The Seaside Traffic Advisory Committee on May 21 recommended installing a green curb in front of 1121 Elm Avenue instead of the blue (accessible) curb requested by a resident, forwarding the recommendation to the City Council for final action on June 6.

Patrick Grogan, associate engineer with the public works department, told the committee staff received an application dated Jan. 10, 2024, asking for a blue curb at 1121 Elm. Grogan said the parcel has about 51 feet of street frontage and that the street’s right of way on the block measures about 36 feet from face of curb to face of curb, with approximately 23 feet from center line to back of sidewalk on the applicant’s frontage—short of the roughly 27 feet Grogan said would be required to alter curb and sidewalk and provide an ADA-compliant parallel parking space. “Due to the lack of right of way width and required improvements to conform with the ADA regulations for the placement of blue curb, staff recommends placing green curb in front of 1121 Elm Avenue,” Grogan said.

Grogan summarized alternatives considered: painting a timed (limited) curb area that would still allow disabled-placard holders to use the space under California Vehicle Code rules; granting a minor use permit to allow paving within the setback (which would require municipal-code changes and costly site alterations); or creating a residential parking-permit program (which staff said would take months to a year to design and budget). He noted the application had previously gone to the TAC on March 19, 2024, where TAC recommended approval pending city-attorney review before leadership asked for broader consideration of alternatives.

A resident who identified mobility challenges described difficulty finding nearby parking and asked the committee for help, saying she was not seeking an exclusive space but greater access. “I’ve just became handicapped… I’m not asking for a designated place, just the place that would help me in my walking from the car into the house,” the resident said.

After brief discussion, City Engineer Patel asked for a motion to adopt staff’s recommendation to install green curb; a committee member seconded the motion and the committee approved it by voice vote. Staff said the committee’s recommendation will be transmitted to City Council and is expected to appear on the council’s June 6 consent agenda for final consideration.

The committee record includes references to Seaside Municipal Code provisions on curb markings and driveway/site-access rules and to California Vehicle Code parking rules; staff emphasized that physical constraints on the right of way, not a preference for color, were the primary reason staff recommended the green-curb alternative.

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.