HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-013 Ordinance amending Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 9.50 Parking Rules and Rules of the Road and Chapter 9.60 regarding Enforcement of Parking Violations ORDINANCE NO. 2024-013
AN ORDINANCE amending the City of Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 9.50: Parking and
Rules of the Road and Chapter 9.60 regarding enforcement of parking
violations.
WHEREAS, during COVID, the City Council suspended parking enforcement in the
downtown area; and
WHEREAS, since COVID, the City Council has heard from stakeholders that the Council
needed to address downtown parking, both regarding the ability to park downtown and the
maintenance of the City-owned downtown parking lots; and
WHEREAS,the City Council held a number of study sessions and council meetings where
members of the public, business owners, employees, and other stakeholders had an opportunity
to speak to Council about their thoughts and concerns; and
WHEREAS, City staff held a community meeting for additional discussion on downtown
parking options and issues; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, based on the input of downtown business owners and
employees, and other stakeholders, seeks to change the municipal code to better address the
need for parking downtown and address the maintenance of the downtown City-owned parking
lots; and
WHEREAS, the City Council acknowledges that there is a need to continue conversations
about downtown parking, downtown employee parking, and the maintenance of the parking lots
and endeavors to continue an open dialogue with stakeholders on these issues; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Yakima finds it is in the best interests of the
City and its residents to amend Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 9.50; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
Section 1. Yakima Municipal Code Section 9.50.065: Parking time limits, is hereby
amended to read as follows:
9.50.065 Parking time limits
A. Parking time limits for streets shall be at the discretion of the city manager.
B. The maximum time period for parking in city-owned lots shall be three hours.
C. It shall be a violation of this chapter to exceed a parking time limit when signs are
erected in each block of the street with a parking time limit giving notice thereof, or in a
city-owned parking lot when signs are erected in the parking lot giving notice of the
parking time limit.
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D. Parking time limits for streets and city-owned lots, as well as permit-only parking
restrictions in the city-owned parking lots identified in YMC 9.50.215, shall be in force
between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m., Monday through Friday, with the
exception of the following holidays:
New Year's Day January 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday 3rd Monday in January
Washington's Birthday 3rd Monday in February
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Juneteenth June 19th
Independence Day July 4th
Labor Day 1st Monday in September
Veterans' Day November 11th
Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November
Christmas Day December 25th
(Ord. 2023-036 § 1, 2023, Ord 2014-022 § 9, 2014).
Section 2. Yakima Municipal Code Section 9.50.215: City-owned parking lots—Parking
regulated, shall be amended to read as follows:
9.50.215 City-owned parking lots—Parking regulated.
A. "City-owned parking lot" means each of the following city-owned public parking lots:
Lot 1: Second Street parking lot—Lots 23 through 32, Block 50, the town of North Yakima (now
city of Yakima). This parking lot is bounded on the west by North 2nd Street, and on the north by
Staff Sgt. Pendleton Way.
Lot 2: South 3rd Street parking lot—Lots 13 through 32, Block 51, of the town of North Yakima
(now city of Yakima). This parking lot is bounded on the east by South 3rd Street, on the south
by East Chestnut Avenue, and on the west by South 2nd Street.
Lot 4: North 1st Street and Staff Sgt. Pendleton Way parking lot—Lots 23 through 27, Block 50,
of the town of North Yakima (now city of Yakima). This parking lot is bounded on the north by
Staff Sgt. Pendleton Way and on the west by North 1st Street.
Lot 5: North 1st Street parking lot—Lots 13 through 19, Block 10, of the town of North Yakima
(now city of Yakima). This parking lot is bounded on the east by North 1st Street.
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Lot 6: South 2nd Street parking lot—Lots 8 and 9, Block 32. This parking lot is located at 112
South 2nd Street.
