Title
SUMMARY TITLE: Ordinance Amendment and Related Resolutions Facilitate and Allow Homeowner Associations to Implement Residential Permit Parking Programs.
Introduction of an Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) by Amending Section 12-17 (Preferential Parking Zones) of Article III (Permit Parking) of Chapter XII (Designated Parking) to Modify the Procedures Relating to the Designation of Preferential Parking Zones;
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Residential Parking Program for Public Streets within Columbia Homeowners Association pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 12-17.6(g); and
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Residential Parking Program for Public Streets within Headlands Homeowners Association pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 12-17.6(g). (Public Works 224)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jill Keimach, City Manager
Re: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code by Amending Section 12-17 (Preferential Parking); and
Adoption of Resolutions Approving Preferential Parking at Columbia and Headlands Homeowner Associations
BACKGROUND
The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) runs the Harbor Bay ferry, which has three departures in the morning and three arrivals in the evening. An estimated 350 ferry riders drive and park at or near the terminal, even though the Harbor Bay ferry terminal’s lot only has a capacity of 250. The remaining 100 or so vehicles park in adjacent residential neighborhoods and/or occupy parking spaces intended for users of the adjacent shoreline park.
Affected residential neighborhoods, including the Headlands and Columbia communities, are sub-homeowner associations (HOA) of the master Harbor Bay Isle HOA. These two associations have public streets under the City’s control. Three additional sub-HOAs impacted by overflow parking-Bay Colony, Freeport, and Cantamar-have private streets and will soon implement rules to prohibit ferry users’ parking.
The challenge of spillover parking continues to worsen as the Harbor Bay ferry service gains popularity. More Alamedans are choosing the convenience and ease of ferries over the other congested routes to San Francisco. Every month, the Harbor Bay ferry is surpassing its prior record for ridership. The Harbor Bay service for this year has experienced a 19% increase in boarding’s over last year.
Surveys of Harbor Bay ferry users show that 94% of the riders are Alamedans, mostly from Harbor Bay and the east end of Alameda. Nearly half walk, bike, or are dropped off at the ferry. This is a comparatively high percentage of ferry riders who are using alternative transportation modes to access the terminal.
On June 7, 2016, the City Council approved staff’s proposed, long-term solution to the challenge of spillover parking at the Harbor Bay ferry terminal. That approval suggested implementation as early as January 1, 2017, depending on whether all three of the plan’s components can be executed.
As a reminder, this plan was developed in consultation with the Harbor Bay Isle Associates (HBIA) and presidents of their 20 sub-HOAs. HBIA’s Master HOA Board unanimously voted to approve the plan, as did the Headlands and Columbia sub-HOAs. WETA’s staff contributed to the plan, and their board approved on November 10, 2016 system-wide parking fee program policy goals that will be used to develop a parking fee structure at Harbor Bay this winter. In addition, the Transportation Commission approved the plan.
The City Council approved a three-part plan:
1) Implement residential permit parking programs on the public streets located at the Columbia and Headlands sub-HOAs. The permit parking program would prohibit vehicles from parking on those streets for more than four hours without a permit. Enforcement would be provided by the Alameda Police Department, and the HOAs would handle the cost and administration of permits.
2) WETA begins to charge for parking at the 250 parking spaces at the ferry parking terminal. Parking charges encourage existing parkers to choose alternative transportation to the ferry and provide possible funding if AC Transit cannot provide the free, reliable transit service referenced next.
3) Ensure a free, reliable transit service through the residential communities of east Alameda and Harbor Bay, where most ferry riders live. This free transit service already exists in an improved AC Transit Line 21. [. After numerous coordination meetings with the City, AC Transit and WETA, AC Transit has proactively improved their existing Line 21 free transit service that currently serves the predominantly residential areas within Harbor Bay. This service is being marketed to ferry riders and HOA residents (see Exhibit 1 for the marketing piece). Line 21 now meets all current departures and arrivals from the Harbor Bay ferry terminal and includes a reasonable time cushion to ensure a late bus does not mean a missed ferry. Based on last year’s Line 21 performance, the buses surveyed were never late for the ferry departure or arrival.
Staff sought and received direction from City Council that, as part of the overall solution, the City’s existing residential permit parking program should be amended to permit HOAs to submit applications for residential permit parking and, if approved by City Council, bear the costs of administering them. The draft revisions to the ordinance were presented and conceptually approved by the City Council on June 7, 2016. The revisions proposed here are consistent with the revisions proposed on June 7. In approving this plan, the City Council also requested staff explore satellite parking options.
Staff has four possible satellite parking locations. As shown in the marketing piece, two are available for immediate use. Up to 50 spaces are available in the park-n-ride lot at the Grandview Pavilion on Island Drive, and these spots are on the route of AC Transit’s Line 21, which is free for ferry users. Another 140 parking spaces are available on Harbor Bay Parkway approximately one half mile south of the ferry terminal. Staff also freed up on-street parking along North Loop Road in the Harbor Bay Business Park so that ferry passengers, who utilize services in the business park, such as daycare, can find on-street parking there and walk to the ferry. If these satellite locations do not provide enough parking, the City will pursue the possibility of negotiating with Greenway Golf for use of a portion of the Chuck Corica Golf Course’s parking lot.
DISCUSSION
Tonight, staff requests the City Council complete the plan’s first component by taking two actions.
First, staff proposes adoption of the municipal code amendments regarding residential permit parking consistent with the June 7 presentation. These amendments will allow HOAs to implement residential permit programs so long as the HOA follows strict noticing requirements, supply evidence of their governing board’s approval, and bear the costs of the program, e.g., signs, permit issuance, permit administration, etc. The proposed changes to the ordinance are attached (see Exhibits 2 and 3).
Second, staff proposes adoption of resolutions approving residential permit parking programs for the Columbia and Headlands HOAs, effective January 1, 2017. The HOAs provided ten-days advance notice to their members of the proposal to have a residential permit parking program, and their boards adopted resolutions approving the application for such a program. The master HBIA has agreed to assume administrative and financial responsibility for the residential permit programs, as this entity already provides these services for its other sub-HOAs.
By adopting these resolutions, the City Council authorizes Public Works to implement the residential permit parking program after January 1, 2017, but not require immediate implementation. This ensures enough flexibility so that we can continue to iron out the details of the plan and properly coordinate with the stakeholders who are executing on the plan’s other components: AC Transit for an improved Line 21; WETA for ferry rider notification and parking charges; and other sub-HOAs moving to prohibit ferry parking on their private streets. It also ensures that staff can conduct an extensive outreach campaign to ferry users and residents emphasizing the satellite parking options, alternative transit options to the ferry terminal (biking, walking, transit), and the timeline for the plan’s implementation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Parking charges will be levied and collected by WETA, not the City. The plan is likely to have no impact on the General Fund, as enforcement revenue is expected to cover enforcement cost.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action will amend Alameda Municipal Code Section 12-17.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, section 15061(b)(3).
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce an Ordinance amending Alameda Municipal Code Section 12-17 (Preferential Parking) and adopt resolutions approving preferential parking at Columbia and Headlands Homeowner Associations.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert G. Haun, Public Works Director
By,
Jennifer Ott, Director, Base Reuse and Transportation Planning
Liam Garland, Deputy Public Works Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Marketing Piece on Alternative Modes to Ferry Terminal
2. Current AMC section 12-17
3. Proposed Amendments to AMC section 12-17
4. June 7, 2016 Presentation to City Council