CC 07-01-2025 Item No. 16 Study Session - Oversized Vehicle Parking_Staff PresentationCC 07-1-2025
Item No. 16
Study Session -
Oversized Vehicle
Parking
Presentation
City Council Study Session
Oversized Vehicle Parking
Ordinance Update
Floy Andrews
Interim City Attorney
Oversized Vehicle Parking*
• Consider amending Municipal Code
• Address enforcement loopholes, resident
concerns, safety and aesthetics
• Balance quality of life, safety, legal risks and
enforcement
*This is a City Work Program item.
• 11.24.130 (update current 72-hour parking limit)
• 11.24.200 (vehicle removal, unchanged)
• 11.28.010 (adding definition of oversized vehicle)
• 11.28.020 (parking regulations updates,
incorporating current restriction on living or
sleeping in vehicles)
Municipal Code Sections Affected
Background: Current Practice
72-hour limit for all vehicles parking
on public streets within the City
Municipal Code Section 11.24.130
• Complaint-driven enforcement process
• Tire marking (not chalk)
• Re-inspection after 72 hours
Challenges in Current Enforcement
• Vehicles move inches to avoid citation
• Coordinated rotations among RV owners
• Allows vehicles to stay indefinitely
• Current Areas impacted:
-Alves between Saich & Bandley
(behind Target)
-Stelling & Rainbow
-Foothill/SCB and other intersections
Enforcement Statistics
• ~200 complaints annually, mostly RVs with
tagging of 5+ vehicles/week
• Citations 2024-25: Only ~21 issued to RVs
• Revenue: ~$1,700 from RV citations
• Total Revenue: ~$180,000 from all citations
Definition of Oversized Vehicle
Based on CA Vehicle Code §670
Vehicles exceeding:
22 feet in length
6 feet in width, and
7 feet in height
(Includes trailers and loads)
* would not include even the largest pickup trucks
(Ford F-450 Super Duty or Tesla Cybertruck)
Planning Commission Recommendations (1)
• Citywide ban on oversized vehicles, except:
3-hour parking limit in daytime (6AM –8PM)
1-hour limit overnight (8PM –6AM)
• Allow residents to obtain annual permits to
park oversized vehicles on City streets
(one/household, no charge)
Planning Commission Recommendations (2)
• Allow nonresidents 5 permits to park
annually (not within 1,500 feet of a
commercial district)
• City should install signage at Alves and
Bandley and other problem areas
• City should evaluate the program after one
year
* All permits require vehicles to be moved every 72 hours to a
new location at least 1,500 ft away and stay away 72 hours.
Pros & Cons of General Ban Proposal
• Pros:
Allows signage at only City entrances,
clears streets, improves visibility,
deters long-term parking on City streets
• Cons:
Daytime and nighttime time limit
exceptions are difficult to manage
Resident Permit Program (exception)
One permit per household for vehicle owned
by resident
• No charge for permit
• Park up to 72 hours, then move 1,500 ft
• Unlimited 72-hour periods allowed if
moved properly
“Resident” Defined
• Physically resides in a dwelling in a residential district within
the City as their primary residence
• Provides evidence of residency, such as:
-CA driver’s license/ID card showing the resident address
-utility bill displaying person’s name and address
-current lease or deed showing person’s occupancy
-current vehicle registration showing residential address
-documentation acceptable to the Public Works Director
• A person need not own the dwelling unit to qualify as a
resident.
Pros & Cons of Resident Permits
• Pros:
Residents maintain RV use close to home,
balances needs of residents and their
guests, eliminates need for multiple permits
• Cons:
Potential near-permanent street parking
Neighborhood aesthetic concerns
Nonresident Permit Program (exception)
Up to 5 permits/year (15 days) for
nonresidents
• Park up to 72 hours then move from City
• If using a second permit, move 1,500 ft
• No parking near commercial zones*
*(would need to provide map of commercial and residential
zones when issuing permits)
Signage Rules and Costs
• If City posts signs, enforcement is more
efficient, initial warning not required
• Citywide parking regulations allows for signs
to be placed at City entrances only: cost
~$25,000, 50 signs
• Otherwise, signs must be posted on each
City block: cost prohibitive($513 per sign,
$2,000 per block)
Local Cities’ Large Vehicle Solutions
Redwood City: Vehicles may not park on
public streets at night, with limited exceptions.
Saratoga: Vehicles may not park in residential
areas for 72+ hours; must be moved 1 mile.
Los Gatos: Vehicles may not park where
posted or on designated streets.
Mountain View: Vehicles may not park on
certain streets adjacent to class II bikeways or
on certain narrow streets.
Legal Context
• Mountain View litigation & settlement
• Redwood City’s safe RV lot approach
• Fremont litigation –unhoused, not parking
ordinance
Grants Pass Supreme Court Opinion (2024)
Shifts rules in Ninth Circuit
Fiscal and Operational Considerations
• Signage: $513 per sign, $25,000 for entrance-only
signage
• Signage: one city clock $2,000 (well over $3M for city)
• Permit processing cost: ~$46.50 each permit
• Anticipated volume: 3-4 permits/week (may require
more staff time if volume is greater)
• FY 2024 parking citation revenue: ~$180,000
• Uniform Citywide rules: 1) reduce confusion and cost
and 2) allows for entrance signs only
Other Local Options for Parking
We reached out to:
• West Valley Rotating Safe Car Park Program
• Amigos de Guadelupe
• 211 line
• Bill Wilson Center
None of these facilities allow RVs
We talked to West Valley Community Services manager who
confirmed that they do not accept RVs, but they do allow
camper vans.
Next Steps for Council
Council to consider:
• General Ban on oversized vehicles parking
-day/night parking windows
• Resident/Nonresident permit program
• Signage strategy
• Evaluate after first year
Questions