B. The procedures for enforcing the parking prohibitions of this section shall be those
procedures provided by Chapter 9.60 of the city code as applicable to parking violations;
provided, that the chief of police or his agent is authorized to immediately impound or cause to
be impounded any unauthorized vehicle parked in city-owned public parking lots described in
subsection A of this section. The applicable provisions of Chapter 9.47 of the city code shall
govern towing, storage, redemption, or other disposition of any vehicle impounded pursuant to
this section. (Ord. 2023-036 § 1, 2023; Ord. 2014-022 § 10, 2014; Ord. 2012-047 § 2, 2012;
Ord. 2010-42 § 1, 2010; Ord 2009-12 § 2, 2009; Ord. 2005-04 § 3, 2005; Ord. 2001-03 § 2,
2001; Ord. 99-6 § 2, 1999; Ord. 3298 § 2, 1990).
Section 3. Yakima Municipal Code Section 9.50.220: Long-term parking permits, shall
be amended to read as follows:
9.50.220 Long-term parking permits.
A. Issuance of Permits. The issuance of permits to authorize long-term vehicular parking in
parking lots owned by the city shall be administered by the city department of finance and
budget according to the following rules and regulations:
1. Number—Existing Permits—Waiting List. The number of long-term permits to be
issued for parking in any lot shall not exceed forty percent of the total parking spaces
in the city-owned lots listed in YMC 9.50.215(A). Issuance of new long-term parking
permits shall be on a first-come, first-served basis. When the available long-term
permits are filled, subsequent applications received will be placed on file in the order
received, a waiting list will be established, and permits will be issued as openings
occur.
2. Eligibility—Location. Permits shall be issued only upon the written application of a
resident residing within, or an owner, manager or employee of a business or
governmental agency located within the area bounded by the following streets:
Staff Sgt. Pendleton Way on the north; Naches Avenue on the east; Walnut
Street on the south; and First Street on the west
Managers or employees of the Yakima Valley Regional Library whose primary place
of employment is the downtown library branch are also eligible for a long-term
permit.
3. Residential Permits. No more than two long-term parking permits may be issued to
the resident of each residential unit within the area described in subsection (A)(2) of
this section. A "residential unit" has the same meaning as "dwelling unit" as found in
YMC 15.02.020. Application for residential permits shall be made pursuant to YMC
9.50.200.
4. Application—Form. Application for permits other than residential permits, which use
the application process outlined in 9.50.200, shall be made on forms furnished by the
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department of finance and budget. Said application forms shall require, at a
minimum, the following information and documentation:
a. Name, address, and telephone number of the applicant;
b. Make, model, and year of the passenger motor vehicle or pickup truck, which
vehicle shall not exceed fourteen thousand pounds in gross weight, which is
registered to the applicant and for which the permit is sought.
c. A copy of the current vehicle registration;
d. A copy of the applicant's current driver's license;
e. A copy of the applicant's current proof of insurance in the form required by
RCW 46.30.030;
f. A representation that the vehicle is operable and may be legally driven on the
public highways of Washington State;
g. A sworn statement that the applicant meets the Eligibility requirement of
subsection 2 above; and
5. Issuance of Permit—No Designation of Parking Space. Permits are for the use of all
of the city-owned parking lots listed in YMC 9.50.215(A). There is no designated
parking spot, stall, location or parking lot associated with a parking permit. The
issuance of a permit does not reserve a designated parking space in any specific
parking lot and each applicant for a permit shall acknowledge in writing that no such
space is reserved and that the issuance of a permit by the city does not guarantee
the availability of a parking space at all times.
6. Term of Permit. Annual permits will be issued on an annual calendar basis, to expire
on the last day of the of the month of December each year. Quarterly or semi-annual
permits may also be issued, with the calendar quarters consisting of (a) January 1st
through March 31st; (b) April 1st through June 30th; (c) July 1st through September
30th; and (d) October 1st through December 31 st.
7. Fee. The fee for a long-term parking permit shall be set forth in the city of Yakima
master fee schedule as adopted via resolution by city council. The permit fee shall
be paid to the city at the time a new permit is issued, or at the time of making
application for a renewal. The fee for a new permit to expire in less than one
calendar year will be prorated for any full calendar month remaining in the calendar
year. No fee will be prorated for less than one full calendar month. Fees paid
electronically by credit card or other means will be assessed a processing fee per
transaction as set forth in the city of Yakima master fee schedule adopted via
resolution by city council, or such other amount as incurred by the city.
