1. On-Street Parking and Emergency AccessCity of Kalispell
Post Office Box 1997 - Kalispell, Montana 59903
Telephone: (406) 758-7701 Fax: (406) 758-7758
July 7, 2009
TO: Mayor & City Council
FRM: Interim City Manager�'�`�
Re: On Street Parking and Fire Access
Recently we have received complaints that the on -street parking in the vicinity of Legends Field
was restricting access for emergency vehicles. Upon closer examination I found some general
issues with on -street parking and emergency access.
• There is a difference between the clearance the city requires, 16 ft, and what fire codes
require- 20ft. Sixteen feet may allow a fire engine to pass thru but does not allow for any
operations around the engine.
• Any street with a pavement of width of less than 28 ft should not allow any parking on
either side. Pavement width of 28 ft allows parking on one side, pavement width of 36 ft
allows parking on both sides.
• While most streets in the city are at least 28 ft wide, few are 36 ft wide.
• The city requires parking not to extend more than 8 ft into the pavement area but there is
no relation to street width. Sometimes 8 ft is too far if the pavement is less than 28 ft wide.
• Enforcement of parking ordinances is uneven.
• The new 911 center will have computerized dispatch which will allow for computerized
routing of emergency vehicles. How wide streets are and what parking is allowed will be
critical to the efficient routing of fire engines and ambulances.
The central issue is how the need for public safety access should be balanced against the
inconvenience to citizens from restricting parking on certain streets.
The staff needs guidance from the council on how important this issue is in the community and
how they would like the staff to plan improvements.
Attached is a memo from the city attorney and fire chief.
KALISPELL
FIRE DEPARTMENT
PO Box 1997
Daniel Diehl — Assistant Chief/Operations
- 312 First Avenue East
DC Haas — Assistant Chief/Prevention
Kalispell, Montana 59901
_- Phone: (406) 758-7760
FAX: (406) 758-7952
June 15, 2009
TO: Myrt Webb, Interim City Manager
FROM: Dan Diehl, A/Fire Chief
RE: Legends Stadium parking
I have reviewed the fire code and have measured the streets in response to the parking
complaints around Legends Stadium.
On 4th Avenue West from 11 th Street West to 12th Street West the road surface is 23' and
from 12th Street West south the road surface is reduced further. During events, no parking
will be allowed on either side of 4th Avenue West due to the requirements of providing a
minimum of 20' unobstructed access roadway per the 2006 IFC Section 503.
On 3rd Avenue West from 11 th Street West to 12th Street West the road surface is wider and
parking is allowed on both sides of the street. South of 12th Street West and 3rd Avenue
West is the main entrance to Legends Stadium and a fire hydrant for this facility. The
entrance shall be clear of all private vehicles except for emergency police and fire parking
during an event.
On 2nd Avenue West from 11 th Street West to 12th Street West the road surface is wider
and parking is allowed on both sides of the street. South of 12th Street West and 2nd
Avenue West is the secondary access to the stadium. Parking is only permitted on the east
side of the street.
On 12th Street West the road surface narrows toward the west end 7'. Parking is allowed
only on one side of 12th Street West from 3rd Avenue West to 4th Avenue West. The
remaining portion of 12th Street West parking is allowed on both sides.
Enforcement of this requirement will need to be the Police Department. If you have any
further questions please feel free to contact me.
"Protecting our community with the highest level of professionalism."
Charles A. Harball Office of City Attorney
City Attorney 201 First Avenue East
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59903-1997
TO: Myrt Webb, Interim City Manager
FROM: Charles Harball, City Attorney
DATED: Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Tel 406.758.7977
Fax 406.758.7979
charball@kalispell.com
SUBJECT: Street Parking — Streets in Proximity to Legends Field
ISM The streets are narrow (under 20' wide) in this area and parking is not
regulated. Therefore cars are being parked on both sides of the street,
particularly during events at Legends Field. The Fire Department is
concerned that it cannot get its apparatus through these streets if
needed.
IAWS: The City has three ordinances that may apply here. The first is found
at KCC 17-56 Parking so as to Block Traffic Generally. It states:
A. It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle on any street for any purpose
whatsoever so that any part of such vehicle or its load extends into the street to a
point nearer than eight feet (8') from the centerline thereof.
B. The object of this provision is to keep an open space or clearance of
sixteen feet (16') in the middle of the highway at all times, and if a vehicle or its
load is of such length that it cannot be parked on a certain highway so as to
conform with this and other provisions of this chapter, it shall not be left standing
upon such highway.
The second ordinance (KCC 17-54 Restricted or Prohibited Parking in
Certain Areas) specifically identifies which streets only allow parking
on one side or have other parking restrictions.
The third ordinance (KCC 17-71 Curbs Marked Red or Yellow) simply
identifies curbs which are marked to restrict parking:
Vehicles must not park by curbs painted red or yellow.
July 8, 2009
Page - 2
PLICATION: KCC 17-56 Parking so as to Block Traffic Generally, is
immediately applicable and does not require any new ordinance. It
may not be very effective, however, because there is no signage or
other apparent notice to car owners to pay attention to this issue.
Although KPD may be immediately able to give out citations, good
compliance will not be expected.
KCC 17-71 Curbs Marked Red or Yellow, may be used and will provide
some apparent notice, but this must be used in conjunction with KCC
17-54 Restricted or Prohibited Parking in Certain Areas which will
require an ordinance to be enacted to add these streets to the list. This
process does have a better chance of obtaining compliance.
R.EC® E ATI®N: Bring this matter on for a workshop so that police and fire
can explain the issue to the Council and see if they want an ordinance
to come forward.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles Harball, City Attorney
Office of City Attorney
City of Kalispell