City of Manassas Park...4 Parking Enforcement- Police Duties & Responsibilities The Police...

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Laszlo Palko

City Manager

City of Manassas Park

Parking & Community Maintenance Town Hall

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Overview & Background

At the City Manager Virtual Town Hall discussing the Downtown Development proposals

back in June of 2020, the City Manager received many off-topic questions related to

parking and community maintenance. It was stated at the Town Hall, that a future Town Hall

would be required to cover these questions.

The next few slides provide a brief overview from our two lead departments on their

responsibilities surrounding these issues, challenges, and reform ideas to improve

performance if the community seeks even more enforcement than currently exists.

The City Manager will then conclude with some final thoughts.

We will then open a Q&A sheet with questions received prior to the meeting and review

them with the public.

Finally we will take any additional questions from the public and Governing Body

If there is anything we cannot answer tonight, we will follow up via social media

and website

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POLICE DEPARTMENT: PARKING ENFORCEMENT

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Parking Enforcement- Police

Duties & Responsibilities

The Police Department is the primary enforcement of parking violations for the City of Manassas Park.

Police Officers are tasked with monitoring and enforcing appropriate codes, laws and regulations

pertaining to on-street and off-street public parking

Officers are also tasked to ensure drivers abide by all parking laws and ordinances and issue citations for

violations observed, to include investigating parking complaints received from citizens.

Most Common Complaints

● Variety of parking related issues and complaints ● Non-resident vehicles

● No city decal ● Expired registration/state inspection

● Commercial vehicles parked in residential areas ● Illegally parked vehicle.

● Out of state vehicles ● Inoperative vehicle

Common Misperception- we do not enforce parking violations

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FY20 Parking Citations Issued

In FY 2020, 3,393 Parking Citations were issued in the City (up 46% due to Decals and new Software)

● Of that total, 1,012 were issued for No City Decal

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FY21 Parking Citations Issued

So far in FY21, 843 Parking Citations were issued in the City (July & Aug)

● Of that total, 411 were issued for No City Decal (trajectory of doubling from FY 20)

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Parking Enforcement - Challenges

Staffing – Our patrol officers respond to over 26,000 calls for service annually. This does not include the

proactive traffic/parking enforcement that we conduct. We have the lowest per capita levels of patrol officers

in Northern Virginia.

Verify Violations – Officers encounter numerous vehicles registered to outside jurisdictions or other

states. This challenge requires officers to verify and monitor these vehicle to ensure a violation of City

ordinance or State law exist.

Right of Entry - Parking complaints are the City’s most common complaint. The Police Department

routinely handles a variety of parking related issues and complaints, no city decal, inoperative vehicle,

commercial vehicles parked in residential areas, out of state vehicles, non-resident vehicles, expired

registration/state inspection, and illegally parked vehicles. To enforce no city decal violations on private

property, the officer must be able to observe the violation from the public road/sidewalk or from

walkway to the house.

Repeat Violators – Due to officers working twelve (12) hour, overlapping shifts, creates

challenges in the monitoring and enforcing of violations, especially non-resident violations.

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Parking Enforcement – Paths to Improve

Personnel Options

Staffing - The primary parking enforcement challenges the Police Department faces is

staffing and the lack of a designated parking enforcement unit.

● A dedicated parking enforcement unit would significantly reduce these challenges and

allow for enforcement of vehicles that are garaged, stored or parked in the city for more than

thirty (30) days. The Cities of Falls Church and Fairfax each have 2 parking enforcement

officers in their parking enforcement divisions while we have 0.

Legislative Options (not necessarily our recommendations)

Decal ordinance – Add City decal to inoperable vehicle definition

Eliminate commercial vehicles so that:

● No commercial vehicles permitted with home occupation permits

● No commercial vehicles on residential property

Parking requirements with additions to single family homes (see backup slides)

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Common Parking FAQs

#1. I just moved to the City of Manassas Park. How long do I have to register my vehicle

and get a city decal?

You have 30 days to:

● Register your vehicle (DMV)

● Obtain application for a City Decal (Commissioner of Revenue @ City Hall)

FYI, a vehicle must be garaged, stored, or parked within City limits for 30 days in order for officers to

enforcement the ‘No city decal on a public road’ citation

#2. Can I place a cone or other object in the roadway in front of my residence to save that

parking space?

No. (Manassas Park Ordinance, 20-3): No person shall construct or place any obstruction, structure,

foreign matter or material, be it permanent or temporary, in or upon the streets, gutters or sidewalks in the

city.

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Common Parking FAQs

#3. Can I park my vehicle blocking a sidewalk?

No. (Manassas Park Ordinance, 24-53): It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be parked on or obstruct

any portion of a sidewalk which is set aside for the public, unless temporarily in the process of loading or

unloading furniture, appliances, building materials and the like.

#4. General Prohibitions: No person shall park a vehicle, in any of the following places:

In front of a public or private driveway

Within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant.

By a curb which has been painted yellow under the authority of the City Manager.

In front of or adjacent to a residential mailbox so as to obstruct or retard the passage

of the United States mail or any carrier or vehicle carrying the mail.

In a designated fire lane

#5. Speeding along Manassas Drive

PD actively monitors all major thoroughfares through the City.

Last year, 360 speeding citations were administered along Manassas Drive and so far,

year to date (Jan-Sept), 179 citations have been administered.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:

COMMUNITY MAINTENANCE ENFORCEMENT

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Community Maintenance - Enforcement

Property Code Violations:

Community Development handles zoning code violations

and miscellaneous City Code sections that are “property

related”.

“Property Code” violations only.

● The owner is the de facto responsible party for things

occurring on their property.

● Observations vs. Investigations

● Ownership can be resolved by boundary plats.

● Goal is compliance, not prosecution.

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Community Maintenance - Enforcement

Zoning (Chapter 31 of the City Code) – Private Property● Outdoor storage

● Parking in grass in front yard

● More than one family living in a dwelling

● Inoperable vehicles on private property

Property Maintenance (VA Property Maintenance Code as adopted in Chapter 7 of the City

Code)● Structures in disrepair or in need of maintenance

● Roofs, gutters, siding, windows, etc.

● Required systems not performing their intended function

Other (Miscellaneous Violations from Chapter 17 of the City Code and Chapter 13.3 of the

City Code)● Tall Grass and Weeds

● Vegetation encroaching on sidewalk or street

● Prohibited animals – livestock

● Public health nuisances

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Community Maintenance – Common Issues

Grass and weeds● Often associated with vacant properties

● 10” is far taller than most neighbors consider acceptable

● Easiest to repeat

Inoperable vehicles● Often requires access to property beyond “path of the mailman”

● Very difficult to prove, if the vehicle is obscured from view

Lack of maintenance of structures● Property Maintenance Code doesn’t regulate aesthetics, only disrepair

● Many potential violations require access to prove

● Often originates and/or ends with landlord/tenant disputes

Overcrowding● By far the most difficult to prove

● “Too many people” is a relative term

● Requires access and cooperation from occupants

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Code Violations:• Inoperable Vehicles – in disrepair, or not displaying valid

license and inspection (does not include City registration).

• Automobile graveyards (5 or more inoperable vehicles)

not permitted anywhere in City.

• Parking vehicles in front yard is prohibited in the

Residential zones.

Community Maintenance – Common Issues

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Community Maintenance - Common Issues

Nature of Complaint FY 2019 FY 2020

Improper Domestic Storage 113 72

Grass and Weeds 79 46

Inoperable Vehicle 57 39

Structure In Disrepair 31 14

Car In Yard 28 13

Work Without Permit 28 22

Other 25 47

Trash and Garbage 14 26

Visual Obstruction 12 1

Overcrowding 10 3

Right of Way Obstruction 10 14

Health and Safety 4 1

Rental Compliance 2 1

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Community Maintenance – Enforcement Procedure

Step 1

● Complaint received

● Code Enforcement Officer verifies violation

● First contact is friendly and informational. Education

is part of the job.

● Verbal agreement on compliance date

Step 2

● Re-inspection on verbal compliance date

● If no progress, notice of violation is sent via certified

mail

● Appeal period for property owner is typically 30 days

(different for certain Miscellaneous Violations or

Property Maintenance violations)

● Cannot pursue violation until appeal period is over.

