16 - DOWNTOWN PARKING ORDINANCEItem No. 16
memorandum
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: John Godwin, City Manager
SUBJECT: DOWNTOWN PARKING ORDINANCE
DATE: October 3, 2016
BACKGROUND: We have a number of areas in downtown in which parking is limited to two
hours. This encourages traffic to move and thereby free up parking spaces for other vehicles. In
recent years, we have had two issues. First, the city's traffic control map has not been
consistently and accurately updated, so does not reflect all of the time - limited parking areas in
downtown. The second issue involves the increased number of people living downtown (which
is a very positive thing for the long -term sustainability of downtown), who need to park
overnight at their homes for more than two consecutive hours.
STATUS OF ISSUE: The attached ordinance restricts the hours of operation of the time - limited
parking to business hours Monday through Saturday, thereby allowing residents to park at the
their homes without restriction, while also not interfering with daytime business activities. The
ordnance also allows police enforcement of existing signage and markings regardless of whether
or not the traffic control map has been timely updated.
BUDGET: NA.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve attached ordinance.
Draft
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS,
AMENDING CHAPTER 31, TRAFFIC CODE, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES
OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS REGULATING THE PARKING OF MOTOR
VEHICLES ON CERTAIN PUBLIC STREETS; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS
AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; PROVIDING A PENALTY
CLAUSE; A SAVING CLAUSE; A REPEALER CLAUSE; A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Paris, Texas is a home rule municipality acting under its
charter adopted by the electorate pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas Constitution
and Chapter 9 of the Local Government Code; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, in accordance with the provisions of state law and all
applicable ordinances of the city, have given the required notices and have held the
required public hearings, if any, of this amendment to the Paris City Code; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the public interest to make the
amendments described herein; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. That Section 31 -85 in Article IV, "Stopping, Standing, and Parking," out of
Chapter 31 of the Code of Ordinances, "Traffic Code," of the Paris Code of Ordinances is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"Section 31 -85 Parking of Motor Vehicles in prohibited areas; overtime parking.
"It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered
in his name or owned or operated by him or in his possession or under his control to be
or remain in any space or area in which parking is prohibited on the traffic - control map
adopted in Section 31 -84, by signs clearly visible, or by both.
"No person shall park, stop, or stand any motor vehicle, boat, trailer, recreational vehicle,
or camper in any currently marked time -limit parking area for a longer period of time
than that designated by either or both markings on the street or by signs clearly visible
and placed by the City of Paris Public Works Department, between the hours of 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Saturdays; or in a
loading zone for a longer period of time than that designated on the traffic - control map,
by the markings on the street, by signs clearly visible, or by any combination thereof."
Section 2. That all provisions of the ordinances of the City of Paris, Texas in conflict
with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed, and all other provisions of the
ordinances of the City of Paris not in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance shall
remain in full force and effect.
Section 3. That the repeal of any ordinance or part of ordinances affected by the
enactment of this ordinance shall not be construed as abandoning any action now pending
under or by virtue of such ordinance or as discontinuing, abating, modifying, or altering
any penalty accruing or to accrue, or as affecting any rights of the municipality under any
section or provisions of any ordinance at the time of passage of this ordinance.
Section 4. That it is the intention of the City Council of the City of Paris that this
ordinance and every provision hereof, shall be considered severable, and the invalidity or
partial invalidity of any section, clause, or provisions of this ordinance shall not affect the
validity of any other portion of this ordinance.
Section 5. That any person violating any provision of this ordinance shall be guilty
of a Misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine in accordance with
provisions of Sec. 1 -6 of Chapter One of the City of Paris Code of Ordinances, and each and
every day's continuance of any violation of the above - enumerated sections shall constitute
and be deemed a separate offense.
Section 6. This ordinance shall become effective from and after its passage and
publication as required by law.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on this 10th day of October, 2016, by the City Council of
the City of Paris in regular session, following notice and publication as required by law.
A.J. Hashmi, M.D., Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney