Submitted By
Tammie Grossman, Director of Development Customer Services
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 15 (“Motor Vehicles and Traffic”), Article 1 (“In General”), Section 15-1-27 (“Parking Pilot Program”) and Article 4 (“Vehicle Licenses”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Codify the Expansion of Components of the Village’s 2019 Parking Pilot Program as Directed by the Village Board on February 27, 2023
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Overview
Overview
The proposed Ordinance codifies the expansion of various policies, as tested in the Village’s Parking Pilot Program and recommended by the Village’s Transportation Commission. The Village Board directed staff to prepare this Ordinance at its February 27, 2023, Special Study Session.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Ordinance.
Background
The Village’s Parking Pilot Program was approved by the Village Board and established in 2019. The parking pilot area, as defined by the Village Code, is bound by Harlem Avenue to the west, Oak Park Avenue to the east, South Boulevard to the north and Harrison Street to the south. This area was selected because it contains virtually every parking challenge and opportunity in Oak Park with single-family and multi-family residences overlapping with commuter and business parking.
The program was intended to end in the fall of 2019, with the evaluation and potential expansion of the policies to occur in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic and staff changes delayed any further action and the pilot program policies remained in effect, as originally approved, only in the specified pilot area.
In the fall of 2021, Village staff, with the support of the Village’s Transportation Commission, developed a survey to gauge the public’s opinion on policies tested as part of the Parking Pilot Program. Staff widely advertised the survey by publishing notices on the Village website and social media pages and placing promotional yard signs throughout the community. In total, the survey garnered 878 responses, with 58% self-identifying as single-family dwellers and 42% self-identifying as multi-family dwellers. These survey results, which were made available to the public, aided staff, the Transportation Commission, and ultimately the Village Board in its evaluation of the Parking Pilot Program and recommendations for further expansion of the tested policies.
The evaluation of the pilot program and formulation of recommendations occurred throughout 2022, with the Transportation Commission first making a motion at its January 11, 2022 meeting to recommend to the Village Board a comprehensive series of recommendations stemming from staff’s and the Commission’s evaluation of the pilot program policies. The following recommendations were then reviewed and discussed by the Village Board at its February 14, 2022, special study session:
1. Extend the time of enforcement of pay-by-plate parking spaces to 8 p.m., from the previous 6 p.m.,
2. Implement a graduated fee structure for pay-by-plate parking,
3. Implement a standardized 3-hour daytime, weekday parking restriction on blocks that currently have daytime time parking restrictions,
4. Allow for resident exemptions from daytime, and weekday restrictions with a valid Village Vehicle License (if parked on your block),
5. Implement a daytime guest pass system, allowing residents to obtain passes for their guests to override daytime weekday restrictions on their block, and
6. Analyze existing overnight on-street permit parking to improve access for permit holders.
On February 14, 2022, there was a consensus of the Village Board to move forward with expanding the extension of enforcement of pay-by-plate parking as well as the implementation of a graduated fee structure for pay-by-plate parking. Subsequently, on November 21, 2022, the Village Board approved Ordinance 22-86, which standardized the graduated fee structure for all existing and future pay-by-plate parking spaces within the high and medium parking demand zones effective January 1, 2023. Furthermore, standardized enforcement until 8 p.m. of the pay-by-plate parking spaces was made effective January 1, 2023.
With respect to the standardized 3-hour daytime weekday parking restriction, the resident vehicle license exemption from daytime restrictions and the daytime guest passes, there was also a consensus of the Village Board on February 14, 2022, to direct staff to move forward with planning for a phased expansion of these policies to the remainder of the community. At its February 27, 2023, special study session, the Village Board directed staff to prepare an Ordinance that would allow for the expansion of these policies to the remainder of the community.
The recommendation to analyze existing overnight on-street permit parking to improve access for permit holders was remanded back to the Transportation Commission by the Village Board on February 14, 2022. Subsequently, over the course of six (6) meetings throughout 2022, the Commission evaluated the overnight on-street permit parking system, taking into account staff’s recommendations while also making a concerted effort to solicit public feedback. Ultimately, the Commission recommended revisions to seven (7) of the 17 total overnight on-street permit zones. At its February 27, 2023, special study session, the Village Board directed staff to provide a mailed notice to those properties adjacent to or near the affected street frontages where overnight on-street permit parking is proposed to be added. The notice explained the proposed additions and provided instructions on how to provide public comment to the Village Board at tonight’s meeting.
Fiscal Impact
Funding for the phased implementation of the revised signage is outlined in the Village’s FY 23 - FY 27 Capital Improvement Plan. $200,000 is budgeted each year in FY 23 through FY 25 within GL# 5060.43770.786.570707.
DEI Impact
The standardized 3-hour daytime weekday parking restriction, the resident vehicle license exemption from daytime restrictions, and the daytime guest passes will make the parking system fairer for residents of both single-family and multi-family residences. Residents and their guests will no longer be subjected to parking restrictions on their own block that were originally designed to deter transient or commuter parking in residential areas.
The additional street frontages designated for overnight on-street permit parking will make the parking system more equitable for those residents that do not have access to private parking, primarily multi-family dwellers.
Alternatives
Deny the Ordinance.
Previous Board Action
On February 27, 2023, the Village Board directed staff to prepare an Ordinance allowing for the expansion of the standardized 3-hour daytime restriction, the resident vehicle license exemption from daytime restrictions, and the daytime guest passes as well as the proposed additions to the seven (7) overnight on-street permit zones.
On November 21, 2022, the Village Board approved Ordinance 22-86, which standardized the graduated fee structure for all existing and future pay-by-plate parking spaces within the high and medium parking demand zones effective January 1, 2023. Furthermore, standardized enforcement until 8 p.m. of the pay-by-plate parking spaces was made effective January 1, 2023.
On February 14, 2022, during a special study session, the Village Board reviewed a series of recommendations from the Transportation Commission pertaining to the expansion of policies tested as part of the Village’s Parking Pilot Program.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
On January 11, 2022, the Transportation Commission reviewed the staff’s recommendations regarding the Parking Pilot Program.
On March 8, 2022, the Transportation Commission directed staff to come back to the Commission with recommended revisions to only select zones where permit holders experience particular hardship due to shared use regulations and lack of availability.
On April 12, 2022, the Transportation Commission reviewed maps depicting staff’s recommended revisions to seven (7) overnight on-street parking zones, inclusive of the revisions to the seven (7) zones.
On June 14, 2022, the Transportation Commission reviewed the recommended revisions again and directed staff to provide notification to all those properties adjacent to or near the affected street frontages.
On July 12, 2022, the Transportation Commission reviewed the recommended revisions again and directed staff to provide a second notification to all those properties adjacent to or near the affected street frontages in order to allow adequate time for residents to submit their public comments.
On September 13, 2022, the Transportation Commission reviewed the recommended revisions again and directed staff to modify the proposed revisions to only add additional permit parking to one side of the street where applicable so as to not limit temporary parking options for residents and visitors.
On October 11, 2022, the Transportation Commission made a motion to concur with the recommended revisions to the overnight zones as presented.
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
N/A.