COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

DATE:

09/16/2002

SUBJECT: FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE 2002-O-232

AMENDING CHAPTER 19, MOTOR VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC, ARTICLE VIII, STOPPING, STANDING OR PARKING, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF LAREDO: SPECIFICALLY AMENDING SECTION 19-364(2) WHICH ESTABLISHES NO PARKING ANYTIME/TOW AWAY ZONES IN THE AREA OF THE RIVERFRONT PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO BRIDGE I PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATE AND PUBLICATION.

INITIATED BY: STAFF SOURCE:

Larry Dovalina, City Manager Roberto Murillo, P.E, Traffic Director

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: Public Hearing and Introduction of Ordinance on 09-03-02.

BACKGROUND:

It is in the opinion of the City Manager and the Traffic Director that it is necessary to eliminate abuse and regulate the use of streets and street parking in the downtown business district..

Tractors and auction vehicles are stored or staged overnight and sometimes for days along streets around the Riverside Parking Lot and Los Dos Laredos Park. The streets affected are Main St. south of Water St., Ventura St., between Santa Cleotilde and Santa Maria, Santa Maria Ave. south of Water St. and Pedregal St. (River Rd.) which constitutes illegal use of the streets and parking spaces in this area of the downtown business district mainly for commercial purposes.

It is necessary to authorize the placement of signs prohibiting parking and tow away sign symbols to authorize the removal of vehicles in violation, recognizing that increased regulation of parking in this area constitutes a benefit to the City.

The Police Department and the Parking Enforcement Division of the Traffic Safety Department are the authority in charge of applying the ordinances and regulations governing illegal parking in the City of Laredo.

It is recommended that signs be erected warning the public that certain Truck Tractors and other vehicles including cars are not allowed to park in certain areas and that the penalty for violations of this ordinance be the removal by towing away any vehicle(s) staged or stored in this areas where parking is prohibited.

FINANCIAL:

There will be no financial costs incurred in implementing this amendment.

RECOMMENDATION:

STAFF: Recommends that City Council approve this ordinance.

ORDINANCE 2002-O-232

WHEREAS, it is necessary to eliminate the use of streets and certain parking areas for commercial purposes, for storing or staging vehicles, or to restrict parking because the travel lane or street width is impeded, restricting the safe flow of traffic in certain areas within the Central Business District or any other city streets and therefore becomes necessary to remove vehicles left standing, stored, or staged in these streets or parking areas; and

WHEREAS, it is in the opinion of the City Council that it is in the best interest of the city to apply the best and fairest method to maintain and regulate the use of streets and street parking in the downtown business district and other streets throughout the city; and

WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is necessary to authorize the removal of vehicles in violation of illegal parking by properly establishing and identifying tow-away zones for the removal of vehicles in violation, also recognizing that increased regulation of parking constitutes a benefit to the City,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAREDO THAT:

SECTION 1. AMENDMENT

Chapter 19, “Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Article VIII, “Stopping, Standing, or Parking”, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Laredo specifically by amending section 19-364 (2) to the code to establish no parking anytime/tow away zones in the area of the Riverfront Parking Lot adjacent to Bridge I and that the remedy for violation of the this section shall be the removal by towing way of vehicles as prescribed by section 19-350(a) (12) and section 19-364 will be amended as follows;

Chapter 19

Motor Vehicles and Traffic

Article VIII. Stopping, Standing, or Parking

Section 19-364 Restricted Parking Areas.

The removal of vehicles for parking violations on certain streets and parking metered areas for the following time periods are hereby established:

1. Parking of vehicles is prohibited Monday thru Saturday, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., and all day Sunday, in parking metered spaces located on the following streets:

Blocks 600 thru 1000 of Santa Ursula Avenue, and

The 800 Block of Lincoln St. and Washington St.,

2. Parking of vehicles is prohibited at all times in the following streets located in the downtown business district:

Blocks 500 thru 1000 of San Dario Avenue;

Blocks 200 thru 500 of Santa Ursula Avenue;

The 600 block of Iturbide St., Hidalgo St., Matamoros St., Houston St., and Washington St.;

The 600 block of Farragut St. and the north side of Victoria St.;

The 800 block of Iturbide, Hidalgo, Farragut, Matamoros, and Victoria;

The south side of the 800 block of Houston;

The north side of the 800 block of Lincoln St. and Washington St.;

The 300 block of San Bernardo St.;

The north side of Pedregal Rd. (River Rd) between Santa Isabel Ave. on the west and and the old U.S. Customs import lot on the east;

The south side of Pedregal Rd, ( River Rd) between Santa Isabel Ave. on the west and Santa Maria Ave. on the east;

The east and west side of Main St. between Pedregal (River Rd) on the south and Water St. on the north;

The north and south side of Ventura St. between Santa Maria Avenue on the east and Santa Cleotilde Avenue on the west.

The east and west side of Santa Maria Ave. between Pedregal (River Rd) on the south and Water St. on the north;

3. Parking of vehicles is prohibited at all times along U.S. 83 (Zapata Highway) between Zacatecas Street , and the southern City limits of Laredo;

SECTION. 2 SEVERABILITY

If any provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or the application of same to any person or set of circumstances is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, void, invalid, or for any reason unenforceable, the validity of the remaining portion of this ordinance or its application to other persons or sets of circumstances shall not be affected thereby, it being the intent of the City Council of the City of Laredo in adopting this ordinance that no portion hereof of provisions or regulation contained herein shall become inoperative or fail by reason of any unconstitutionality, voidness or invalidity and all provisions are declared severable for that purpose.

SECTION. 3 PUBLICATION

This Ordinance shall be published once in accordance with the provisions set for in Section 2.09 (d) of the City Charter. This ordinance shall become effective upon its passage and publication.

PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR ON THIS

_______DAY OF __________________, 2002

ATTEST:

__________________________ ___________________________

GUSTAVO GUEVARA, JR. ELIZABETH G. FLORES

CITY SECRETARY MAYOR

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

JAIME L. FLORES

CITY ATTORNEY

_______________________

ALLAN W. McGRAW

ASST. CITY ATTORNEY