Restricted Parking Zone Policy Review

Director’s Rule Now Available

Updated October 13, 2009

Following the adoption of new legislation regarding the Restricted Parking Zone program, SDOT has issued an RPZ Director’s Rule. This rule interprets the Seattle Municipal Code in Chapters 11.14,515, 11.16.120(F) and (G), 11.16.315-317, 11.16.319, 11.28.010(D), 11.31.121 and 11.72.351 regarding the specifications, guidelines, and additional information for meeting the RPZ Program requirements.

Click here to view the Director’s Rule.

Project Closeout

On June 8, 2009, the City adopted new legislation for the Restricted Parking Zone program after several years of discussions with many community stakeholders. Click here for links to the adopted legislation and SDOT final recommendations:

• RPZ Ordinance
• RPZ Resolution to support a new Director’s Rule
• RPZ Resolution for continued SDOT analysis

Click here for the RPZ Final Recommendations Summary

Overview

Since the restricted parking zone program (or RPZ) was last reviewed in 1994, Seattle has changed dramatically with increased population growth, neighborhood development, and major transit improvements.

Starting in late 2007, after a two-yearlong effort working with various community and business stakeholders, the City is changing the RPZ program to:

• Limit excessive non-resident traffic and parking impacts with more effective policy and technical standards to establish new RPZs
• Engage all area stakeholders in a fair and equitable way
• Continue to reduce traffic congestion, vehicle emissions and energy resource use
• Improve customer services for permit distribution—effective January 2010, permits will be available on-line

General components:

• Limit maximum number of permits allowed by household to 4 permits, with exceptions for certain land use types such as congregate residences (effective January 2010)
• Require vehicle to be registered at resident’s permit-eligible address (effective January 2010)

• Create a pilot program to issue RPZ permits to eligible businesses and institutions in the Sound Transit LINK station areas only

• Add single-day visitor pass for residents in addition to guest hang-tag (effective January 2010)
• Enhance community outreach for new or expanding RPZs and no longer require petition to demonstrate support. Add administrative public hearing process depending on size
• Revise technical standards for new or expanding RPZs to have over 35% of parking occupied by non-residents and a minimum of 10 blocks in size
• Improve enforcement capabilities with new permit design and new fines for fraudulent activities

Background Documents

Thank you to everyone who commented on SDOT’s draft RPZ Policy Review recommendations. SDOT received hundreds of comments via email, phone and by attending community meetings in the summer - fall of 2008.

Check out the draft recommendations SUMMARY

In developing the draft recommendations, staff incorporated extensive technical analysis, review of other cities’ RPZ programs, and initial comments from residents, business owners, and major institutions in or near existing RPZs.

There are several background or analysis reports from the draft recommendations available for review.

• RPZ Policy Review Project Draft Final Report
• Appendix A – Survey Results
• Appendix B – Best Practices
• SEPA Checklist
• SEPA DNS

In early 2009, SDOT determined that the proposed ordinance did not likely have significant adverse impacts on the environment and issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) on Monday, March 30, 2009. The SEPA environmental checklist summarizes potential impacts on several elements (e.g., air quality, transportation, and parking).