Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
Ordinance 1909-2013 authorized and directed the Director of Public Service to impose a twelve (12) month moratorium on the consideration or approval of petitions seeking to establish or otherwise expand residential district permit parking pursuant to Section 2105.21 of the Columbus City Code and the rules and regulations adopted as required by that section within the boundaries of King Avenue on the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east. The moratorium commenced on September 16, 2013 and will conclude on September 16, 2014. This ordinance seeks to extend the previously authorized moratorium until December 31, 2014 March 31, 2015 to give the stakeholders additional time to craft recommendations for permit parking in the Short North.
2. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow the Director of Public Service, at the request of the Short North working group, to extend to December, 2014 March 31, 2015 the moratorium expiring on September 16, 2014 to allow the working group and the City additional time to continue working with the Short North parking study consultant on further changes to permit parking in the Short North.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of Public Service to extend the moratorium authorized by Ord. No. 1909-2013 on the consideration or approval of any petition seeking to establish or expand residential district permit parking within the boundaries of King Avenue to the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east until December 31, 2014 March 31, 2015; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, at the request of the Director of Public Service, a working group was formed in August 2012 and after making recommendations to the Transportation and Pedestrian Commission, the working group was asked to reconvene in June 2013 to make recommendations to the department, Mayor, and Columbus City Council to address the growing concern over the interaction between the existing residential parking permit process and growing parking congestion in the Short North neighborhoods within the boundaries being King Avenue on the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east ; and
WHEREAS, in July, 2013 said working group and the Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Commission voted unanimously to request and recommend that said moratorium on the consideration and approval of petitions from the Italian Village, Victorian Village and Short North Neighborhoods received after September 16, 2013, for up to one year to allow the working group to gather data and consider preliminary information from a parking study within the boundaries of King Avenue on the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east that will be conducted by the Department of Public Service; and
WHEREAS, on September 9, 2013 the Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 1909-2013, establishing a twelve (12) month moratorium on the consideration or approval of any petition seeking to establish or expand residential district permit parking within the boundaries of King Avenue to the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east; and
WHEREAS, in November, 2013, said working group and the Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Commission recommended to request and recommend that Columbus City Council amend Ordinance 1909-2013 to expand Permit Area V to allow through September 30, 2014 up to 15 permit stickers for residents of 641 North High Street, expand Permit Area I permit parking along the west side of Kerr Street from Hull Alley to Hubbard Avenue, and along both sides of Hubbard Avenue from Pearl Street to Kerr Street, and other changes to administrative rules and regulations for residential permit parking in the Short North in conjunction with said amendment to Ordinance 1909-2013; and
WHEREAS, on December 9, 2013 the Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 2930-2013, amending Ordinance 1909-2013 in support of the changes recommended by the working group and Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Commission as stated herein; and
WHEREAS, it has been important to address the growing parking needs and challenges of this area in a holistic manner; to identify ways for resident, visitor, and employee parking needs to be considered as zones are created and parking permits, hangtags, or other mechanisms for area parking are recommended to the department, mayor, and council; and
WHEREAS, changes to permit parking in the Short North recommended by the working group and Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Commission and approved by City Council in Ordinance 2930-2013 have resulted in a net reduction of 19 percent in residential permits and hangtags issued in 2014; and
WHEREAS, the consultant conducting the Short North Parking Study is in the process of making recommendations for additional short term and long term changes to parking in the Short North, which will be considered by the City and the working group ; and
WHEREAS, extending the moratorium to December 31, 2014 March 31, 2015 on the acceptance, consideration, or approval of petitions seeking to establish or otherwise expand residential district permit parking within the boundaries of King Avenue on the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Railroad Right-of-Way East of Fourth Street to the east, or as repealed through Columbus City Council ordinance, will afford the working group additional time to make policy recommendations and city officials to consider, as well as share such recommendations with impacted residents, visitors, and businesses; and
WHEREAS, on July 31, 2014, said working group recommended the moratorium be extended through December 31, 2014 to allow the working group and the City additional time to continue working with the Short North parking study consultant on further changes to permit parking in the Short North; and
WHEREAS, on September 9, 2014, the Columbus Transportation and Pedestrian Commission recommended the moratorium be extended through December 31, 2014; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is requested because the existing moratorium expires on September 16, 2014 and additional time is needed to allow the working group and the City to continue working with the Short North parking study consultant on further changes to permit parking in the Short North thereby immediately preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Public Service is hereby authorized and directed to extend the imposition of a moratorium authorized by Ord. No. 1909-2013 on the consideration or approval of any petition seeking to establish or expand residential district permit parking within the boundaries of King Avenue to the north, Olentangy River on the west, I-670 on the south, and Norfolk Southern Railroad Right-of-way East of Fourth Street on the east until December 31, 2014 March 31, 2015. During this time period, no petitions will be accepted for submittal by the Department of Public Service.
Section 2. That during this moratorium, the Director of Public Service is hereby instructed to continue to thoroughly research the safety, practicality and other considerations that would affect the circumstances under which recommendations made from this Short North Parking Working Group could be adopted.
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.