sight visibility concerns brought forth by the resident. To implement the proposed modifications would necessitate two signs to be installed on the southerly side: the first would be placed at the northeast corner of the western-most Victoria Avenue/Moraga Boulevard intersection whereas the second would be placed approximately 140 feet eastward along the same rolled curb frontage. Installing these signs, rather than painting new red curb, would require lower installation and maintenance costs, as well as preserve recognizable signage already governing no parking areas throughout Lafayette. A conceptual aerial view of proposed modifications can be viewed on the following page in Figure 1. Page 3 of 4
Figure 1 Recommended No Parking Area (aerial perspective) Proposed signs indicating No Parking between these points. Red dashed lines indicate extent of proposed formal no parking area (approximately X feet.) To further maximize sight distance at the subject location, staff have also ordered vegetation trimming and will prepare letters to nearby residents reminding them to park vehicles as far to the right as practicable where parking is permissible along roadway shoulders within the subject area of concern. Next Steps After receiving feedback from the Commission, staff intend to present this matter to the City Council for final approval. Lafayette Municipal Code Article 10, Section 8-893, requires resolution by Council for a no parking area. A draft resolution is provided in Attachment 2 to this report. The City Attorney has reviewed the language as to form. Recommendation Staff recommends the Commission support the draft Council resolution to formalize the no parking area on the south side of Victoria Avenue, extending eastward from the intersection with Moraga Boulevard approximately 140 feet. Attachments 1. Resident s letter, dated June 30, 2017 2. Location map 3. Draft Council resolution Page 4 of 4
ATTACHMENT 1 Resident s Letter
Attachment 2 Location Map
Victoria Ave (within X of Moraga Boulevard intersection)
ATTACHMENT 3 Draft Council Resolution
RESOLUTION 2017-XX BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE IN THE MATTER OF: Prohibiting On-Street Parking on the Southerly Side of Victoria Avenue, Extending Eastward 140 Feet from Moraga Boulevard WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code Section 22507 provides that cities may, by ordinance or resolution, prohibit the stopping, parking or standing of vehicles on certain streets or highways, or portions thereof, during all or certain hours of the day; and WHEREAS, the City of Lafayette Municipal Code Article 10, Section 8-893 (c) prohibits stopping and parking a vehicle in any area established by resolution of the City Council as a no parking area; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The City Council of the City of Lafayette establishes a no parking area on the southerly side of Victoria Avenue as depicted in the attached Exhibit A. The City shall provide notice of the no parking area through appropriate signage as required by applicable law. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Lafayette at a regular meeting held on September 11, 2017 by the following vote to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: APPROVED: ATTEST: Mike Anderson, Mayor Joanne Robbins, City Clerk
Resolution 2017-xx Exhibit A Proposed signs indicating No Parking between these points. Red dashed lines indicate extent of proposed formal no parking area (approximately X feet).