Item 7AMEMORANDUM
February 4, 2004
To: Billy Campbell, City Manager
From: Malcolm Jackson, Director of Community Services (xt. 1527)
Subject: Ordinance No. 844, 2 nd Reading, amending Chapter 12 of the City Code, and
establishing designated speed limits within City parks
Action Requested: City Council approval of proposed Ordinance No. 844, 2n Reading,
amending Chapter 12 of the City Code, and establishing designated speed
limits within City parks.
Background
Information: As the use of the parks system continues to grow, traffic speeds on interior
park roads has become an increasing concern. Presently there is no
designated speed limit for vehicular traffic within the parks (park roads and
parking lots). Given the high number of pedestrians and increased traffic
flows it is proposed that enforceable speed limits be considered as a method
of providing improved safety for park patrons.
The City has ten parks within its system, some of which are presently
undeveloped or do not have park roads. Bob Jones Park, Bicentennial Park,
and the Southlake Sports Complex are the parks that currently have park
roads or entry drives. These three parks also represent the sites where the
highest amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic occurs (soccer, baseball,
softball, lacrosse, gymnastics, tennis, etc.).
Following consultation with the Departments of Public Works and Public
Safety it was determined that a survey of park speed limits in other Texas
cities was an appropriate method of study. Staff surveyed seventeen (17)
cities in Texas and determined that the average speed limit for park roads
was 16 mph (includes two cities that also had adopted a 5 mph speed limit
for their parking lots). Based on a review of the survey information with the
Director of Public Safety and the Director of Public Works, it is
recommended that a maximum speed limit of sixteen (16) miles per hour be
established for all park roads within Southlake. Sixteen (16) miles per hour
is proposed to improve safety levels for pedestrian and vehicular traffic and
draw greater attention to the posted speed limit. It is further recommended
that a maximum speed limit of five (5) miles per hour be established for
parking lots within City parks.
Financial
Consideration: The cost to install speed limit posts and signs is approximately $200 each.
It is estimated that a total of twelve signs will be required. Funding for this
project is currently available in the departmental operating budget.
Financial
Impact: There are no long term financial impacts anticipated with this proposal.
Citizen Input/
Board Review: City Council approved this item on 1 st reading (7 -0) at their February 3,
2004 meeting.
The Parks and Recreation Board recommended approval (8 -1) at their
November 10, 2003 meeting. The one dissenting vote indicated support for
even lower speed limits in the parks.
Legal Review: The City Attorney has reviewed the proposed ordinance.
Alternatives: Alternatives may include:
• City Council approval of the proposed ordinance as submitted.
• City Council input and approval of the proposed ordinance as
desired.
• City Council denial of the proposed ordinance.
Supporting
Documents: Supporting documents include:
• Proposed Ordinance No. 844
• Survey information
• Location map of park properties
Staff
Recommendation: City Council approval of proposed Ordinance No. 844, 2 " Reading,
amending Chapter 12 of the City Code, and establishing designated speed
limits within City parks.
ORDINANCE NO. 844
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 12, "PARKS AND
RECREATION", OF THE SOUTHLAKE CITY CODE (1996), AS
AMENDED, BY DESIGNATING THE SPEED LIMIT WITHIN CITY
PARKS AS 16 MILES PER HOUR; DIRECTING THE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC WORKS TO POST APPROPRIATE SIGNS; PROVIDING
THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE OF ALL
ORDINANCES; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS HEREOF;
PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR
PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER; AND PROVIDING
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Southlake, Texas is a home rule city acting under its charter
adopted by the electorate pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas Constitution and Chapter
9 of the Local Government Code; and
WHEREAS, the City of Southlake, Texas has the authority to establish prima facie
maximum reasonable and prudent speeds within its corporate boundaries for vehicles on park
roads and parking lots; and
WHEREAS, special hazards exist within each of the City parks which require a slower
speed in order for an operator to drive at a speed that is reasonable and prudent under the existing
circumstances; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Public Safety and the Director of Public Works have
conducted an engineering and traffic investigation of each such park to determine reasonable and
safe prima facie speed limits for such City park; and
WHEREAS, the results of the engineering and traffic investigation indicate the need to
alter the prima facie speed limit in City parks to provide a reduced speed limit to protect the safety
and general welfare of the citizens of the City and all users of City parks.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. SPEED LIMIT ESTABLISHED IN CITY PARKS
That section 12 -34 and 12 -35 of Chapterl2, "Parks and Recreation ", of the Southlake
City Code are hereby added to read as follows:
"Sec. 12 -34. Speed Limit in City Parks.
