City Council Meeting Date: December 12, 2017
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
Dave Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Consider Resolution Restricting Parking on the West Side of Oak Street from Second Street to Fourth Street.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the Resolution establishing a parking prohibition on the west side of Oak Street from Second Street to Fourth Street.
Summary Report:
The City of Northfield was contacted by Laura Baker Services Association, (Attachment 2), at the request of the adjacent neighborhood to evaluate the parking on Oak Street between Second Street and Fourth Street (Attachment 3). Laura Baker Services along with the adjacent neighbors have had an established practice of not parking on the west side of Oak Street. With the addition of the Cannon Valley Special Education Cooperative, it has become more difficult to maintain the practice without proper signage.
City Staff reviewed the request at the September staff Traffic Safety Committee meeting, and recommended that the issue be discussed with the property owners on the Oak Street area in question. The staff Traffic Safety Committee came up with three options to present to the property owners. Seven properties received the questionnaires (Attachment 3) requesting feedback on three possible parking restriction considerations. The three options are as follows:
• Option #1 - Do not change the current parking conditions.
• Option #2 - Restrict parking on the west side of Oak Street from Second Street to Fourth Street Monday - Friday, 7:00 - A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
• Option #3 - No parking on the west side of Oak Street from Second Street to Fourth Street.
City staff received all seven responses back from the property owners, three of the property owners responded with selecting multiple options. In total, the city received 10 responses to the options, the results indicated one resident in favor of option #1, five residents in favor or option #2, and four residents in favor of option #3. Therefore, the traffic safety comittee recommended proceeding with option #2, which was the majority choice by the adjacent neighborhood.
A representative from Laura Baker Services attended the traffic safety committee meeting and was support of the recommendation of Option #2 for the no parking zone establishment.
Alternative Options:
The City Council could choose option #1 or option #3 as shown above. If issues continue to exist with parking issues outside of the 7 a.m. to to 5 p.m. restriction, Council could consider option 3 in the future. This provides a phased approach to the issue.
Financial Impacts:
The cost for the sign purchases is roughly $300 and funding is available from the streets operating budget.
Tentative Timelines:
If City Council establishes this parking prohibition, staff would purchase the signs and install them as weather allows. City staff would complete installation of the signs.