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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-23-12 -- On-Street Parking Washington Street SIGNEDAdministrative Order -- Page 1 of 6 ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-23-12 of the Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team of the City of Eugene CONCERNING ON-STREET PARKING ON WASHINGTON STREET The Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team of the City of Eugene finds that: A. Under the provisions of Chapter IV, Section 16 of the Eugene Charter of 2002, the City Manager is designated as the administrative head of the City and is specifically authorized to enforce all ordinances of the City. In addition, EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the Manager’s designee to “establish, maintain, remove, or alter . . . parking areas and time limitations, including the form of permissible parking” and to “impose conditions upon which the streets and other public property may be used for parking.” EC 5.055 sets forth the criteria the City Manager or the City Manager’s designee should consider when taking administrative action authorized by EC 5.040. B. On August 5, 2020, the City Manager issued Administrative Order No. 58-20-17 granting the Executive Director of the Public Works Department the authority to exercise all of the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Sections 5.040, 5.045 and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. That Order also granted the Executive Director of the Public Works Department the authority to further delegate those duties and responsibilities to such person or persons qualified to perform the delegated duties. C. On August 6, 2020, the Executive Director of the Public Works Department issued Administrative Order No. 58-20-18 granting the City Engineer the authority to perform the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Sections 5.040, 5.045 and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. That Order also granted the City Engineer the authority to further delegate those duties and responsibilities to such person or persons qualified to perform the delegated duties. D. On August 11, 2020, the City Engineer issued Administrative Order No. 58-20-19 granting the Traffic Engineer of Public Works Maintenance's Traffic Operations Team the authority to perform the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Sections 5.040, 5.045 and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. E. For purposes of public health, safety, and welfare, it is necessary to remove and modify parking on a portion of Washington Street. F. In making the decision, I have considered all the applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055. The following findings support my decision to limit parking in this area to 2-hour time- limited parking 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday to Sunday. Administrative Order -- Page 2 of 6 (a) Traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations. i. Classification – The portion of Washington Street between W 1st Avenue and W 5th Avenue as shown in Exhibit A is classified as a major collector street with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour. The street segment is approximately 46 feet wide with 6 feet wide bike lanes on the east side of the street, 10 feet wide bike lane on the west side of the street, and a 8 feet wide parking bay on the west side of the street, allowing approximately 22 feet of roadway for two-way travel in a mixed-use area. There are bike lanes on both sides of the street and parking bays on both the southern and the northern ends of the street segment. Sidewalks are present on the east side of the street segment. On the west side, sidewalks are present from the intersection of Washington and W 1st Avenue, heading south to the railroad tracks. The sidewalk veers somewhat into Washington Jefferson Park at certain sections near the intersection with W 1st Avenue as well as between W 2nd Avenue and the railroad tracks. The sidewalk resumes at approximately 30 feet south of W 4th Avenue and continues to the intersection of Washington Street and W 5th Avenue, veering once again into Washington Jefferson Park south of the parking bay. ii. Vehicle Crashes - There were ten (10) motor vehicle crashes reported between 2007 and 2020 on the portion of Washington Street between W 1st Avenue and W 5th Avenue (two with suspected minor injury, three with possible injury, and five with property damage only). (b) Standards, limitations, and rules promulgated by the Oregon Transportation Commission or the Oregon Public Utility Commission or their successors. There are no such standards, limitations or rules that apply. (c) Other recognized traffic control standards. The City will apply the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for size, type and location for sign installation. (d) The city’s adopted transportation-related plans and policies. The City’s 2035 Transportation System Plan does not include any policies that specifically relate to the provision or removal of on-street parking. Roadway and Parking Policy No. 1 a “Complete Streets Policy,” is to “Design, construct, maintain, and operate all streets to provide comprehensive and integrated transportation networks that serve people of all ages and abilities, promote commerce, and support the comprehensive land use plan’s vision for growth and development in a responsible and efficient manner. A “complete street” allows safe travel for automobiles and emergency responders, bicycles, walking, transit, and freight. In addition to fulfilling a street’s basic transportation functions and providing access to properties, streets and sidewalks should be designed to be attractive, safe, accessible, sustainable, and healthy components of the City's environment.” Limiting parking to only the parking needed to ensure a traffic network that allows safe travel for automobiles and emergency responders, bicycles, walking, transit, and freight is consistent with this policy. Administrative Order -- Page 3 of 6 (e) Existing state and local laws regulating use of public ways. The use of the City’s public ways for parking is regulated at the local level. EC 5.040(1)(h)(5) and EC 5.040(1)(p) establish authority to manage parking. (f) The efficient use of the public way by the public. Removal and modification of parking allowances on Washington Street is needed for more efficient use of the roadway by ensuring adequate turnover in parking throughout the day for access to Washington Jefferson Park. (g) The use of abutting property. The abutting land use is Public Land (Washington Jefferson Park) and Special