14 - REMOVAL OF NO PARKING/INSTALL PARALLEL PARKINGItem No. 14
memorandum
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Randy Tuttle, Assistant Chief of Police
SUBJECT: REMOVAL OF NO PARKING/INSTALL PARALLEL PARKING
DATE: March 12, 2015
BACKGROUND: Lamar Avenue beside First Methodist Church is four lanes wide. The inside
lane lasts only as far as the church itself, and serves no other need other than church traffic. As
part of our evaluating downtown traffic flows and other issues, we have been examining the
possibility of converting this inside traffic lane to parking. Both the church and TXDOT have
agreed to the change.
STATUS OF ISSUE: Converting this lane to parking will do help replace parking lost by the
church due to their park project on the west side of their property, and should also have a
claiming effect on traffic by reducing the wider width of the roadway. By replacing open
pavement with parked cars, we should expect somewhat slower average travel speeds on Lamar,
a high priority of downtown development.
On March 3, , the Traffic Commission considered the item to remove the No Parking Zone on
the north side of 300 Clarksville and request the installation of parallel parking along that side of
the street. The Traffic Commission voted to recommend this be approved.
BUDGET: Estimated $1,500 to make necessary changes.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve recommended parking lane conversion.
Draft
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS,
TEXAS, AMENDING THE TRAFFIC PARKING SYSTEM ADOPTED
IN SECTION 31 -84 AS IT IS ESTABLISHED IN THE TRAFFIC
CONTROL MAP IN SEC. 31 -65 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF
THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS; REMOVING THE NO PARKING ZONE
ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CLARKSVILLE STREET IN THE 300
BLOCK FOR APPROXIMATELY 360 FEET, UP TO THE DRIVEWAY
ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
WHERE THE INSIDE LANE OF TRAFFIC ENDS, TO ALLOW FOR
PARALLEL PARKING INSTEAD OF A TRAFFIC LANE; MAKING
OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT;
PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A
SAVINGS CLAUSE, A PENALTY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, approximately 360 feet of the 300 block of Clarksville Street is
four lanes wide with the north lane along the south side of the First United
Methodist Church serving only to allow access to the church parking lot and ends at
the church driveway.
WHEREAS, the Traffic Commission at its regular meeting of March 3, 2015,
considered and recommended by a vote of 3 -1 an item amending the traffic
parking system adopted in section 31 -84 as it is established in the traffic control
map in sec. 31 -65 of the Code of Ordinances of the city of Paris, Texas; removing
the no parking zone on the north side of Clarksville Street in the 300 block of
Clarksville Street for approximately 360 feet, up to the driveway on the east side of
the First United Methodist Church where the inside lane of traffic ends, to allow for
parallel parking instead of a traffic lane as depicted in Exhibit "A" attached hereto;
and
WHEREAS, converting this lane to parallel parking will help replace the
parking lost by the church where the planned spray park will be located and should
also have a calming effect on the traffic by reducing the width of the roadway. By
replacing open pavement with parked cars we should expect somewhat slower
average travel speeds on that portion of Clarksville, a high priority of downtown
development. TXDOT and the First United Methodist Church have agreed to the
change.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this ordinance are
hereby in all things approved.
Section 2. That the Traffic Control Map adopted in Section 31 -65 (b),
specifically the Traffic Parking System, Section 31 -84 of the Code of Ordinances of
the City of Paris, Texas, be, and the same is hereby, amended to include the
following:
"Remove the No Parking Zone on the north side of Clarksville
Street in the 300 block for approximately 360 feet, up to the
driveway on the east side of the First United Methodist Church
where the inside lane of traffic ends, to allow for parallel
parking instead of a traffic lane."
Section 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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 6. That any person violating any of the provisions of this
ordinance shall be guilty of a Misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a
fine in accordance with provisions of Section 106 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 7. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon
passage.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of March, 2015.
Matt Frierson, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
W. Kent McIlyar, City Attorney