8. Renewal of Permits.
A. Annual Permits. Permits previously issued may be renewed for the next
succeeding year, upon submission of an updated application and payment of the
renewal fee between December 15th and December 24th of the year of expiration;
applications for renewals will not be accepted prior to December 1st of the year of
expiration.
B. Quarterly or Semi-Annual Permits. Previously issued quarterly and semi-annual
permits may be renewed for the next succeeding quarter or other term upon
submission of an updated application and payment of the renewal fee between
the fifteenth day of the month of expiration through the twenty-fifth day of the
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month of expiration; applications for renewal shall not be accepted prior to the
first day of the month of expiration.
9. Failure to Renew. Failure of a permit holder to apply for renewal within the renewal
period specified by these rules may result in the loss of that permit to the next
applicant on the waiting list.
10. Cancellation by Permit Holder. Permits will be cancelled upon application by the
permit holder for such cancellation, and the unused permit fee will be refunded as
prorated per month for each full calendar month remaining in the period for which the
permit was issued. No refund of the permit fee will be made for a partial calendar
month.
11. Permits Restricted. Permits shall not be issued to persons with outstanding city of
Yakima parking violations.
12. Rules and Regulations. The director of finance and budget or her/his designee is
authorized to adopt such further rules and regulations, not inconsistent with rules and
regulations of this section, as the director deems necessary or advisable to
administer the permit system authorized and adopted by this section. Such further
rules and regulations may include supplemental terms, conditions and timelines, for
issuance and renewals of long-term parking permits on a quarterly and semi-annual
calendar basis.
B. A vehicle displaying a valid parking permit issued pursuant to this section may remain
parked in a city-owned parking lot listed in YMC 9.50.215(A) fora period of time not to exceed
twenty-four consecutive hours; provided, however, that said time restriction shall not apply to
long-term parking permits issued to residents under section 9.50.200. The permit must be
displayed within the parked vehicle in such a manner as to be plainly visible and legible from a
point outside the vehicle near the driver's position. (Ord. 2023-036 § 1, 2023; 2022-040 §60,
2022; Ord. 2012-52 § 1 (Exh. A), 2012; Ord 2009-12 §3, 2009; Ord 2005-04 §4, 2005; Ord.
2004-02 § 1, 2004; Ord. 2003-39 §3, 2003; Ord. 99-6 §1, 1999; Ord. 3298 § 1, 1990; Ord. 2935
§ 1, 1986; Ord. 2735 § 2 (part), 1983).
Section 4. Yakima Municipal Code Section 9.50.230: City Hall parking lot—Parking
regulated—Parking permit—Enforcement, shall be amended to read as follows:
9.50.230 City Hall parking lot—Parking regulated—Parking permit—Enforcement
A. The parking lots owned by the city consisting of Lots 4 and 5, Block 48, and Lots 9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, the Southerly 19.5 feet of Block 22, 23, 24 and the parking spaces located on
Lots 25 — 32, all on Block 49, of the town of North Yakima (now Yakima), Washington,
according to the plat thereof recorded in Volume A of Plats, page 10, and rerecorded in Volume
E, page 1, records of Yakima County, Washington, are designated as the City Hall parking lot.
B. Signs shall be conspicuously posted warning against parking of unauthorized vehicles at the
City Hall parking lots designated in subsection A of this section, which sigh shall also warn that
unauthorized parked vehicles are subject to impoundment, and when such signs are so posted,
it is unlawful for any person to park a vehicle in that City Hall parking lot unless the parking
vehicle is a marked city-owned vehicle, or unless there is displayed within the parked vehicle a
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valid parking permit issued pursuant to subsection C of this section, so as to be plainly visible
and legible from a point outside the vehicle near the driver's position.
C. The issuing of parking permits referred to in subsection B of this section shall be
administered by the department of finance and budget of the city. The permits shall be issued
to such members of the management group of the city as designated by a policy or rules and
regulations, as adopted or amended from time to time, or by the approval of the city manager.
