9.80.020 Legislative Findings.
(1) The Municipal Council finds that continued vitality of the City depends on the preservation of safe and attractive neighborhoods. Demand for parking in certain areas of the City regularly exceeds available on- and off-street parking spaces and undermines neighborhood viability. A system allowing preferential resident on-street parking in various areas of the City will promote the stability of such neighborhoods and thus promote the general public welfare.
(2) The following specific legislative findings of the Municipal Council in support of preferential resident on-street parking are set forth as illustrations of the need for the enactment of such parking regulations. They are intended as illustrations only and do not provide the sole basis supporting their adoption.
(a) The safety, health and welfare of the residents of the City can be greatly enhanced by maintenance of the attractiveness and livability of its neighborhoods and other areas.
(b) A majority of City residents possess automobiles and as a result are daily faced with the need to store these automobiles at or near their residences.
(c) Certain neighborhoods in the City are often burdened by the presence of motor vehicles owned by nonresidents which compete for on-street parking spaces, congest City streets, and detract from neighborhood values. The presence of nonresident vehicle parking often disrupts the delivery of basic essential services, such as trash collection and mail delivery, by blocking access.
(d) There further exist certain parking “attractors” within the City, i.e., hospitals, schools, industrial and educational facilities, employment centers, transit stops and stations, and locations convenient for commuter parking, which further aggravate resident parking problems.
(e) Unnecessary vehicle miles, noise, pollution, and strains on relationships between residents and nonresidents caused by the conditions set forth herein work unacceptable hardships on residents of these neighborhoods by causing the deterioration of air quality, safety, tranquility, aesthetics and other values normally available in a residential environment.
(f) If allowed to continue unchecked, the adverse effects of excessive parking demand on specific City residents will contribute to a further decline of living conditions, a reduction in the attractiveness of residing in such areas, and consequent injury to the general public welfare.
(g) A system of preferential on-street parking as provided in this Chapter will increase pedestrian and traffic safety by reducing traffic congestion; improve traffic circulation, promote the health and welfare of all City residents by reducing unnecessary motor vehicle travel, noise and pollution; promote improvements in air quality, the convenience and attractiveness of residential areas, and the increased use of public mass transit facilities available now and in the future; and encourage the use of car pools. The public welfare will also be served by insuring a more stable and valuable property tax base in order to generate revenues necessary to provide essential public services.