The Administration recommends that the Mayor and Commission approve the ordinance on second and final public hearing.

First Reading - October 26, 2016

The Mayor and City Commission approved Item No. R5A at First Reading of the Ordinance on October 26, 2016. The Ordinance amends the City Code and authorizes the City's Parking Director to establish scooter, moped, and motorcycle parking spaces in certain specified parking spaces and prohibit same in certain specified parking spaces. 

The City has experienced increased utilization of alternative vehicles, including scooters and motorcycles, which are environmentally friendly due to their low emissions as well as low expense to own, operate, and maintain. This increased usage of scooters and motorcycles has directly impacted parking demand and competition for curbside parking spaces.

Regrettably, an unintended consequence has been citizens placing a scooter or motorcycle at a parking space with the intent to “reserve” it for later placement of an automobile, despite availability and specific designation of parking for scooters and motorcycles in the immediate area.  Reserving a public parking space with the intent of private use, by any means, is prohibited.

The City has the authority and duty to regulate curbside parking, including either prohibiting or allowing curbside parking for certain types of vehicles at certain designated parking spaces.  The Mayor and Commission approved a six (6) month pilot program allowing scooter and motorcycle parking at certain designated parking spaces and their prohibition at certain other parking spaces. 

North Beach/Normandy Isle - Pilot Program

The scooter and motorcycle parking pilot program was deployed over the last six months in Normandy Isle where there was a high occurrence of the activity described above. The boundaries for the pilot program were as follows:

·         Bay Drive between 71^st Street and Rue Versailles.

·         Biarritz Drive between Rue Versailles and Rue Vendome.  

·         Brest Esplanade between Biarritz Drive and Bay Drive.

·         Rue Vendome between 71^st Street and Biarritz Drive.

New Parking Rules for Scooters and Motorcycles:

The pilot program designated specific curbside parking spaces for scooters and motorcycles throughout the neighborhood. In most locations, groupings of curbside parking spaces were deployed. These areas had signs very similar to the one below providing notice at the perimeter of the neighborhood (left) as well as the posted restriction (right) indicating the parking space designation. 

    (Please see attached Exhibit Pictures A & B)            

All other curbside parking spaces in the area have markings prohibiting scooter and motorcycle parking. Most curbside parking spaces in this neighborhood are angled. Each angled parking space has wheel stop (barrier that keeps an automobile from extending into the sidewalk).  Markings very similar to the one below were placed on each wheel stop indicating scooter and motorcycle parking is prohibited at any parking space bearing this marking. In cases where curbside parking is in a parallel configuration, the sign below may be attached to the curb in concert with signage.

 (Please see attached Exhibit Picture C)        

In conclusion, the Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission approve an amendment, on second and final public hearing, to Chapter 106, “Traffic and Vehicles” Article II, “Metered Parking” by amending Sections 106-46; establishing, Subsection (c), providing for scooter, moped, and motorcycle parking designations; and providing for codification, repealer, severability, and an effective date.