MRSC Inquiries
Parking
- Request for information and sample ordinances on residential parking zones
Residential parking zones (RPZ) are typically created to ease parking congestion in residential neighborhoods that are impacted by nearby businesses or institutions. An RPZ may be appropriate, for example, where the parking congestion is caused by proximity to a business district with limited parking, and/or by parking generated by visitors or employees of a nearby hospital, school or factory.
Residential parking zones seem to be most commonly found in university communities, tourist and resort communities such as beach and ski towns, locations near major transit hubs - such as ferries or other mass transit stops, and residential areas near major employers, including businesses or major institutions.
See the following examples from cities in Washington as well as other cities outside Washington State that address residential parking zones and residential permit parking requirements:
Washington State Communities
- Seattle residential parking zone program
- Bellevue Parking in Residential Areas
- Bellevue Municipal Code, Ch. 11.23 - Parking (see Sec. 11.23.010)
- Bellevue Ordinance No. 5176
- Bellingham Residential Parking Permits (includes links to city code - Ch. 11.38, instructions and application form)
- Bothell Municipal Code, Ch. 10.45 - Parking Restrictions on Residential Streets
- Camas Municipal Code, Ch. 10.16 - Residential Parking Zones
- Edmonds Municipal Code, Ch. 8.52 - Residential Parking Zone Regulations
- Kirkland Parking Guidelines for Downtown Kirkland and Downtown Parking Study Update, 2003 (not exactly on topic but may be of interest)
- Mercer Island Parking Program Evaluation
- Mercer Island Municipal Code, Ch. 10.74 - Permit Parking
- Olympia Residential Parking Program
- Olympia Ordinance No. 5954
- Snohomish Municipal Code, Ch. 11.10 - Permit Parking
- Tacoma Municipal Code, Sec. 11.05.235-11.05.237 - (in Title 11 - Traffic)
- Tumwater Municipal Code, Ch. 10.24 - Parking
- Vancouver Resolution No. 145-03
Articles and Studies
Cities Outside Washington
- Boulder, CO - Parking Issues, 2002
- Brookline, MA - Resident Permit Parking
- Chicago, IL - Residential Permit Parking Program
- Cleveland (OH) Municipal Code - Residential Permit Program
- Miami Beach, FL - Residential Parking Zones
- Portland, OR - Area Parking Permits
- Portland, OR - Goose Hollow and Homestead Residential Parking Permit Programs and other Parking Reports (in Transportation Policies and Administrative Rules)
- Sacramento, CA - Residential Parking Permits
- St. Louis, MO - City Code
- St. Paul, MN Municipal Code - Residential Permit Parking
- San Francisco - Residential Permit Parking
- San Jose, CA - Establishment of the College Park Residential Parking Zone, 2002
- West Hollywood, CA - Permit Parking
- Request for information about parking districts.
- Are charter counties able to operate parking lots and collect parking fees, other than those outlined in RCW 36.01.080?
Charter counties are not restricted to operating parking lots only in conjunction with the types of facilities listed in RCW 36.01.080. That statute provides:
Counties may construct, maintain, operate and collect rentals for parking facilities as a part of a courthouse or combined county-city building facility.
So for most counties in the state, they would only be authorized to operate parking facilities in these limited circumstances. But, a different rule applies for a home rule charter county. A home rule charter county is not limited to the powers specifically set out in the state statutes. The only limitation on the power of a home rule county is that their action cannot contravene any constitutional provision or any legislative enactment. A home rule county has as broad legislative powers as the state, except when restricted by enactments of the state legislature. See King County Council v. Public Disclosure Commission, 93 Wn.2d 559 (1980).
Since there is no constitutional provision or state statute that provides that a county cannot operate a parking lot and collect parking fees, a home rule county is presumed to have that authority.