COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

November 15, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 5, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Revisions to Chapter 7.28 (Miscellaneous Parking Regulations) of Title 7, Vehicles and Traffic, of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code; Resolution Designating Miscellaneous Parking Regulations, and Prohibiting Parking at the Intersection of Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads (Woodside Area)

Recommendation

Adopt

1.

An ordinance:

a)

repealing Sections 7.28.100, 7.28.110 and 7.28.160 of the Ordinance Code.

2.

A resolution:

a)

redesignating miscellaneous parking regulations as previously provided by the Ordinance Code sections that are recommended to be repealed; and

b)

prohibiting parking at the intersection of Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads as requested by the Town of Woodside.

Vision Alignment

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goal(s): Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or gain.

Your Board’s adoption of the proposed ordinance and resolution will allow us to:

a.

streamline Ordinance Code Section 7.28 et. seq.; and

b.

maintain alphabetic listings of approved miscellaneous parking regulations that can be easily updated.

Background

Previous Board Action

Adopted similar ordinances, which amended and streamlined Loading Zones; No Parking and No Parking During Specified Hours; Time Limited Parking; and Disabled Parking Zones, as the Vehicle Code provides that said zones can be established by resolution of the governing board of a jurisdiction.

Adopted resolutions, which designated No Parking, No Parking During Specified Hours, Time Limited Parking, Loading and Disabled Parking Zones on various County maintained roads.

History

Miscellaneous Parking Regulations that are approved are currently codified in chronological order in Section 7.28 of the County Ordinance Code. Existing miscellaneous parking regulation ordinances date back to 1983.

Discussion

Listing Miscellaneous Parking Regulations by Resolution

We are recommending that streets and portions of streets within the unincorporated area where miscellaneous parking regulations are established be approved by resolution and no longer be listed in the Ordinance Code. The miscellaneous parking restrictions can then be maintained using an alphabetic listing of streets that will be available in list form and also provided on the Department’s web site.

Prohibiting Parking at the Intersection of Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads

The intersection of Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads is partially within the Town of Woodside and partially in the unincorporated area. An additional miscellaneous parking regulation has been included in the resolution at the request of the Town of Woodside. The Town recently adopted a resolution, which prohibits loading, unloading, stopping, standing, parking, storage of vehicles or trailers, or storage of materials at the intersection of Whiskey Hill and Sand Hill Roads because of traffic safety and aesthetic concerns. The Town has requested that the County adopt a similar resolution such that the parking restriction covers the entire intersection. We evaluated the Town’s request, believe that it is appropriate, and are recommending that parking in the area be restricted as proposed.

An ordinance and resolution have been approved as to form by County Counsel.

Fiscal Impact

The cost of the staff time involved in evaluating and processing requests for parking regulations are a part of the administrative costs associated with evaluating traffic-related requests involving the County maintained road system, and is financed with Road Funds. The cost of signing and marking parking regulations and crosswalks varies, but averages approximately $500 per zone. This cost is also financed with Road Funds.

Ordinance Code revisions are compiled and published by County Counsel and the cost of this work is financed with General Funds. We believe that there will be a savings of approximately $150 per year to the General Fund as updates to this section of the Ordinance Code will no longer have to be published each time a new miscellaneous parking regulation is approved by your Board. This revision will eliminate one (1) page from the Ordinance Code. The $150 saving is based on eliminating approximately one (1) page of Ordinance Code revisions annually, and County Counsel’s estimate that it costs approximate $150 per page to publish and distribute Ordinance Code supplements each year.

There is no impact to the General Fund.