One-year review: Slate Canyon parking ban reduced complaints and driveway blocks, staff say

Council staff and traffic, parking and code-enforcement personnel presented a one-year review of no-parking rules implemented on Slate Canyon Drive, reporting sharply reduced complaints about blocked driveways and recommending continued monitoring and targeted traffic studies.

Malia Dailey, a council analyst, summarized council goals for the regulation: reduce parking congestion, improve safety (including sight lines), and regulate over-occupancy through parking restrictions. The regulation in effect prohibits on-street parking on Slate Canyon Drive and some neighboring streets from midnight to 6 a.m. daily.

Parking staff reported a drop in calls: "It really just 4 complaints in the last year," a staff member said, comparing that to 26 complaints in the prior 12-month period. Sandy (parking/code enforcement) told the council that many driveway-blocking complaints were observed by enforcement staff before citizens had to call, and that block-driveway incidents have gone down significantly since the restriction began.

Traffic data show mixed results: a recent speed study showed an overall average speed of 33 mph on the road and an 85th percentile speed of 41 mph. Staff cautioned that a new speed-sign technology and placement differences make an apples-to-apples comparison with pre-regulation speed data difficult; Verne (traffic) recommended a follow-up traffic study using consistent equipment and providing speed data to police for enforcement.

Code enforcement staff reported a neighborhood canvass that confirmed 29 licensed rentals among homes touching the regulated street and identified two over-occupancy cases that were enforced and closed. Councilors said residents and service providers (garbage collection, post office, snow plows) reported operational benefits; bicyclists and some residents said sight lines and driveway egress had improved.

Councilors discussed potential permit programs, the interaction with disability placards and logistics: staff said disability placards remain legally valid and they are verifying placard legitimacy with police database checks. Staff cautioned that a permit program would not guarantee parking in front of a particular home and could be administratively costly.

No ordinance change or new enforcement policy was adopted at the work session. Staff recommended continued monitoring, possible further traffic studies, and providing police with speed information for targeted enforcement. Council members asked staff to return with additional, more granular data if desired.