Tuesday, March 15, 2011
C
I T
Y O
F A
T L
A N
T A
DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC WORKS
to implement
recommendations to improve parking enforcement
The
City of Atlanta imposed a recent moratorium on parking enforcement in response
to concerns of both the residential and business communities.
The moratorium began Wednesday, May 12, 2010 and ends on June 10, 2010.
During this time period the PARKatlanta On-Street Parking Management
Program has not issued citations for expired meters, overtime parking, illegal
parking activities, or performed booting and/or towing.
This
moratorium has allowed the City time to:
-
Assess the policies and practices of parking enforcement and
administration
- Review customer service training
and ongoing public education and involvement
- Explore strategies to reduce the
number of citizen complaints
- Review all parking signage
“The
Department of Public Works along with the Office of the Mayor, Atlanta City
Council, and PARKatlanta has conducted a focused public input process to address
concerns raised by the community with regard to parking enforcement.
We heard the voice of the community and look forward to enhancing the
City’s parking management program” said Michael Bond, Sub-Committee Chair.
“We
certainly appreciate the community input involved in this process to improve our
customer service levels. As a result
of your efforts several short term recommendations have been implemented such as
administrative changes involving web site updates, all signage changes, and or
recommendations are complete, and we have begun distributing general information
public service announcements.” said Michael Cheyne, Interim Public Works
Commissioner.
In
accordance with the recommendations of the Atlanta City Council Transportation
Sub-Committee for Parking Enforcement, the Department of Public Works will be
working to enhance the service levels for the PARKatlanta On-street Parking
Management Program.
“In light of the current
status of the program, PARKatlanta will operate in a matter that helps to
further educate the public about our efforts to maintain an effective public
parking program for the City,” said Anderson Moore, Regional Vice President
Duncan Solutions/PARKatlanta.
PARKatlanta will resume
enforcement as follows:
-
Over
the next four days, through Tuesday June 15th, warning tickets will
issued (see attached sample below “End of Moratorium Notice”)
-
Citywide
enforcement of metered areas will occur 7:00 am – 7:00 pm Monday through
Friday, and 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM on Saturdays.
No enforcement will occur on Sundays.
These hours will be effective Wednesday, June 16th – Friday
July 16th.
-
Enforcement
hours will be subject to change as we continue to evaluate the overall program.
-
Booting
and towing will resume. A vehicle
may be subject to booting or towing if illegally parked (i.e. tow zone, handicap
zone, fire hydrant) or if there are 3 or more delinquent parking citations
outstanding.
For more information about
the City of Atlanta’s parking enforcement program, please visit: www.PARKatlanta.org or call (404)
330-6739.
ATLANTA
CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The following
recommendations to improve the program have been implemented or are underway.
The recommendations are categorized into short term “A”
and “B” initiatives as well as long term initiatives, of which the short
term “A” initiatives will be implemented prior to June 12,
2010.
Short
term
“A” initiatives include:
1.
Providing
brochures/notices to Neighborhood Planning Units, the Atlanta Planning Advisory
Board, and neighborhood and business associations.
2.
Providing
public service announcements via City Channel 26, and various media outlets.
3.
Working
with the Atlanta City Council offices on existing automated phone call (robo-calls)
lists to notify the public.
4.
Providing
contact information for City of Atlanta parking enforcement staff in all
communications.
5.
Phased-in
parking enforcement so that residents, businesses and patrons can be involved.
6.
Providing
temporary notification signage where new meters are placed and notifying
adjacent property owners of meter changes or new meter placements.
7.
Updating
City of Atlanta’s to include a map of all metered locations by Council
District and NPU.
8.
Updating
PARKatlanta & City websites to clarify the process for use of and/or
reporting broken meters.
9.
Updating
PARKatlanta & City websites to define what enforcement is for broken meters.
10.
Updating
PARKatlanta & City websites to include a direct link to the parking citation
dispute form.
11.
Updating
PARKatlanta & City websites to make the appeals process more prominent.
12.
Updating
public education materials to explain signage and curb markings. Note: The
Department of Public Works would continue to address any conflicts that arise.
13.
Clarifying
specifications as they apply to the minimum width of streets that allow parking
on both sides i.e. safety issues surrounding the ability of fire trucks to
navigate the street).
14.
Reconciling
enforcement discrepancies between meters and signage.
It
is expected that the short term “B” initiatives can be
implemented within 90 days, but no later than the end of September 2010.
Short
term
“B” initiatives include:
1.
Defining
the parking needs of each residential neighborhood and match enforcement
schedules to the needs of the neighborhood.
2.
Defining
parking zones with enforcement days, hours of enforcement and types of meters
for each zone to include the issue of overnight enforcement in mixed use areas.
3.
Making
the appeals process on parking tickets more clear.
4.
Conducting
an inventory of the need for additional street lighting in areas of on-street
parking and remedying those needs.
5.
Developing
a citywide policy for inclusion of on-street handicap spaces.
6.
Evaluating
the number and application process for loading zones and evaluating time periods
for loading zones.
7.
Establishing
criteria for placement of taxi zones.
8.
Providing
motorcycle spaces.
The
subcommittee’s recommended long term initiatives will continue to be
studied by the Transportation Sub-Committee on Parking Enforcement and DPW and
will be reviewed by the Transportation Committee on a quarterly basis.
Those
long term initiatives include:
1.
Using
barcodes, parking passes and permits for residential parking, downtown shopping,
etc.
2.
Standardizing
types of tickets between PARKatlanta and the Atlanta Police Department.
3.
Establishing
a Municipal Parking Authority.
4.
Designating
a portion of the City’s guaranteed revenue from parking enforcement to be used
for funding streetscape enhancements, bike racks, pedestrian benches, lighting,
traffic calming, etc.
Any
long term initiative will be implemented upon a determination that such
initiative provides a positive value to the parking enforcement program, as well
as help to foster the creation of a comprehensive parking policy for the City of
Atlanta.
All services will continue
to be performed in accordance with City regulations and guidelines.
For more information about
the City of Atlanta’s parking enforcement program, please visit: www.PARKatlanta.org or call (404)
330-6739.