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RESOLUTION R-1718-100: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, PROHIBITING ON-STREET PARKING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE 100 BLOCK OF WEST SYMMES STREET, AND ON BOTH SIDES OF JAMES GARNER AVENUE/JENKINS AVENUE, BETWEEN DUFFY STREET AND EUFAULA STREET.
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BACKGROUND: Over the last several months, the Community Planning and Transportation Committee (CPTC) has discussed the Center City vision, implementation strategies, and the design concept for James Gamer Avenue. Parking has been central to these discussions as the Committee recognized that increased density and moving towards the creation of more walkability will require adjustments to how the City addresses parking in the Center City area.
Currently, on-street parking restrictions are evaluated pursuant to Public Works Procedure 3-001. This policy requires that a petition signed by at least 60% of the residents affected by the proposed parking restriction be submitted to the City's Transportation Engineer. If the requisite number of signatures can be verified, the City will install signs delineating the requested parking restriction. Often, these requests can be contentious, particularly in areas where other parking options are limited. Sometimes, neighborhood streets that could benefit from parking restrictions are not able to meet the petition requirements.
During the CPTC discussions in December and January, Councilmembers recognized that there may be some instances, particularly in the Center City area, where restricting on-street parking may be necessary to allow for the safe passage of two-way vehicle traffic as well as emergency vehicles. Committee members expressed a desire for a change in policy that would allow the City to address parking restrictions throughout the City in situation when a petition falls short of the required signatures.
Public Works Procedure 3-001 has been revised to provide an avenue for Council to impose parking restrictions in the absence of a petition with sufficient support from residents on the impacted street. Under revised language, when a petition does not contain signatures of at least 60% of the affected residents, Council can take action to impose parking restrictions through the adoption of a resolution, considering such factors as street type, housing density, property owner input, public safety, and traffic volumes.
During the March 6, 2018 City Council Study Session, staff was directed to prepare an Agenda Item for the adoption of a Resolution that restricts parking on segments of Apache Street, Symmes Street and James Garner Avenue / Jenkins Avenue.
DISCUSSION: Resolution R-1718-100 contains language that establishes new on street parking restrictions on the south side of the 100 block of West Symmes Street and on both sides of James Garner Avenue / Jenkins Avenue, between Duffy Street and Eufaula Street. Additional staff investigation found that parking on the 100 block of Apache had already been restricted through the citizen petition process. The resolution directs staff to post the signs needed for enforcement of the said restrictions. The locations of the new parking restrictions are depicted in attached map. If adopted, staff will issue the public notification on March 16, 2018 and install the signs and begin enforcement of the restrictions on March 19, 2018.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends adoption of Resolution R-1718-100 establishing new on-street parking restrictions on the south side of the 100 block of West Symmes Street, between Santa Fe Avenue and James Garner Avenue, and on both sides of James Garner Avenue / Jenkins Avenue, between Duffy Street and Eufaula Street