Midtown Parking Restrictions

The street cleaning parking restriction signage in Sacramento's midtown area is inconsistent and confusing. There are several problems that need to be addressed:

1. Signage
2. Holidays
3. Street cleaning

This petition arose when a resident was cited for a street cleaning violation on Thanksgiving Day. Given that Christmas Day and New Year's Day also fall on Thursdays, action must be taken to avoid needless citations and contestations.

1. Signage:
The Midtown parking restriction signage is inconsistent in many ways.

First, it is inconsistent in whether holidays are included in the restrictions. While city policy says that all holidays are included, signage does not consistently reflect this law. The lettered streets, which have Monday and Tuesday restrictions, appear to include holidays. Most Monday signage lists "Mon. Holiday Incl." Some Tuesday signage also includes holidays. Exactly zero signs on the 23rd - 27th Streets between G and K St. list holiday inclusions for Wednesday and Thursday. A reasonable person would then infer that Monday holidays are definitely included, Tuesday holidays may be included, and that Wednesday and Thursday holidays are exempt from parking restrictions. Clearly, given that the aforementioned citation was given on a Thursday holiday, this may not be the case. The city should either be consistent in its treatment of holidays or its signage should reflect in all cases whether the holiday is included.

Second, it is inconsistent, even on the same street. Tuesday signage on the north side of I St. sometimes lists "Tues Holiday Incl." Within two blocks, the signs can differ (visit the 2200-2400 block of I). This is very confusing for residents attempting to park. Monday signage on the south side of lettered streets is more consistent. If the city includes holidays, then all signs should reflect that inclusion.

2. Holidays:
The city needlessly employs enforcement officers on federal, state, city, and parking meter holidays to cite vehicles. It is a waste of city resources to pay these employees the overtime or holiday rate, especially given the citys current financial problems. Similarly, it is a waste of city resources to pay the overtime rate for street cleaning.

The city cites vehicles on holidays that fall on Thursdays, even when the signage for Wednesday and Thursday restriction do not say that holidays are included.

There is a contradiction in the citys parking enforcement policy. The citys parking services policy says that residential street cleaning restrictions are enforced on all holidays (http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/parking/onstreetpermits.html#info), though signage does not reflect that. This is in contrast to parking meter holidays (http://www.cityofsacramento.org/2008-City-Holiday-Schedule.html). Therefore, it would be free to park at a meter in the same geographical area on these days, but would cost the $40 fine where there is no meter. This is inconsistent and unfair.

Enforcing parking restrictions on holidays is overly burdensome for residents with travel plans that do not include driving. It creates a hostile environment that may detract residents from living in the Midtown area. We ask that the city provide a cost benefit analysis or cite examples from the best practices literature that would support Sacramentos holiday parking policy.

3. Street Cleaning:
The city uses parking restrictions in the Midtown area on Monday through Thursday of every week for street cleaning purposes. However, the streets are not actually cleaned every week. This puts an unnecessary burden on residents without driveways or garages to move their vehicles even when there is no legitimate purpose. This detracts residents from living in the Midtown area and may push some to move to outlying areas where there are no parking restrictions. To remedy this problem, the city should either clean the streets every week or change the parking restriction to reflect when actual cleaning will take place.

For example, the city of Chicago cleans its Wrigleyville area streets once per month. They post signs for an entire week before the cleaning is scheduled to warn residents and impose hefty fines for those who violate the street cleaning order. One day per month is not burdensome and residents appreciate having clean streets.

We also request documentation of all actual street cleaning, particularly for holidays, for the past five years.


We, the undersigned Sacramento Midtown residents, are in favor of:
1. Consistent parking restriction signage
a. All signs should reflect whether holidays are included
b. Parking meter holidays should result in street cleaning restriction holidays
2. Exclusion of all city recognized holidays, regardless of which calendar day they occur
3. Actual city street cleaning if there are to be street cleaning parking restrictions.