CR 2000-052 Consider Truck Parking Restrictions 11th Avenue South
e
e
.
, y
o
March 17, 2000
v "'"
~
">- '"
o P K \ ~
Council Report 2000-52
CONSIDER TRUCK PARKING RESTRICTIONS
11 TH AVENUE SOUTH
Proposed Action.
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion:"Move that Council accept staff's review of
current ordinances concerning truck parking and call for continued observation of parking and
safety factors on 1 llh Avenue South between 7th Street South and Smetana road."
Overview.
Council received a letter from an I I th Avenue South resident requesting a review of current
parking ordinances as they pertain to commercial vehicles with a view towards making revisions.
Staff has reviewed the City Code provisions; made numerous visits to ]]th Avenue South spot
checks of truck parking; visited the area to investigate actual incidents of truck parking;
consulted the Hopkins Police department.
Primary Issues to Consider.
· Resident Letter
· City Code provisions
. Review and findings
. Options
. Recommendation
Supporting Information.
· City Code - Sections 1305.43 and 1315.07
. Res~
Steven 1. Stadler, Public Works Director
Financial Impact: None Budgeted: N/A
Related Documents (CIP, ERPJ etc.): N/A
Notes:
Source: N/A
. . Resident Letter
Attached is a letter from a resident at 707 Illh Avenue South. The letter cites the nature of
traffic on and general use of 11th A venue South between ih Street South and Smetana. It
cites a perceived problem of safety on this roadway, specifically access to 11 Ih Avenue from
driveways on side streets. The resident requests review of current City Code provision for
commercial vehicle parking with a view to changing the code.
. City Code provisions
Two sections of the City Code as they pertain to truck parking are:
Section 1305.43
No commercial vehicles shall be parked or stored on any platted public residential streets
except for purposes of loading and unloading.
Section 1315.07
e
With Council approval "No Truck Parking" zones can be established on city streets marked
by signs with no parking restrictions between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. during weekdays. Vehicles
restricted are those of more than one ton capacity. Restrictions do not apply to trucks using
the street for no longer duration than 30 minutes for loading and unloading purposes.
.
Review and findings
Section 1305.43 of the code is deemed not applicable to this request because it only applies
to residential streets. 11 III Avenue South, by every detinition available does not meet this
standard. To meet the request Council would nee dot revise the code by striking the term
"residential" and then truck parking on any Hopkins street would be banned.
Section 1315.07 is more applicable to the situation and would require Council to officially
establish a "No Truck Parking" zone marked by signs. The criteria for such action are heavy
commercial vehicle traffic or other traffic congestion making truck parking a hazard to
safety. It is not clear the petitioner would be satisfied with a provision ofthis section that
bans truck parking only from 8 a.ill. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.
Staff has done a preliminary investigation of parking issue son 11th Avenue South in the
targeted area and provides the following findings:
1. The west side of 11th Avenue South between ih Street South and Smetana Road is posted
with parking restrictions: no parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.ill. There are no parking
restrictions on the east side. The overall city restriction of 24 hour parking still applies to
both sides of the street
.
.
2. The police department recalls only one vehicular accident on 111h Avenue South related
to line of sight issues. The police also relate no logged complaints about truck parking or
safety concerns except those received in the past three weeks. One call concerned a
tanker truck parked on the east side of 11 th Avenue immediately south of ih Street South.
The other calls recorded in this same time period relate to pedestrian crossing issues.
3. Staff has conducted periodic site visits since receiving this letter and has observed no
truck parking save for the incident above investigated by the police.
4. Staff recalls receiving one other call in the past concerning line of sight and that was
related to the accident mentioned above in a police report.
. Options
1. Amend Section 1305.43 of the City Code and declare "No Truck Parking" on any_street
in Hopkins.
2. Declare a "No Truck Parking" zone under provisions of Section 1315.07
3. Act on Option 2 above and possibly amend the language concerning no parking between
8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays.
4. Take no action
5. Take no formal action but sanction further observation of parking and safety issues. If
safety concerns reach a level warranting parking restrictions, staff will report back to City
e Council accordingly
. Recommendation
Staff finds the first option draconian and a total disruption to parking in the City. This option
is not recommended.
Options 2 or 3 are not acceptable at this time because there is very little evidence to
substantiate taking measures to create a "No Truck Parking" zone on 11 th Avenue South.
Section 1315.07 was established to address truck parking and safety issues of far greater
severity than what is presented here. Staff is also very concerned that creating such a zone
for a street demonstrating marginal need at best will create undue pressure on Council to
create zones in other areas.
Staff feels it prudent not to dismiss the 11 lh Avenue South resident's concerns but to accept it
as the basis for continued observation of parking and safety issues on this particular roadway.
Staff recommends option 5.
e
.
e
.
Hopkins City Code
(Rev. 1989), 1305.39
1305.39. Public thorouqhfare defined.
"public thoroughfare" means any alley,
pathway, road or street established
pedestrian traffic.
For purposes of this section the term
avenue, boulevard, cuI-de - sac, highway,
or existing for use by vehicular or
1305.41.
(Repealed, Ord. No. 89-630, Sec. 3)
1305.43. Commercial vehicles. No commercial or industrial motor truck or
trailer rated at more than 9000 GVW, and no vehicle designed, used or maintained
for the towing of other vehicles or equipment shall be parked, permitted or
stored on any platted public residential street except at the premises then
requiring immediate loading or unloading or other service at such premises.