D. The procedures for enforcing the parking prohibitions of this section shall be those
procedures provided by Chapter 9.60 of the city code as applicable to parking violations;
provided, that the chief of police or his agent is authorized to immediately impound or cause to
be impounded any unauthorized vehicle parked in City Hall parking lots described in subsection
A of this section. The applicable provisions of Chapter 9.47 of the city code shall govern towing,
storage, redemption, or other disposition of any vehicle impound pursuant to this section. (Ord
2023-036 §1, 2023; Ord 3075 § 5, 1988; Ord. 2735 § 2 (part), 1983).
Section 5. Yakima Municipal Code Section 9.60.030: Penalties, shall be amended to
read as follows:
9.60.030 Penalties.
Unless another penalty is specifically provided by ordinance of the city, every person convicted
of a misdemeanor defined by this title or a violation of any provision of this title shall be
punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the city jail facility
for not more than ninety days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Further, for all violations
of traffic infractions as defined by RCW 46.63.020 and prohibited by this chapter the monetary
penalty for the commission thereof shall be as made and provide for under the provisions of
RCW 46.63.110. The monetary penalties for infractions concerning parking time limit violations
in the city shall be twenty dollars per violation. The monetary penalty for the following specific
parking infractions shall be as follows:
VIOLATION: YMC/RCW: FINE:
In alley 9.50.010 $50.00
(residential/business)
More than 12" from curb 46.61.575 $20.00
Right hand wheels parallel 46.61.575 $20.00
to and beyond 12" from the
curb
Head-in parking only 9.50.130 $20.00
City lots permits required 9.50.230 $20.00
Motorcycles only 9 50 020 $20.00
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Bus zone 46.61.570 $20.00
Taxi zone 46.61.570 $20.00
Sidewalk/planting strip 46.61.570 $20.00
Loading zone 46.61.570 $20.00
(people/merchandise)
Within 10 feet of mailbox 9.50 085 $20.00
Blocking traffic 46.61.570 $20.00
Driveway safety zone 46.61.570 $20.00
Within 15 feet of a fire 46.61.570 $20.00
hydrant
46.61.570 $20.00
Within 20 feet of a crosswalk
Special parking privileges for
persons with disabilities 46.19.050 $250.00*
violations
* Special parking privileges for persons with disabilities violations carry an additional two
hundred dollar Washington State imposed penalty for illegally parking in a handicap designated
stall. (Ord. 2019-038 § 1, 2019; Ord. 2018-010 §2, 2018; Ord. 2005-79 § 1, 2005; Ord. 2735 §
2 (part), 1983).
Section 6. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this
ordinance is declared invalid or unconstitutional for any reason, such decision shall not affect the
validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 7. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage,
approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approved this 16th day of April, 2024.
i x q Patricia Bye , Mayor
ATTEST: _*..
‘:_*;FAL r
h
Rosalinda Ibarra, City Clerk S1;iN6-\°
Publication Date: April 20, 2024
Effective Date: May 20, 2024
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 10.
For Meeting of:April 16, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Ordinance amending Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 9.50 Parking
Rules and Rules of the Road and Chapter 9.60 regarding
Enforcement of Parking Violations
SUBMITTED BY: Sara Watkins, City Attorney
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
After further discussion at the City Council's April 9, 2024 Study Session, Staff presents
amendments regarding parking regulations which address:
1. Reducing the Parking violation ticket amount to $20.00
2. Reducing long-term parking pass costs to $20.00 per month
3. Ensuring adequate parking for visitors and employees
4. Making parking lot parking 3 hours while leaving flexibility for street parking time limits
5. Changing the boundaries of the area wherein people may qualify to apply for parking
permits in city-owned parking lots
6. Administrative changes
There are two pieces of legislation before the Council to accomplish these objectives. The first is an
amendment to the Yakima Municipal Code which will change the regulations and reduce the penalty
for noncompliance. The second is an amendment to the Master Fee Schedule which will reduce the
parking pass costs.
ITEM BUDGETED:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
Pass Ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
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D Ord-Amend 9.50 and 9.60_redline 4/12/2024 Backup Material
D Ord-Amend 9.50 and 9.60 final 4/12/2024 Ordinance