HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2020 0916 CCSA REG ITEM 09BCITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
of September 16, 2020
ACTION Consensus to Direct Staff to
Return to a Future Meeting with Additional
Information for Further Discussion.
BY B.Garza.
B. Consider Continuation of the City’s Street Sweeping Enforcement Program. Staff
Recommendation: Continue enforcement of the City’s street sweeping parking
restrictions subject to City Manager’s determination of ending the COVID-19
suspension. (Staff: Shaun Kroes)
Item: 9.B.
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Shaun Kroes, Program Manager
DATE: 09/16/2020 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider Continuation of the City’s Street Sweeping Enforcement
Program
SUMMARY
In March 2020, the City temporarily suspended issuing parking tickets to vehicles that
were parked on the street during the restricted parking time for street sweeping services
(street sweeping enforcement). The suspension of street sweeping enforcement was
due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the recognition that a number of
residents were at home during the day when they would normally be at work, school, or
socializing. As requested by the City Council, staff is providing a report of the City’s
street sweeping parking enforcement program, for consideration as to whether or not
the City should end street sweeping enforcement permanently. This report provides a
brief history of why the City provides street sweeping services; why it restricts parking
during street sweeping hours and issues parking tickets; and the fiscal impacts of
ticketing or not ticketing for street sweeping. Based on the benefits of reducing debris
and pollution in the City’s streets and storm drain system and the indirect funding of the
City’s stormwater division (which the City must have) staff is recommending that the
City continue street sweeping enforcement as a general rule. Street sweeping
enforcement may continue to be suspended for a time, while the impacts of COVID-19
continue.
BACKGROUND
Since the 1980s, the City has provided street sweeping services, which was established
to reduce the amount of debris that accumulated in the City’s gutters. Reducing the
amount of debris in the gutters in turn reduces the amount of debris that gets into the
City’s storm drain system that could cause potential flooding by clogging a storm drain;
or, gets washed into the local watershed. Nearly all public streets are swept within the
City; with the majority swept twice a month and major arterials swept weekly.
Item: 9.B.
37
Honorable City Council
09/16/2020 Regular Meeting
Page 2
In 1993, the City began parking enforcement for street sweeping as a response to
federally mandated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
programs, intended to improve the quality of stormwater run-off. Street sweeping
service is recognized as being an effective way to reduce the amount of debris including
litter and other pollutants that can enter local waterways. By ticketing vehicles that
remain parked during restricted parking times the street sweeper is more effective at
collecting debris that would have otherwise been left on the street with vehicles parked
at the curb. Street sweeping enforcement occurs in residential neighborhoods.
The City’s current NPDES Permit requires that street sweeping occur on curbed streets
in commercial areas and areas subject to high trash generation at least two times per
month. The City goes above and beyond that requirement as vehicles parked in any
location can be a source of pollution. Also, many residential streets have a large
amount of trees and leaf litter that can accumulate, potentially increasing the frequency
of catch basins becoming clogged and causing flooding. It is not uncommon for the City
to receive calls from residents concerned about debris that has accumulated along
residential curbs where the street sweeper has not been able to remove debris; either
due to a parked vehicle or the gutter happens to be at an angle that prevented the
sweeper from effectively removing the debris. In those situations, the street sweeper
may be re-deployed to the location, or, Public Works staff will go to the site and
manually remove the accumulated debris.
The next generation stormwater permit, currently released as a “Tentative” permit will
require the City to designate streets within the City as Priority A, B, or C streets. The
designation would then determine the frequency of street sweeping such as twice per
month, once per month, or as necessary, but, no less than once per year. As a
tentative permit, final language and interpretation of enforcement still remains to be
determined.
DISCUSSION
City staff polled all cities within Ventura County concerning their street sweeping
schedule and if they issue notices of parking violation (parking tickets). Table 1 on the
following page provides a breakdown of the jurisdiction, its reported frequency of street
sweeping, and their enforcement program. There are likely additional nuances to each
street sweeping program; Table 1 provides more of a general overview.
38
Honorable City Council
09/16/2020 Regular Meeting
Page 3
Table 1: Street Sweeping By Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Sweeping Schedule
Parking
Enforcement*
County of Ventura
Limited to a couple of urban areas funded
by residents.No
Camarillo
Residential - once every other week.
Commercial - weekly.No
Fillmore
Residential - once every two weeks.