Step 3

● After appeal period, if violation still exists, go to

magistrate to issue summons

● Court hearing could result in criminal conviction,

correction order, or ruling in favor

of the defendant.

Step 4

● No matter what happens in court, we still must

continue to monitor to see if the owner makes

progress toward compliance.

● Depending on the nature of the violation, we may

be able to declare a public nuisance, or we may

wind up back in court for further

conviction/judgement.

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Community Maintenance - Challenges

Limited staffing – One Code Enforcement Officer, over 3,800 residences (not including

individual apartment units), a population of over 17,000

Proof - Code enforcement officer needs definitive proof of violation before proceeding with

enforcement actions

Court – “Right to enjoy property” often means that the courts are sympathetic to property

owner

Right of Entry – Violations can be hard to prove without warrant. With few exceptions,

property owner is responsible for abating the violation, not the City

Punishment vs. Abatement - Prosecution may not result in compliance

Repeat violators – If violation is cleared, then returns, enforcement process

restarts

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Community Maintenance – Path to Improve

Hire more staff – In 2006, there were 2 full-time, and 2 part-time Code Enforcement

Officers, and Building Inspectors (2) handled Property Maintenance Code. At least 25%

more residents since then, with at least 60% fewer staff

Switch from criminal to civil approach - Adopt robust civil penalty ordinance to fine

owners in violations (Note: Does not guarantee compliance)

Education - Implement community education efforts, increase public education and

involvement, increase awareness and visibility

Comprehensive code/program analysis – Hire third-party to evaluate effectiveness of

programs, and recommend ordinance change based on known success stories. (See back-

up slides for more code amendment options).

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CITY MANAGER: FINAL THOUGHTS

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Key Operational Takeaways

1. The City is heavily enforcing on these issues despite popular

misconceptions to the contrary.

2. The City is hamstrung by what the law permits us to do (i.e. we have

to follow specific steps and timelines to not violate people’s rights to

due process) and how Judges rule (i.e. property rights).

3. The City lacks staffing to increase enforcement levels: 0 parking

enforcement officers; 60% less Code Enforcement Staff from 2006

despite heavy population growth since; and Zoning Administration,

Zoning Enforcement, City Planning, and Development Services

Management all combined to one employee (+0 Building Officials).

4. Parking shortages made worse due to City Code prohibiting off-street

parking requirements when new additions made to homes.

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Management Takeaways

Efficiency/Productivity vs. Effectiveness: the City of Manassas Park is

extremely efficient (the ratio of the total population served by # of staff) and

highly productive (service levels provided by each one employee). These

are important ratios for any organization to maintain. However, increasing

productivity without technology investments and/or additional resources

does not work. A consequence of such short staffing levels that we have is a

lack of service delivery Effectiveness (attaining service levels demanded by

customers). We usually get complaints about service levels for areas where

we are severely understaffed- e.g. we have 0 Transportation Officials

despite managing such high volumes of major transportation projects.

Use of Technology- we are actively evaluating and implementing

technology enhancements to improve productivity (e.g. Tyler Incode and

Dude Solutions), but at the end of the day these are personnel functions that

are constrained by the reality of time and # of employees.

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Final Parking Recommendation

Besides staffing and code changes discussed, to address the parking shortage

situation, there are really only three realistic options, as building additional parking

infrastructure near residents is not feasible:

1. Permit Parking- Allow neighborhoods to petition for establishing resident only parking

permits (this would involve an additional administrative burden on staff and would be

unfair to residents who pay taxes and should be able to park along City right of way

anywhere in the City).

2. Neighborhood Decal Parking- Allow neighborhoods to petition for establishing decal

only parking overnight to ensure that only City residents are parking on their streets

overnight (this would eliminate the 30 day waiting period and allow Police to ticket

immediately; no additional administrative burden as decals are already issued).

3. General Decal Parking*- Create overnight decal requirements across the entire City or

just on the West Side (where severe parking shortages exist). This would have the

added benefit beyond bullet #2 above of increasing PP tax compliance.

*Note: we would need to make public parking lots (Costello Park, City Hall, Blooms Park)

available for visitor parking to help our residents if this action is taken.

