AGENDA #4c
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: On-Street Parking Restrictions at the End of Coolidge Street
DATE: May 9, 2005
Enactment of the attached ordinance would prohibit on-street parking for 230 feet on the north side and 50 feet on the south side of Coolidge Street at its west end. An area map is provided in Attachment 1.
We recommend enactment of the attached ordinance.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Engineering Department received a request from Ms. Venitah Sanders, 606 Coolidge Street, requesting that on-street parking on the north side of Coolidge Street be prohibited along her property frontage. Ms. Fontaine stated that vehicles are often parked on both sides of Coolidge Street in front of her property, restricting access for both emergency and routine service vehicles and creating difficult conditions for automobile drivers.
Coolidge Street in this area is 20 feet wide, paved, with curb-and-gutter and the posted speed limit is 25 mph. On-street parking is currently allowed by residential permit only on both sides of Coolidge Street, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, and parking is allowed without permit during the remaining times (night and weekends).
Staff from the Engineering and the Fire Departments conducted field investigations at various times. We observed that, when cars are parked on both sides at the end of Coolidge Street, the street is effectively reduced to one travel lane, inhibiting two-way vehicular traffic and often leaving insufficient travel lane width for reasonable access by fire trucks and routine service vehicles. We believe that many of the parked vehicles are owned by commuters, not by residents of adjacent properties.
Staff from the Inspections Department also identified front-yard parking on two properties that is not in compliance with Town ordinances. The property owners have been notified of the violations that need to be corrected.
Based on our field observations and discussions with emergency and routine service providers, we have prepared the attached ordinance that would restrict on-street parking for 230 feet on the north side and 50 feet on south side of Coolidge Street at its west end.
CONCLUSION
Based on our observations, we believe that the proposed on-street parking restrictions at the west end of Coolidge Street would improve access and mobility for emergency and routine service vehicles and local residents.
The Manager recommends that the Council enact the attached ordinance restricting on-street parking for 230 feet on north side and 50 feet on south side at the west end of Coolidge Street.
1. Map of Recommended On-Street Parking Restricted Area (p. 4).
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING PARKING AS TO PARTICULAR STREETS (2005-05-09/O-1)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:
Section 1. Section 21-27 of the Town Code of Ordinances, "No parking as to particular streets:" is hereby amended by inserting the following therein the appropriate alphabetical order:
“Street Side From To
Coolidge Street North Side End A point 230 feet eastward
Coolidge Street South Side End A point 50 feet eastward”
Section 2. This ordinance shall become effective upon adoption.
This the 9th day of May, 2005.