Title
Staff Report for an Ordinance Adding Title 6, Chapter 6-8 to the San Leandro Municipal Code Relating to Transportation Permits
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This Ordinance adds a new chapter to the existing Municipal Code regulating oversized vehicles within City limits. This Ordinance defines the requirements needed for transportation permits.
The Ordinance would require transportation permits to operate or move vehicles or loads exceeding statutory limitations on the size, weight and loading of vehicles contained in Division 15 of the California Vehicle Code.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed Ordinance adding Chapter 6-8 to Title 6 of the San Leandro Municipal Code to regulate oversized vehicles traveling in and through the City. During the second reading and adoption of the proposed Ordinance, staff also recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing to adopt a resolution amending the fee schedule for the issuance of transportation permits. Additionally, staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution repealing Chapter 4 of Title 8 of the San Leandro Administrative Code.
BACKGROUND
Historically, oversized vehicles have travelled in and through the City with little regulation or control.
Hundreds of commercial vehicles travel through San Leandro daily. Some of these vehicles exceed statutory limitations on the size, weight and loading of vehicles permitted by the California Vehicle Code. Oversized vehicles may be overweight and the increased weight can affect the safe starting, stopping and handling of the vehicle. Increased weight may cause stress on a vehicle that could potentially cause a critical item component to fail, leading to a traffic collision. The increased weight can add extreme pressure to the roadway, which could cause the roadway and underlying infrastructure to fail. Transportation permits would allow for the regulation and control of these vehicles. Vehicles that are found out of compliance would be cited and in some cases taken out-of-service. The California Vehicle Code regulates maximum vehicle size and weight for safety and allows cities to issue special permits to regulate and control oversized vehicles.
In the past, oversized vehicles have also travelled outside of the posted truck routes through residential city streets that are not designed to accommodate them. These vehicles require greater stopping distances and impact the wear on roadway surfaces due to their weight. The greater stopping distances can be a safety factor when they are travelling outside truck routes in residential areas. Vehicles located off the designated truck routes would be cited and re-routed.
In 2010, the San Leandro Police Department created a full time commercial enforcement officer position. This commercial enforcement officer is an expert in commercial vehicle matters and drives a specialized vehicle equipped with inspection tools including portable scales.
This specially trained commercial enforcement officer patrols, locates and inspects commercial vehicles. This officer is trained by the California Highway Patrol and holds the title of M.R.E. (Mobile Road Enforcement).
The proposed Ordinance will provide clear guidelines for oversized vehicle operators and will allow the commercial enforcement officer and other peace officers to appropriately regulate oversized vehicles.
San Leandro Administrative Code Title 8 Chapter 4 provides that the City will not issue permits for any vehicle or load that exceeds the maximum specified in the California Vehicle Code. Thus, staff recommends that the City Council repeal this provision of the Administrative Code, effective on the effective date of the proposed Ordinance.
Pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 35795, the City Council must conduct a public hearing prior to the adoption of the transportation permit fees under the Ordinance. Staff recommends that, following the public hearing, the City Council adopt the proposed resolution amending the fee schedule to include the associated transportation permit fees.
Fiscal Impacts
The infrastructure to start and maintain this program is in place, so there would be no cost to implement this program.
Budget Authority
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
PREPARED BY: Jeff Bouillerce, Commercial Enforcement Officer, Police Department
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