TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Richard Thompson, Community Development Director
Nhung Madrid, Senior Management Analyst
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Approve the Removal of Parking on the East Side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive as Recommended by the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (Continued from the July 15, 2014, City Council Meeting) (Community Development Director Thompson).
APPROVE
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_________________________________________________________
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the removal of on-street parking on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive as recommended by the Parking and Public Improvements Commission.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Modification to existing parking restrictions can be funded through the existing Public Works Department operating budget.
BACKGROUND:
This is a continued item from the June 3, 2014 City Council Meeting. At that meeting, a large packet of information pertaining to this report was submitted to the City Council (Attachment 6). The item was pulled from the Consent Agenda by Councilman Burton, and following City Council discussion and direction, the report was continued to the July 15, 2014 City Council meeting. At that meeting, the item was pulled from the Consent Agenda by Councilman Burton, and following City Council discussion and direction, the report has been continued to tonight's meeting.
In November 2013, the City received a request from a local resident to prohibit vehicles displaying illegal advertisements from automobile parking on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard near 500 South Sepulveda Boulevard. The complaint stated that the vehicle was parked in the same place every day, and needlessly blocks the curb lane, which causes drivers to quickly merge to the left.
Since Sepulveda Boulevard is under the jurisdiction of the State of California (Caltrans), staff contacted them about the request to prohibit street parking. The local Caltrans representative responded that Caltrans has long supported parking restrictions along Sepulveda Boulevard to improve traffic flow, and would authorize the City to post parking restrictions subject to a recommendation by the City Council at a public meeting.
Pursuant to Caltrans requirements, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) held a public meeting on March 27, 2014, and discussed the Traffic Engineer's recommendation to remove parking on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive. The Commission heard from two speakers, one in support and one opposed to the recommendation. The speaker opposed to the recommendation is also a business owner within the affected area. The Commission discussed issues related to traffic collision history, traffic safety, possible traffic calming measures, available off-street parking for the affected businesses, signage, and the consequences of prohibiting on-street parking all day. The Commission voted 2-1 to approve staff's recommendation to prohibit street parking and to request Caltrans to install a speed limit sign. The staff report, attachments and final minutes have been provided in Attachments 1 and 2.
On May 19, 2014, the City received a letter and documents from Mr. Bob Udovich, owner of the Brooklyn Brick Oven Pizza at 500 South Sepulveda Boulevard (Attachment 6). The documents include copies of a local business award, 1989 letters related to a previous consideration to remove parking in the same area, collision report summaries, recent correspondence, photos of traffic on Sepulveda Boulevard, and a petition in opposition to the recommended parking prohibition. The petition is signed by 74 tenants and customers of 500 South Sepulveda Boulevard.
The City Council's 2008-2009 Work Plan included a task to consider the potential impacts of imposing further parking restrictions along Sepulveda Boulevard, analyze possible traffic and parking impacts, and consider alternatives and restrictions to balance regional transportation needs with the preservation of local business parking and protection of adjacent residential neighborhoods.
On April 20, 2010, the City Council discussed a Sepulveda Boulevard Corridor Parking Study which examined existing parking demand and identified areas of overflow parking into adjacent residential areas. After reviewing the study and discussing the findings, the City Council approved the PPIC recommendation to post peak hour parking restrictions near Marine Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard for improved traffic flow and opposed the posting of blanket parking prohibitions along long segments of Sepulveda Boulevard. In the area between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive, the study found there was no recurrent overflow parking observed in front of residential homes related to commercial businesses (Attachments 3 and 4).
DISCUSSION:
Sepulveda Boulevard is designated as State Route 1 through the City of Manhattan Beach, and serves as a regional north-south arterial roadway in the South Bay. It is classified as a major arterial highway in the City's General Plan. The adjacent land use is primarily retail business, restaurants and medical/general offices. Sepulveda Boulevard is a six-lane roadway with left turn pockets and raised center medians along certain sections. It has a posted speed limit of 35 mph and carries between 54,800 and 64,200 vehicles per day. AM peak period traffic is higher in the northbound direction, while PM peak period traffic is predominately southbound.
