Subject
title
Adoption of an Ordinance to Amend City Code Section 23-47, Permit Issuance, Fee, Term, Etc. to Expand Residential Parking Permit Eligibility and Provide a Mechanism for the City Manager to Grant Exceptions
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Department
PW - Traffic & Transportation
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Mayor and Council introduce the proposed ordinance. If the Mayor and Council wish to proceed with adoption of the ordinance at the same meeting, the ordinance should first be introduced and then a motion should be made to waive the layover period. If the motion to waive the layover period is approved by an affirmative vote of six or more members of the Mayor and Council, a motion to adopt the ordinance may then proceed.
Change in Law or Policy
The proposed amendment will modify Chapter 23, “Traffic,” Article II, “Stopping, Standing and Parking,” Division 2, “Permit Parking for Residents,” Section 23-47, “Permit Issuance, Fee, Term, Etc.,” of the Rockville City Code. The amendment will also add a new subsection to Section 23-47, “Permit Issuance, Fee, Term, Etc.,” of the Rockville City Code.
Discussion
City Code Section 23-47, “Permit Issuance, Fee, Term, Etc.,” provides direction for issuing residential parking permits, installing parking permit area signage, determining the validity of the permit, and establishing a fee for the permit.
The current code provides that, “Permits shall be issued only to persons residing on the property immediately adjacent to a street or road within the parking permit area.”
Residents who live on streets with permit-restricted parking are eligible to obtain a parking permit. Residents who live on nearby streets with permit-restricted parking, but do not live on a permit-restricted street, are not eligible to obtain residential parking permits. Moreover, residents living on streets far from parking permit areas are also not eligible to obtain a residential parking permit.
This provision seeks to ensure that residents living on specific streets will have access to on-street parking on their own street and to prevent motorists from other neighborhoods, those visiting nearby commercial businesses, or those commuting via a nearby transit station to park on those streets. It is expected that residents who do not live on permit-restricted streets are able to conveniently park on their own street.
However, there are some instances in which residents live on streets that prohibit on-street parking for some or part of the day. These include streets that are classified as arterial and streets that have rights-of-way that are too narrow to accommodate on-street parking and travel lanes. If a resident lives on a street that prohibits parking, and the nearby streets are permit-restricted, that resident is still ineligible to obtain a residential parking permit, because their residence is not “immediately adjacent to a street or road within the parking permit area.” These residents and their visitors are not able to park on-street near their homes.
The proposed amendment (Attachment 1) expands the eligibility to allow residents to obtain residential parking permits if they live on streets with prohibited parking and the nearest streets are permit-restricted.
A review of existing streets with prohibited on-street parking and nearby streets with permit-restricted on-street parking indicate approximately 100 properties city-wide would become eligible.
Additionally, the current City Code does not provide any mechanism for the City to provide a residential parking permit as an exception. While the city should not give out residential parking permits to residents that are ineligible, there may be unanticipated situations in which a residential parking permit is appropriate, but the resident is not eligible. The proposed amendment includes a new subsection for Section 23-47, to provide the City Manager to grant an exception and to issue a residential parking permit, subject to guidance that will be promulgated by the City Manager.
Mayor and Council History
This is the first time this proposed amendment has been raised with the Mayor and Council.
Public Notification and Engagement
The Department of Public Works hosted a virtual public meeting on July 8, 2025, and a second virtual public meeting on July 23, 2025, to discuss the proposed City Code amendment. These meetings were open to everyone and community and homeowner associations which also have designated residential parking permit areas were sent meeting invitations. Residents raised questions related to the timeline for the amendment, enforcement of permit parking areas, and authority of the City Manager to provide exceptions. Residents in the meeting supported the amendment.
A public comment period was open between June 24 and August 15 for residents or stakeholders to submit written comments or questions. Two messages were received from residents, both in favor of the proposed amendment. A third message was received by the King Farm Citizens Assembly management requesting additional residents be eligible for residential parking permits. City staff directed the King Farm Citizens Assembly management to the process of designating streets as residential permit parking areas, which would be better and more directly address their request.
Boards and Commissions Review
The Transportation and Mobility Commission discussed the proposed amendment during the June 2025 meeting and proposed revisions to the amendment language. These revisions were incorporated into the amendment and the Transportation and Mobility Commission voted to support the amendment during the July 2025 meeting.
Next Steps
The Mayor and Council may choose to adopt the amendment. If the Mayor and Council do not introduce the proposed amendment, waive the layover period, and adopt the proposed ordinance, the item can be brought back at a future Mayor and Council meeting.