The prima facie maximum reasonable and prudent speed for travel on all City park roads is
16 miles per hour, and 5 miles per hour in all City park parking lots provided that an appropriate
sign giving notice thereof is erected.
Sec. 12 -35. Posting Signs; Inventory.
The Director of Public Works is hereby directed to ensure that appropriate signs are
erected and maintained giving notice of the speed limits in City parks and to file an updated
inventory indicating the new speed limits with the City Secretary as provided in Section 18 -82 of
the City Code."
SECTION 2. CUMULATIVE CLAUSE
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances of the City of Southlake,
Texas, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of
such ordinances, in which event the conflicting provisions of such ordinances are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrases, clauses,
sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance are severable and if any phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid
judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect
any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since
the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in its ordinance
of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section.
SECTION 4. PENALTY
Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects, or refuses to
comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be
fined not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each offense. Each day that a violation is
permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
SECTION 5. SAVINGS CLAUSE
All rights and remedies of the City of Southlake are expressly saved as to any and all
violations of the provisions of any other ordinances or statutes adopting prima facie reasonable
and prudent speed limits in City parks which have accrued at the time of the effective date of this
ordinance; and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal,
whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected by this
ordinance but may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts.
SECTION 6. PUBLICATION
The City Secretary of the City of Southlake is hereby directed to publish the proposed ordinance
or its caption and penalty together with a notice setting out the time and place for a public hearing
thereon at least ten (10) days before the second reading of this ordinance, and if this ordinance
provides for the imposition of any penalty, fine or forfeiture for any violation of any of its
provisions, then the City Secretary shall additionally publish this ordinance or its caption and
penalty in the official City newspaper one time within ten days after passage of this ordinance, as
required by Section 3.13 of the Charter of the City of Southlake.
SECTION 7. EFFECTIVE DATE
This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as
required by law, and it is so ordained.
PASSED AND APPROVED ON FIRST READING ON THIS 3'`' DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2004.
THE HONORABLE ANDY WAMBSGANSS,
MAYOR
ATTEST:
LORI FARWELL, CITY SECRETARY
PASSED AND APPROVED ON SECOND READING ON THIS DAY OF
1 2004.
THE HONORABLE ANDY WAMBSGANSS,
MAYOR
ATTEST:
LORI FARWELL, CITY SECRETARY
EFFECTIVE DATE:
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
City Attorney
Cities Surveyed
Park Speed Limit
Parking Lot Speed Limit
1 Amarillo
20
Mph
N/A
2 Austin
15
Mph
N/A
3 Carrollton
15
Mph
N/A
4 Corsicana
20
Mph
N/A
5 Dallas
20
Mph
N/A
6 Duncanville
15
Mph
N/A
7 El Paso
15
Mph
5 mph
a Fort Worth
20
Mph
5 mph
9 Irving
10
Mph
N/A
10 Lewisville
20
Mph
N/A
11 Lubbock
20
Mph
N/A
12 New Braunfels
20
Mph
N/A
13 Pasadena
10
Mph
N/A
14 Richardson
20
Mph
N/A
15 Stephenville
10
Mph
N/A
16 Texarkana
15
Mph
N/A
17 Weatherford
20
Mph
N/A
Avg Speed Limit
16
mph*
* average includes
parking lot speed limits
20
15
Park Speed 10
Limit
s
0
fu
Cities Surveyed
Park Facilities Location Map