TO:
Honorable Mayor Powell and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM:
Eve R. Irvine, Chief of Police
SUBJECT:Title
Status Report regarding Oversized Vehicle and Detached Trailer Regulations.
RECEIVE AND FILE
Body
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and file this report.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this recommendation.
BACKGROUND:
On November 1, 2011, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2145 establishing City-wide detached trailer regulations and Oversized Vehicle Parking Regulations Around Designated Schools, Parks, and Community Centers (Ordinance No. 2144).
Detached Trailer Parking Regulations
The Citywide Detached Trailer Parking Regulations, codified in Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Section 14.36.180, prohibit the parking of detached trailers or non-motorized vehicles on City streets. The trailer must be attached to a vehicle capable of moving it; this includes boat trailers, utility trailers, fifth-wheels, and camper trailers. This parking regulation is enforced Citywide; signs are posted around the perimeter of the City to notify the public.
Oversized Vehicle Parking Regulations
The Oversized Vehicle Parking Regulations Around Designated Schools, Parks, and Community Centers, codified in Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Section 14.46, prohibit the parking of oversized vehicles adjacent to schools, City parks, and community centers, or within 25 feet of an intersection. These regulations apply to vehicles greater than 22 feet long, 7 feet wide, or 8 feet high and are enforced only in areas where signs are posted.
From mid-December to January 31, 2012, parking enforcement personnel posted informational flyers on oversized vehicles and detached trailers to notify the vehicle owners of upcoming regulations. Information was distributed to 14,000 households as a utility bill insert, posted on the City website, and appeared in the local paper. Signage necessary to enforce the regulations was installed in January, and enforcement began February 1, 2012.
DISCUSSION:
The Police Department currently receives approximately 1-2 complaints each month about oversized vehicles parked in residential areas throughout the City. The same 10 or fewer oversized vehicles seem to be the source of the complaints. If the oversized vehicle is parked illegally, the vehicle is cited. If parked legally, parking enforcement personnel mark the vehicle for 72 hours.
From February 1 to October 31, 2012 the Police Department issued the following citations:
15 Detached trailer violations (Citywide)
16 Oversized vehicle parking violations (around schools and parks, where signed)
At the time the oversized vehicle parking regulations (around schools and parks, where signed) were adopted, staff recommended signage be posted around Pacific School and along Valley Drive by Joslyn Center, Veteran's Parkway, and Live Oak Park. If problems arose in other school/park areas, it was proposed that staff would address these issues administratively by posting additional signs in those locations and provide enforcement. In March 2012, the Police Department received a request for additional signage (the 2900 Block of Bell Avenue, between Sand Dune Park and Grandview Elementary School). The requested signage was determined to be appropriate and was installed within weeks of the initial request.
In October 2012, staff contacted approximately 65 residents via email who participated in past discussions regarding oversized vehicle and detached trailer parking. As of November 14, 2012, four responses were received - two acknowledging the success of the existing regulations, one information inquiry, and one request for oversized vehicle signage to be posted on both sides of the street around Pacific School. At this time, staff is unable to accommodate the request for additional signage around Pacific School because the request is outside the scope of City Council's direction to staff for signage installation (reference October 18, 2011 City Council Meeting video at the 3 hour, 0 minute, 30 second mark where City Council clarified the interpretation of "adjacent" to be limited to the curbline adjacent to the school property). At the direction of City Council, staff can expand the interpretation of the term "adjacent," as it relates to posting signage around schools, parks, and community centers, to include both sides of the street.
At this time, staff does not recommend additional oversized vehicle regulations. A concern existed that, as other cities adopt oversized vehicle regulations, residents in those communities may use Manhattan Beach streets to store their oversized vehicles. However, this has not become a problem yet. If it does become a problem in the future, additional measures may be considered at that time.