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Consolidated list of Options

1. Parking Enforcement Division at

PD (2 FTEs)

2. More Code Enforcement Officers,

Building Official, and Zoning

Enforcement Officer

3. Permit Parking

4. Decal Parking (Neighborhood,

West Side, or entire City)

5. Public Parking Lots for residents

and/or visitors

6. Adding City Decal requirement to

Inoperable Vehicle Code

7. Requiring additional off street

parking for single family additions

8. Reduce limitations on driveway

width and lot coverage

9. Prohibiting commercial vehicles in

residentially zoned

neighborhoods

10. Comprehensive Code Analysis

11. Public Education

12. Ticketing System for Code

infractions instead of notice of

violation process (required code

amendment)

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Will now open Q&A Sheet and take any additional questions.

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Back-up SlidesParking Code Changes

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Proposed Improvements

New Developments and Site Plan Revisions:

• Off-Street parking is required to be proven adequate,

per tabulated rates, at the time of plan approval.

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• Residential use parking is dedicated to the

purpose, due to shared parking limitations.

31-27(a)(2) Shared: Required off-street parking spaces may be

provided cooperatively for two (2) or more nonresidential uses, subject

to arrangements that will assure the permanent availability of such

spaces to the satisfaction of the zoning administrator. A reduction in the

off-street parking required for each separate use may be allowed when

the separate uses involve differing hours of operation, days of

operation, or other circumstances that clearly demonstrate that the

separate uses will not experience simultaneous peak-hours of usage.

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31-27(a)(2) Shared: Required off-street parking spaces may be

provided cooperatively for two (2) or more nonresidential uses, subject

to arrangements that will assure the permanent availability of such

spaces to the satisfaction of the zoning administrator. A reduction in the

off-street parking required for each separate use may be allowed when

the separate uses involve differing hours of operation, days of

operation, or other circumstances that clearly demonstrate that the

separate uses will not experience simultaneous peak-hours of usage.

nonresidential uses

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• Only the Governing Body can, waive residential

parking. Evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

• Developers are required by the PFM to provide wide

enough right of way to accommodate on-street

parking, unless waivers are approved.

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Additions and Alterations:

• Prohibited from requiring off-street parking for

improvements on existing residential structures.

Sec. 31-27. - Off-street parking requirements.

These off-street parking requirements are intended to ensure an efficient

transportation and parking system by establishing standards for off-street

parking. In any zoning district, all structures built and all uses established

hereafter shall provide off-street parking spaces in accordance with the following

regulations. Except for existing residential structures, when an existing structure

or use is expanded, off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance

with the following regulations.

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Sec. 31-27. - Off-street parking requirements.

These off-street parking requirements are intended to ensure an efficient

transportation and parking system by establishing standards for off-street

parking. In any zoning district, all structures built and all uses established

hereafter shall provide off-street parking spaces in accordance with the following

regulations. Except for existing residential structures, when an existing structure

or use is expanded, off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance

with the following regulations.

Except for existing residential structures

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Legislative Options

Reinforce the “non-commercial” approach

Areas of focus:• Proposed Improvements -

New developments and site plan revisions

Additions and Alterations

• Existing Development Enforcement

New developments and site plan revisions

Widen allowable driveways

Reduce limitations imposed by lot coverage and setbacks

Require off-street parking with additions

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Why is this a problem? -

• Original Prince William County, Town of Manassas Park had no off-

street requirements, or it wasn’t required for every dwelling.

• Cost of living and pace of living have changed the way we live and do

business.

Children stay at home longer.

Shared housing is a necessity for many.

Famous quotes from history - “Dad, can I borrow

THE car.”

Take-home vehicles are a business benefit,

rather than a liability.

Legislative Problems

• Mansionization – Big homes mean big equity and large assessments.

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Legislative Options



• Allow residential improvements to be subject to off-

street parking requirements via:

Square footage

Number of Bedrooms

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Legislative Options

• Reduce limitations on driveway width and lot

coverage.

Downsides: Aesthetics, encroachment, flooding, etc.

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Existing Development Enforcement:

Legislative Options

• Add City decal to inoperable vehicle definition

• Eliminate commercial vehicles altogether

No commercial vehicles on residential property

No commercial vehicles permitted with home

occupation permits

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