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City to begin pilot parking district for Rose to Foxdale neighborhood June 1


Residents of the Rose to Foxdale neighborhood who requested relief from non-residents using their parking spaces will soon be able to obtain parking permits. Enforcement of a pilot parking district will begin June 1 for a one-year trial, according to Jay Petrek, Escondido’s assistant city manager.

Signage is already going up in the area where the permits will be enforced.

In January 2016 residents from the area spoke to the council requesting that such a district be created to discourage non-residents from taking up their parking spaces along the street.

Earlier this year the city council adopted this pilot program, which had been unanimously recommended by the Transportation and Community Safety Commission on August 4, 2016, when many residents from the neighborhood supported it.

On September 28, the City Council allocated $10,000 to create and install signage and purchase parking permits the residents could purchase.  Staffers anticipated that an average of 2.3 permits per residence within the 172 homes (and 242 parking spaces) of the district will be sold.

During the pilot program the city staff will track how many residents buy the permits and return to the council after a year to report on the program’s success.

The previous year (2015) the Police Department had conducted its Neighborhood Transformation Program in the area surrounding the 1600 – 1800 blocks of East Grand Avenue comprising 252 single family attached residences with single car garages.

Residents complained to officers that residents from apartment projects were parking in their neighborhood rather than at their apartments. The police wrote parking citations to try to address the problem, but according to a report to the council it “was ineffective and time prohibitive.”

At this same time the “Rose to Foxdale Neighborhood Group” organized to build on the community outreach initiated by the Neighborhood Transformation Program.

In January 2016, the neighborhood group president, with about two dozen residents, approached the city council during the period at the beginning of the council meetings when members of the community are encouraged to speak (Oral Communications.) They requested the special parking district. Council directed staff to work with them to create it.

Last spring city staff conducted research, looking at what other cities had done with similarly-sized neighborhoods.  They held a neighborhood meeting in April 2016 attended by about 80 residents. They learned that for the city to proceed 70% of the homes in the proposed parking district must include at least one resident who endorsed the pilot program. This minimum was met and the petitions were presented to the City in June 2016.

Last September some residents told the council about concerns about communicating the program to residents, specifically, 1) availability of materials in Spanish, 2) the number of parking permits available per household, 3) enforcement days and times established for the parking district, and the costs of permits.

At a meeting attended by about 95 residents said they supported the following:

Permit Administration – Enforcement will occur weekdays between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Enforcement will occur on Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Resident Permit and Fee – All parking permits are issued after first providing that each residence is to be used for on-site parking for one vehicle operable by one resident. Thereafter, additional drivers of additional vehicles shall be eligible for a “Resident Permit” for a vehicle that may be parked in the District. Each address may be eligible for a maximum of five Resident Permits for $25 per year each.

Guest Permit and Fee – One transferable Guest Permit (also $25) would be available per residence to allow residents’ visitors to park in the district during enforcement hours.

Again, neighborhood representatives were asked to circulate petitions to gauge who wanted to be part of the parking district. Residents from Cherry Place, Farland Place, Rose Street, and Greenview Street requested to be removed from the district.

The permits will consist of stickers affixed to the inside of vehicles, and transferable guest parking permits for display on vehicles’ rear-view mirrors. Permits will cost $25 apiece.

Once the parking district signage has been installed, staff will allow a 30-day “grace period” to allow time for residents to acquire their necessary permits. During this time, parking violators will be issued a written warning for parking without a required permit. Afterward, parking violators will be cited and/or vehicles towed that do not display the permits, including residents and their guests.

The city is starting to get requests from other Neighborhood Groups to establish resident parking districts in their areas.

Permits will allow for identified vehicles to park anywhere in the District. Permits will not be assigned to any specific location or address.

An annual nonrefundable Resident Permit fee of $25 must be paid for each resident parking permit. An annual nonrefundable Guest Permit fee of $25 must be paid for each guest parking permit.

Parking Permits shall be issues and managed by the Escondido Police Department.

Residents will be required to provide photo ID or a utility bill, vehicle registration, rental agreement, etc. to prove residency to be issued a permit.

One response to “City to begin pilot parking district for Rose to Foxdale neighborhood June 1”

  1. Alicia Zavala says:

    Any updates as to when we’re getting stickers for our cars??

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