Ballot Initiated Residential Permit Parking Districts
The code changes approved in the first phase of the RPP Refresh Project allow staff to initiate the creation of new RPP districts through a ballot process in areas near transit or with documented parking issues.
Staff have proposed a new Residential Permit Parking District be considered through this process in the Potomac Yards area. A ballot will be mailed out in January 2021. For more information, click here.
Approved Changes
City Council approved updates to the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Parking at a public hearing on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Key changes include:
- Removing the 9PM end time option for RPP restrictions
- Creating a process for establishing new RPP districts near transit or in areas with documented parking issues through the following procedures:
- Sending ballots to all addresses within the affected area regarding proposed changes. In order to move forward with the process, more than 50% of the ballots must be returned by a specified date, and more than 60% of respondents must indicate support for the recommendation.
- Presenting proposals that meet the ballot requirements at a public hearing for a recommendation from Traffic and Parking Board prior to consideration by City Council.
- Removing the occupancy survey requirement for RPP signage to be posted on blocks already within an RPP district but maintaining petition requirement to initiate the request.
- Requiring the same RPP restrictions on both sides of a block, where RPP restrictions exist on both sides.
- Clarifying who is eligible to sign petitions including:
- Reference occupants of the residential properties rather than residents,
- Allow homeowners’ or condo associations to submit letters from a board or other governing body for communal association property,
- Allow a building owner or property manager to sign for multifamily buildings in lieu of getting signatures from residents of more than 50% of units.
- Allowing the Traffic and Parking Board to approve the expansion of a RPP district rather than City Council.
- Allowing the Director of T&ES to recommend changes to the permit parking district map to the Traffic and Parking Board to remove non-residential properties with no residential uses from existing permit parking boundary line or to clean up administrative irregularities.
This approval came after initial review by the Traffic and Parking Board at their meetings on September 23, 2019 and October 28, 2019.
Project Details
It’s time for a refresh! Introducing the City’s next parking policy project, RPP Refresh, which is a review of the existing Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program, the program that manages on-street parking for residents. As part of this project, city staff will be:
- Compiling data about the current program
- Researching how other cities manage residential parking
- Getting feedback from RESIDENTS LIKE YOU about potential issues that should be addressed under this project and potential solutions
Some areas of improvement that are being considered under this project include:
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Improving the user experience
- Streamlining the process for creating or amending parking districts and consider changes to existing district boundaries
- Identifying when and where a staff-initiated process may be useful
- Refining existing restrictions (hours, days, length of parking) to better address parking issues and improve consistency across blocks and districts
- Reviewing permit fees and potential limits on the number of permits
- Identifying techniques to improve enforcement
- Incorporating technology
Subcommittee Meetings
As done with other citywide parking policy issues, a subcommittee of the Traffic and Parking Board has been formed to review and develop recommendations for the overall program update. Throughout this project, the subcommittee members will review materials related to this project, consider public feedback, and help develop recommendations. Subcommittee meetings will be held prior to the Board’s monthly meeting from 6:30-7:30PM. Meetings are open to the public and citizens are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Meeting #1: Monday, October 22, 2018 (City Hall, Council Workroom-second floor)
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Project Objectives and Topics to Review - updated to reflect subcommittee input
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Summary of RPP Programs in Alexandria and Other Jurisdictions
- Presentation
Meeting #2: Monday, November 26, 2018
Meeting #3: Monday, January 28, 2019
Meeting #4: Monday, February 25, 2019
Meeting #5: Monday, April 22, 2019
Meeting #6: Monday, May 20, 2019