Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER ORDINANCE NO. 18-1815 AMENDING CHAPTER 2 OF ARTICLE III OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADD SECTIONS 3255 THROUGH 3255.6 (PARKING OF OVERSIZED VEHICLES) TO PART 6 (PARKING REGULATIONS) OF CHAPTER 2 (TRAFFIC REGULATIONS) OF ARTICLE III (PUBLIC SAFETY) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE, TO ESTABLISH PARKING RESTRICTIONS FOR OVERSIZED VEHICLES (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
On August 21, 2018, the City Council reviewed recommendations made by staff to regulate Oversized Vehicle (OV) parking. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to proceed in developing an ordinance that would allow for OV parking in the City of Carson.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
WAIVE further reading and INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 18-1815 “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA ADDING SECTION 3255 THROUGH 3255.6 TO PART 6 OF CHAPTER 2 OF ARTICLE III TO THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE ALLOWING FOR OVERSIZED VEHICLE PARKING PERMITS.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
In the past several months, neighboring cities such as Long Beach and Torrance have recently adopted Oversized Vehicle (OV) registration ordinances which have resulted in a sudden increase in parking of such vehicles in the City of Carson. These large vehicles can present a variety of public safety and public health problems, from impaired sight lines for road users, narcotics usage to illegal dumping of garbage and hazardous waste matter on City sidewalks and streets.
As a result in the increase of OV’s, City staff has inventoried at least 377 OV’s that park in the City, with 115-125 usually parked in the City at any time of the day or night. During the last 5 months, the City has red-tagged 17 OV’s because they were either abandoned or had expired tags. Similarly, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) has encountered inconspicuous abandoned OV’s such as Mail and Food Trucks.
OV’s such as Boats, Recreational Vehicles (RV’s), Trailers, Semi-Trailers, Utility Trailers, Auxiliary Dollies Semi-Trucks, Busses, Tour Busses (as defined in the California Vehicle Code) have hindered crime prevention for LASD and City Public Safety staff. LASD believes that limiting the parking of OV’s will afford Deputies clear and unobstructed view of the sidewalks, parks and various areas in the City that are providing a camouflage for violators. OV’s also conceal pedestrians walking along sidewalks and can become unsafe pathways. LASD has responded to multiple violations of the law such as consumption of alcohol, narcotics usage, hazardous waste and trash left on sidewalks and streets as well as individuals in medical distress within OV’s parked in the City.
As documented by LASD staff and City staff, a subset of the OV’s are used by a transient populations for temporary housing. The City implements advanced programs to address the regional homeless issues, which are further described below. The City has seen an increase in abandoned OV’s by homeless individuals, which require extensive clean up. An example of this occurred last month when the LASD was dispatched to an abandoned OV in the City (Exhibit 2). Deputies arrived on the scene to find an abandoned OV with an excessive amount of trash and debris around the vehicle including leaking hazardous waste onto the street. A hazardous waste company was called in to cap the leaking OV. In addition, a tow was required to remove the vehicle, but could not initially tow due to a broken axle and flat tire. As a favor to the LASD, the tow company made the repairs and was not compensated for its actions. This resulted in a $450 dollar loss which would be an expenditure to the City. Once the OV was removed, City staff came behind to remove trash, power wash and deodorize the street and sidewalks.
The City has stated that the purpose of the proposed permit program is to reduce the number of OV’s that are parked for long periods of time, increase the availability of on-street parking and clear the City of those that are utilizing these OV’s as a haven for drugs and other violations. There’s been a continued uptick in the number of complaints for OV’s in Carson and resources are limited to combat offenders.
The proposed Ordinance will require all OV owners to:
• Obtain and display an Annual Parking Permit
• OV owners will only be allowed to park in front of their own property;
• Following adoption of the ordinance, residents would need to obtain a parking permit for their OV by January 1, 2019.
“The traffic enforcement agency shall remove to a safe place every vehicle which has been parked or left standing upon a public street or alley for seventy-two (72) or more consecutive hours without being moved under its own power more than one (1) block. Vehicles displaying a current and valid oversized vehicle parking permit are exempt from this limitation, but shall not be exempt from street cleaning parking prohibitions.”
Creating a parking permit program and issuing annual parking permits to residents that own an OV will provide the framework needed to minimize abuse of the current 72 hour parking rule. The City of Carson will work vigorously to provide adequate outreach and advanced notice to inform residents before enforcement begins and citations are issued for the parking permit program. An existing contract with a Hazardous Waste agency will be implemented to assist in capping leaking OV’s to ensure the tow will be solidified and placed legally in a tow yard.
The City has been diligent in its efforts to combat blithe of abandoned vehicles and transitioning the homeless to affordable housing. In 2015, the City formed a task force to deal with the increasing number of homeless in Carson. The task force meets every two weeks to develop and implement homeless programs. As a result of this task force, the City conducts a Homeless Outreach Fair annually to provide services such as haircuts, clothes, shoes, laundry, toiletries, dental exam, vision test, food vouchers, showers and guidance for affordable housing opportunities. Approaching in the Fall of 2019, the City will open its first Veteran’s Homeless Affordable Housing Community to provide housing for homeless Veterans and their families.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
The permit fee can help offset start up and on-going administrative costs. Initial signage would be required at all entry points to the City. Staff has determined that approximately fifty signs would be required. This number could increase based on recommendations by either the City Attorney or at the request of the Sheriff’s Department.
Staff surveyed ten RV Lots to rent within a 30 mile radius of the City. Average RV Lots rent for $360 a month or $4,320 annually. Staff has reviewed fees collected in Los Angeles County for OV parking and found that $65.00 per year is the average permit fee. City staff time required to implement the parking program is estimated to be fifteen percent of a Full-Time employee. Considering that multiple staff may process permit applications, a blended staff rate was used in determining the initial fee which would be $250 and the renewal permit fees would be set at $100 annually.
At these rates, if 150 permits are issued annually, the initial revenue will be $37,500 and the revenue for years proceeding will be $15,000. Additional costs that could impact the City would be OV’s that require a tire or tires in order to be towed
Staff blended rate is as follows:
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Proposed Ordinance No. 18-1815. (pgs. 6 - 12)
2. OV Photos (pgs. 13 - 17)
Prepared by: David C. Roberts, Jr., Assistant City Manager