Street parking is generally allowed on both sides of the street, except during peak periods, when the parking lane becomes the third travel lane in each direction. Parking is restricted in the northbound direction between 5:30-9:30am Monday through Friday (except holidays), and restricted in the southbound direction between 3-7pm Monday through Friday (except holidays). Parking is prohibited at all times along certain street segments, including street frontages at Manhattan Village, MB Toyota, Target, and near major intersections. There are localized red curbs near some driveways for sight distance reasons.
Traffic flow becomes congested in the peak commute hours largely due to high directional volumes. During these peak periods, the State of California has imposed turn restrictions at many non-signalized intersections to reduce turning interference and prevent collisions.
Tennyson Street to Longfellow Drive Curb Parking
The Traffic Engineer conducted field observations at various times of the day. He found that street parking is light throughout the day between Keats Street and Longfellow Drive, and is moderate (three to five vehicles) on the segment between Tennyson Street and Keats Street. The on-street parking demand is primarily related to the convenience of parking in close proximity to several street-facing business entrances at 500 South Sepulveda Boulevard.
There are approximately 26 parking spaces along the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive. There are "NO STOPPING 5:30AM TO 9:30AM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EXCEPT HOLIDAYS" restrictions posted on this segment. Curb parking on the street segments immediately to the north and south is prohibited with signs or red curb. Since the west side of the street is located within the City of Hermosa Beach, only the east side is under consideration. Parking is prohibited at all times between Artesia Boulevard and Tennyson Street to the south, and between Longfellow Drive and Duncan Avenue to the north of the study area. There is a horizontal curve just north of Artesia Boulevard that reduces sight distance in the northbound direction.
The parking lots for all three properties in this street segment are about 75% occupied during the day. It should be noted that the City recently received complaints about a vehicle with large advertising banners regularly parked on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard adjacent to the Brooklyn Brick Oven Pizza at 500 S. Sepulveda Boulevard (#203). The City's Parking Enforcement confirmed that vehicles with advertising or flags were frequently parked after 9:30am on weekdays, when parking is allowed. The City notified the business that such parking for advertising purposes was against the municipal code, and this condition has since ceased. However, other vehicles continue to park along the curb during the day, which blocks the third northbound lane. While the third northbound lane is not necessary to accommodate traffic volumes after the 5:30am-9:30am restriction, curb parking can be unexpected to northbound drivers coming around the curve north of Artesia Boulevard. Also, curb parking restricts driver sight distance out of several commercial driveways along the east side of the street.
Collision History
The Traffic Engineer also analyzed the collision history involving parked cars for this street segment during a two-year period between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012. During this period, there were two collisions in which northbound drivers hit parked cars. This collision rate equates to 2.7 collisions per mile per year and is higher than expected based on statewide average collision rates. By contrast, the average collision rate along the entire length of Sepulveda Boulevard within the City limits is 1.0 collisions per mile per year. A summary of reported collisions along the entire length of Sepulveda Boulevard within the City Limits is included in Attachment 5.
Based on the collision history involving parked cars, reduced sight distance due to a horizontal curve and sufficient off-street parking supply, the City Traffic Engineer recommended removal of parking on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive at all times. He believes that the loss of street parking will not significantly impact surrounding neighborhoods, since parking demand is typically light and the adjacent parking lots have sufficient capacity. If the parking prohibitions are approved by City Council, staff will submit a request to Caltrans for their approval before installation of the signs by Public Works.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the removal of on-street parking on the east side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Tennyson Street and Longfellow Drive as recommended by the Parking and Public Improvements Commission.
Attachments:
1. March 27, 2014, Parking and Public Improvements Commission Staff Report with Attachments
2. March 27, 2014, Parking and Public Improvements Commission Final Minutes
3. April 20, 2010, City Council Staff Report with Attachments
4. April 20, 2010, City Council Final Minutes
5. Table 1 - Collision History - Sepulveda Boulevard 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2012
6. Public Comments