Loudoun County could be on its way to establishing a pilot project to gauge the effectiveness and cost of a parking ordinance.
The Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee has instructed the county staff to make changes in the draft Residential Parking District Ordinance before a public hearing on the proposal. John Clark, director of the Office of Transportation, warned the committee that the need for an ordinance is inevitable. "As Loudoun matures, it is going to need a parking ordinance," he said.
The draft, modeled after ordinances in Fairfax County, Arlington County and Leesburg, calls for "on-street parking restrictions in certain designation areas of the county on public streets other than primary highways."
Committee Chairman Mick Staton (R-Sugarland) asked the staff of the Office of Transportation to research the viability of the Sheriff's Auxiliary and Homeowners Associations assisting with the setup of the district, administration of it and enforcement. The committee also wants more information about the cost of enforcement.
Capt. David Domin of the Sheriff's Department had recommended using the auxiliary, noting its members could be trained to enforce the parking ordinance. The members' availability, however, would be limited because they are volunteers. The department might have to establish a full-time unit to handle parking, he said.
THE EIGHT-PAGE DRAFT details the requirements needed for a neighborhood to qualify for the ordinance and establishes an application fee and fines to pay for enforcement. The fines would either be $100 or $40, depending on the violation. The Board of Supervisors would set the fee.
According to the proposed ordinance, single-family detached and/or duplex dwelling units must be on a public street to qualify as a district. Residences on corner lots abutting an established district also would be eligible. In addition, single-family attached/town homes would qualify if they are on a public street within an established district and private off-street parking lots are not provided.
The staff's background report, provided for the committee, gives the community adjacent to Park View High School as an example of a potential residential parking district. Sterling residents have complained about the parking that spills onto neighboring streets during events, such as football games.
Chuck Acker, a transportation operation engineer, suggested the committee set up a pilot project near a school and in a residential area not in the vicinity of a school.
The Transportation Committee will consider the ordinance again when it meets at 6:30 p.m., Sept. 13, in the Lovettsville Room at the county Government Center.