Business District - every Friday.
A Street - Every Friday.
State Highways - Every Friday.
No
Moorpark
Twice a month.
Major arterial streets weekly.
Yes
$63
Ojai Twice per month.No
Oxnard Majority of City swept twice per month.
Yes
$65
Port Hueneme
Majority of City swept weekly.
Some areas bi-weekly.
Yes
$53
Santa Paula
Twice a month.
Major arterial streets weekly.
Yes
$55
Simi Valley
Residential - swept monthly.
Businesses - swept monthly.No
Thousand Oaks
Residential (Oct - Apr) - twice per month.
Residential (May - Sep) - once per month.
Commercial - weekly.
General occurs the day after trash day/ 7
am to 7 pm.
No
Ventura
Residential - once per month (beach area
more often).
Limited
$72
* Parking ticket rates noted for jurisdictions that enforce street sweeping restrictions.
As indicated in Table 1 above, every city provides street sweeping services at different
frequencies, though a majority of the cities sweep twice a month for at least a portion of
their jurisdiction. As for parking enforcement, four cities (including Moorpark) ticket
during restricted street sweeping days and times. A fifth city, Ventura, has limited
ticketing for street sweeping days and times.
As previously mentioned, the intention of having restricted parking during street
sweeping and ticketing for vehicles that have not moved after during the restricted time
period is to encourage residents and visitors to remain off the street to enable as much
debris removal as possible. The Public Works Department assesses the City’s catch
basins annually to determine if any catch basins require debris removal. Out of more
than 700 catch basins, very few require cleaning, which could be attributed to the level
of curb area that the street sweeper is able to cover. Staff will be assessing the catch
basins again in the coming weeks; it remains to be seen if there will be an increase in
39
Honorable City Council
09/16/2020 Regular Meeting
Page 4
the number of catch basins that will need to be cleaned as a result of less street
sweeping enforcement.
Revenue from parking tickets goes to the General Fund (1000), specifically, revenue
line GF- Muni Code Fines (1000.000.00000.44000). In Fiscal Year (FY) 2018/19, the
City collected $221,741.50. This includes all parking tickets, such as street sweeping
violations, permit-restricted parking areas, disabled parking stall parking violations, etc.,
though a majority of tickets issued are for street sweeping violations.
The intent of enforcement is to decrease the amount of vehicles on the street parked on
the street during street sweeping activities in order to decrease the amount of debris
and pollutants that enter the City’s storm drain system and local waterways. This helps
the City to achieve compliance with its NPDES program. The City’s NPDES program is
primarily funded by the General Fund. The FY 2020/21 Stormwater Management
Division’s budget includes $137,297 in budgeted General Fund expenditures (excluding
$5,000 of General Fund revenue that comes from business inspection fees). One
additional benefit of street sweeping enforcement is that penalties paid for vehicles that
prevent the street sweeper from cleaning portions of the street (and therefore increase
stormwater pollution) go to fund the Stormwater Management Division, which has no
dedicated separate funding source.
FISCAL IMPACT
Table 2: General Fund Impact of Ending Street Sweeping Enforcement
Description
FY 2020/21
Adopted
Budget
FY 2020/21
Revised
Budget Net Impact
Revised
Budget
Notes
Gross Revenue 225,000$ 58,800$ (166,200)$ 1
Processing Agency (21,000)$ (5,174)$ 15,826$ 2
County/State Surcharges (42,500)$ (11,663)$ 30,837$ 3
DMV Collection Fees (3,500)$ (942)$ 2,558$ 4
Net Revenue 158,000$ 41,021$ (116,979)$ 5
1. Assumes reduction of 3,571 tickets to 933 tickets (at $63 each).
2. Assumes 8.8% revenue cost share of gross revenue.
3. Assumes 933 tickets multipled by $12.50/ticket.
4. Assumes 314 tickets attached to DMV record at $3/ticket.
5. Annual reduction of $116,979 in Net General Fund Revenue.
Table 2 above provides the estimated impact to the General Fund if street sweeping
enforcement is ended permanently, with an estimated net General Fund reduction of
$116,979 per year.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE
This action does not support a current specific strategic goal and objective.
40
Honorable City Council
09/16/2020 Regular Meeting
Page 5
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Continue enforcement of the City’s street sweeping parking restrictions subject to City
Manager’s determination of ending the COVID-19 suspension.
41