Explanation
Parking for residents, visitors, and businesses in the Short North neighborhoods of Italian Village, Victorian Village, The Circles, Dennison Place and Harrison West has become a growing issue as the area continues to thrive. Under current policy and procedure, 60% of residents on a street may petition to restrict on street parking to tenants with a parking permit and those visitors with a guest pass or guest hang tag. Successful petitions trigger a parking study and recommendations to the Transportation and Pedestrian Commission, who votes regarding support of the restricted parking, with the ultimate decision resting with the Director of Public Service.
In August 2012, a working group was formed consisting of Department of Public Service staff and residents representing neighborhood and business issues, to make recommendations for a new process and to address the growing parking needs in the area. In May 2013, suggestions were made to the Transportation and Pedestrian Commission, but were accompanied by complaints that the working group did not fully represent community interest.
In June 2013, the Director of Public Service and Councilmember Eileen Paley requested that a revived version of the working group be assembled that had backing from the community. This group is made of business owners, residents, and civic leaders who have been charged to make recommendations to address the parking needs in the area from a balanced and holistic perspective. This legislation is one of the recommendations, with the intent to have a moratorium in place only so long as neccessary to facilitate further reccomendations.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Public Service Department to impose 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. (AMENDED BY ORD. 2930-2013 PASSED 12/16/2013)
Body
WHEREAS, Section 2105.21 of the Columbus City Code authorizes the Director of Public Service to authorize the creation of residential parking permit districts after conducting a parking study to determine if appropriate conditions exist to justify such permit district parking; and
WHEREAS, Section 2105.21 requires the Director of Public Service to promulgate regulations to implement the creation of residential parking permit districts; and
WHEREAS, as required by Section 2105.21, the Director of Public Service last adopted and published rules and regulations on October 1, 2004 addressing the procedure by which residential permit parking districts are established; and
WHEREAS, existing residential permit parking districts have been created pursuant to and in accordance with this process; and
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 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, on July 2, 2013 said working group voted unanimously to request and recommend that City Council institute a 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 as the working group gathers 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, it is 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, issuing a moratorium 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 for up to one year, or as repealed through city council ordinance, will afford the working group time to make policy recommendations and city officials to consider, as well as share such recommendations with impacted residents, visitors, and businesses; 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 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. This moratorium will commence on September 16, 2013 and will conclude on September 16, 2014. 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 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 this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.