1305.45. Parkinq auto trailers. Subdivision 1. General rule. An auto
trailer may not be parked and occupied on any street or alley within the city for
a continuous period of more than six hours. No trailer shall be parked and
occupied anywhere in the city for a longer period than 24 hours, without first
registering the auto trailer with the police chief. Any person desiring to
register an auto trailer shall furnish the police department with the name, age,
address and occupation of every occupant of the auto trailer, together with
information regarding the place where the auto trailer is proposed to be parked,
and shall further show that fresh water and toilet facilities will be available
to the occupants of the auto trailer at all times of the day and night at a
distance of not greater than 150 feet from the place where the auto trailer is
proposed to be parked.
Subd. 2. Permit required. Upon the registration of the auto trailer the
police chief may issue a permit to park the said auto trailer at the place
proposed for a period not to exceed 30 days, provided, however, that not more
than two such renewals shall be issued to any auto trailer or auto trailer
occupant in any calendar year.
Subd. 3. Form of permit. Information required to be given and furnished
by the applicant for a permit shall be written into the permit issued. The
giving of false information by an applicant is a violation of this code.
Subd. 4. Private property. No auto trailer shall be parked for any
period of time upon any private property without the permission of the owner of
the property. For the purpose of this section, the term "private property"
includes property owned by the state of Minnesota or any political subdivision of
the state.
Section 1305
4
Hopkins City Code
1315.01
.
Section 1315 - Parking Zones; Loading; Cab Stands
1315.01. Parking zones. The manager, with the approval of the council, may
designate certain blocks or portions of blocks within the city as no parking
zonest of 30-minute. one-hour. two-hour or longer (but not to exceed six hours)
limited parking zones and shall mark by appropriate signs any zones so estab-
lished. Parking zones shall be established wherever necessary for the conve-
nience of the public or to minimize traffic hazards and to preserve a free flow
of traffic. No person shall park any vehicle in a parking zone or in any
limited parking zone between the hours of 8:00 o'clock a.m. and 6:00 o'clock
p.m. of any weekday for a longer period than is specified on the signs marking
such zone.
1315.03. Loading zones. The manager. with the approval of the council, may
establish in any block one or more loading zones and shall mark by appropriate
signs any zone so established. Loading zones shall be located at places most
convenient for the use of the public with regard to traffic conditions in the
block. No person shall, between the hours of 8:00 o'clock a.m. and 6:00 o'clock
p.m. of any weekday, park any vehicle in any loading zone except for the purpose
of receiving or discharging passengers or freight and then only for a period no
longer than is necessary for the discharge or receipt of passengers or freight.
e
1315.05. Taxicab zones. The manager, with the approval of the council, may
establish parking zones in the city for vehicles engaged in commercial passenger
transportation other than taxicabs as the same shall be required for public
safety and convenience. Except for the time necessary to load and unload
passengers, no person driving, operating or having under his control any vehicle
engaged in commercial passenger transportation other than taxi cabs. shall
cause, permit or allow such vehicle to park, standt or remain at, upon, or in
any street or highways in the city or along the curb adjoining thereto, except
at the parking zones designated and established for such vehicles. Vehicles
shall stand or be parked parallel with and within one foot of the curb and shall
not be parked nearer to each other than five feet. No person except a driver or
operator having under his control a vehicle engaged in commercial passenger
transportation other than taxi cabs, shall park any vehicle in a parking zone.
1315.07. No truck parking zones. The manager, with the approval of the coun-
cil. may establish "No Truck Parking" zones in the city and shall mark by
appropriate signs any zones so established. The zones shall be established
where heavy traffic by commercial vehicles or other traffic congestion makes
parking by commercial vehicles a hazard to the safety of vehicles or pedestri-
ans. No person shall park a commercial vehicle of more than one ton capacity
between 8:00 o'clock a.m. and 6:00 o'clock p.m. on any weekday upon any street
in any ttNo Truck Parking" zone. but parking of such vehicles for a period of not
more than 30 minutes shall be permitted in such zone for the purpose of having
access to abutting property when such access cannot conveniently be secured from
an alley or from a side street where truck parking is not so restricted.
.
.
Hopkins City Council
1010-1st Street South
Hopkins, MN 55343
Date: February 14, 2000
Subject: Semi Parking 11th Av. So.
DearCouncilMembe~,
I am asking the council to consider the safety concerns I have for Hopkins citizens by
allowing semi tractor-trailer parking on 11th Avenue South in Hopkins.
I have spoken with the Hopkins Police Department and they have stated that current city
ordinance allows semi tractor-trailers to park on that street. My concerns are as follows:
. Between 7th Street South and Smetana Road there are 2 intersections, and
15 driveways.
. It is an MTC Bus route with buses running every 30 minutes during daytime
hours, and it is a school bus route for both public and private schools.
. In the afternoon it is bumper to bumper traffic getting vehicles out of the Opus
business district.
-
. Approximately 15-20 percent of the Hopkins population lives in this area, with
nearly everyone using 11th Avenue South to access their homes.
. There is a large amount of pedestrian traffic crossing the street, much of
which is children, going to the Tom Thumb store on the West side of the
street.
. A semi parked going North bound on 11th Avenue requires a vehicle pulling
out of a driveway on the East side of the street to go South, to totally block
the North bound lane before it can see if there is anyon-coming Southbound
traffic. This would be the same for any of the 15 driveways entering onto 11th
Avenue, no matter which side of the street the driveway is on.
I believe the potential for injury is very high for all the residents in the Westbrooke area.
My hope is that this letter will prompt a review of the current parking ordinance, that the
review will support my concerns, and result in the ordinance being changed.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
II
Sincerely,
~M.6 L~~AiV
Barb Lehman
707-11th Avenue So. #2
Hopkins, MN 55343
933-5168