PURPOSE

Council directed staff to investigate potential parking restrictions near Jordan Middle School to control recreational facilities users of the school grounds.  Residents from the 300 block of South Lomita Street presented a petition for permit parking only to City Council because of heavy on-street parking demand associated with the recreational uses. Staff investigated the parking conditions in the Jordan School area, and this memorandum summarizes the current parking situation.

BACKGROUND

Jordan Middle School recreational facilities have been used by residents of Burbank for many years to promote and encourage athletic activities by Burbank youth.  The facilities are used throughout the year for organized soccer, baseball, football, and basketball activities.  Two defined field areas (upper and lower grass fields) are used for both organized games and for sport practices.  The sport activities and associated parking demand are heaviest during late summer football tryouts, soccer pre-season tryouts, and soccer tournaments in August and September.

Burroughs High School and a private football league (Vikings) use the fields for tryouts and pre-season practice beginning in late August into September.  American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) activities begin in the fall with practices and games.  The playing area is large enough for up to two full soccer games, or for practices of up to four or five teams.  Jordan School facilities are used by a variety of other organizations throughout the year.  Other organized activities have a significantly smaller parking impact.   A current list of activities is included in the appendix of this report.

The athletic playing fields at Jordan Middle School had pedestrian access from two access points: 1) from Shelton Street through a maintenance facilities parking area, and 2) through a gate near Lomita Avenue from Oak Street.  The pedestrian access recently changed with the closure of the Oak Street pedestrian gate and the opening of the gate through the campus area.

Beginning in mid-August, the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) closed the gate from Oak Street to all pedestrian and vehicle traffic; this gate continues to be permanently closed.  BUSD also opened the 70 space school faculty parking area from Mariposa Street for recreational facilities user parking after school hours and on weekends, in conjunction with opening pedestrian access to the playing fields from the parking lot through the campus area.  This parking lot had previously been closed after school operating hours.

ANALYSIS

Existing Recreational Facilities Parking Supply

The available parking supply in the Jordan School area is illustrated in Attachment 1.  The four residential streets north of Oak Street have about the same number of available on-street parking spaces; Mariposa Street, Virginia Avenue and Lomita Street have about 90 on-street parking spaces between Oak Street and Verdugo Avenue, and Glenwood Place has slightly fewer parking spaces because of the higher density residential uses.

Oak Street has about 76 available parking spaces between Main Street and Mariposa Street.  About 24 on-street parking spaces exist in front of Jordan School on Mariposa Street, and an additional 60 on-street parking spaces are available in front of residences on Mariposa Street between Oak Street and Alameda Avenue.  A total of 70 off-street faculty parking spaces exist on the Jordan School property from Mariposa Street.

The survey showed that about 180 on-street parking spaces and 70 off-street parking spaces exist within a reasonable walking distance of the Jordan athletic fields (600 to 800 feet) after the permanent closure of the Oak Street gate. About 60 on-street parking spaces are located on Oak Street (which has no fronting residences), 70 spaces are located on the streets north of Oak Street (residences front these streets), 24 spaces are located on Mariposa Street adjacent to the school, 22 spaces are on Mariposa Street in front of residences.  The Oak Street gate closure significantly altered the accessibility of on-street parking in the vicinity of Jordan School.

Parking Surveys

Staff conducted surveys of on-street parking demand between mid-August and early September of this year to determine parking characteristics during the day and evening hours.  Surveys measured parked vehicles on each street on 1) a weekday when school was not in session, 2) a weekday when school was in session, 3) an evening before the peak athletic field usage, and 4) an evening when the fields were heavily used.  The results are summarized in Attachment 2.

Since the Oak Street access gate was closed, weekday evening athletic field parking demand has shifted to Mariposa Street and Oak Street near Mariposa Street.  The surveys showed that the current parking impact on Lomita Street and on Virginia Street is minimal, with at most a few non-resident vehicles parked on these streets.  These streets were less than 50 percent occupied by all vehicles during any survey time period.  Oak Street is much more heavily used by weeknight parkers destined to the athletic fields, and Oak Street adjacent to Mariposa Street is the most heavily used location.  Mariposa Street south of Oak Street is virtually filled with athletic field users, while Mariposa Street north of Oak Street has 8 to 10 parkers destined for the athletic fields.  The school parking lot is also completely filled with vehicles.  With the closure of the Oak Street access gate, parking impacts have shifted heavily to Mariposa Street.

The parking survey showed that the on-street parking demand associated with the athletic fields is currently about 50 to 60 vehicles during the heaviest field use.  These vehicles currently park on Mariposa Street and Oak Street.  Construction of the proposed 70 space off-street parking lot south of the fields, on Shelton Street, will accommodate this parking demand.

The surveys showed that the Jordan athletic fields attract a total of about 100 to 120 vehicles during the peak usage.  This number of vehicles can be accommodated in the existing Jordan faculty lot and the proposed Shelton Street lot without any spillover on to the surrounding public streets.  If the athletic field usage does not increase, the planned off-street parking will largely eliminate on-street parking issues without additional parking restrictions.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On-street parking issues near Jordan School should largely be eliminated with:

• Construction of the 70 space Shelton Street parking lot,

• Management and control of the athletic field users to insure that the off-street lots are fully utilized, and

• Peak usage of the Jordan athletic fields remaining at or below the current levels.

Staff recommends that the imposition of on-street parking restrictions be delayed until the construction of the Shelton Street parking lot.  Staff will survey the parking conditions at that time to see if any additional parking controls are needed.

Attachments:

Attachment 1 � On-street Parking Supply

Attachment 2 � On-street Parking Demand

Appendix � Jordan Facilities Users

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