Area, mostly consisting of commercial businesses. (h) The intensity of use of the street by vehicles and pedestrians. i. By Ordinance No. 20181, the City Council adopted the Street Classification Map that designated Washington Street as a major collector street. By Resolution 4608, the City Council adopted the Design Standards and Guidelines for Eugene Streets, Sidewalks, Bikeways and Access Ways. Parking is an optional feature on streets. ii. There are sidewalks on both sides of the street segment. This order will not impact, and may improve, accessibility of use by pedestrians. (i) The physical condition and characteristics of the street and abutting property. i. The portion of Washington Street between W 1st Avenue and W 5th Avenue as shown in Exhibit A is classified as a major collector street with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour. The street segment is approximately 46 feet wide with 6 feet wide bike lanes on the east side of the street, 10 feet wide bike lane on the west side of the street, and a 8 feet wide parking bay on the west side of the street, allowing approximately 22 feet of roadway for two-way travel in a mixed-use area. There are bike lanes on both sides of the street and parking bays on both the southern and the northern ends of the street segment. Sidewalks are present on the east side of the street segment. On the west side, sidewalks are present from the intersection of Washington and W 1st Avenue, heading south to the railroad tracks. The sidewalk veers somewhat into Washington Jefferson Park at certain sections near the intersection with W 1st Avenue as well as between W 2nd Avenue and the railroad tracks. The sidewalk resumes at approximately 30 feet south of W 4th Avenue and continues to the intersection of Washington Street and W 5th Avenue, veering once again into Washington Jefferson Park south of the parking bay. ii. The abutting properties on the eastern side of the street segment include one- and two-story commercial buildings with asphalt surface parking lots as well as a couple of residential buildings near the intersection with W 4th Avenue. The southern side of the street segment is comprised entirely of public land, Washington Jefferson Park. Administrative Order -- Page 4 of 6 (j) Emergencies. i. Emergency service vehicles are accommodated through bi-directional travel on Washington Street. Removal and modification of parking will provide additional room for travel and deployment of emergency vehicles. ii. Washington Street is designated as a Second Priority emergency ice or snow removal route. Removal and modification of parking will provide additional room for travel and deployment of ice and snow removal vehicles. (k) The public health, safety and welfare. Extended on-street parking taking place in this area has resulted in a lack of turnover of vehicles for access to Washington Jefferson Park. (l) Special events of community interest including parades and public gatherings. There are no special events of community interest that occur on the portion of Washington Street as shown in Exhibit A. (m) Construction within or adjacent to the street. No construction is currently taking place on the portion of Washington Street as shown in Exhibit A. The order will not impede, and may improve, access for the purpose of construction. (n) When establishing conditions upon the use of parking in the public way and city-owned parking facilities: (1) Applicable and appropriate time limits; EC 5.135(1) prohibits the storage of a motor vehicle or personal property on the street for more than 72 hours. There are no additional time limits proposed for this area where parking is to be allowed (except as described at the end of this order and noted in Exhibit A). EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the Manager's designee to take administrative action establishing parking area time limitations, including the form of permissible parking, and imposing conditions upon which the streets and other public property may be used for parking. Notwithstanding any other administrative action to the contrary, the portions of the streets described below and depicted on the map attached as Exhibit A to this Order shall allow 2-hour public parking between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. (2) The vehicle type and purpose; Time-limited parking supports the intended land use. Administrative Order -- Page 5 of 6 (3) The relative, seasonal and special event demands for parking spaces within the areas of the requested parking; This Order is not a response to a request for new / additional parking spaces. (4) The other public uses for the property; The area is zoned Public Lane and the public parking areas are intended to serve that use. (5) The location and physical characteristics of the parking area or facility; Existing parking includes nine (9) surface lots belonging to adjacent businesses, one residential driveway, and on-street parking on the western side of the street within two parking bays. (6) The demand for operating revenues, the costs of operations and enforcement; i. Removal and modification of parking is not anticipated to significantly impact operating revenues. ii. This area can be incorporated into current enforcement zones as it is adjacent to other regulated parking areas. If resources are not available for enforcement, then the parking restrictions may be revisited. (7) The use of parking regulations to promote city adopted goals and policies; Removal and modification of parking is consistent with city-adopted goals and policies. (8) Abuse by applicants of any parking-related permits; Not applicable. (9) The impact on nearby commercial uses; Removal and modification of parking supports adjacent commercial uses by ensuring the parking and adjacent travel lanes are available, as needed, to support the commercial uses. (10) The ease of enforcing the provisions of this chapter; and i. City staff prefer to establish parking time limits. This area can be incorporated into current enforcement zones as it is adjacent to other regulated parking areas. ii. Establishing time limited parking zones creates turnover for the park. (11) The availability of other parking spaces. i. Parking is available on adjacent private property. ii. Time-limited parking will create vehicle turnover on the street. On the basis of these findings, I order that: Parking on western side of Washington Street between W 1st Avenue and W 5th Avenue as shown in Exhibit A to this Order shall be restricted to 2-hour public parking between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday, and only in the green areas of Washington Street shown in Exhibit A to this Order. No parking of