Title
Ordinance to Amend and Reenact the City Code of the City of Hampton, Virginia by Amending Chapter 21, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Article X, Sec. 21-227 to designate an additional fine street
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
In 2023, City Council adopted an additional fine ordinance (Chapter 21, Motor Vehicles and Traffic, Article X) (the “Ordinance”) for exceeding the maximum speed on designated residential streets as allowed by the Code of Virginia § 46.2-878.2. Under the Ordinance, operation of any motor vehicle in excess of a maximum speed limit established for a highway in a residence district of the City, when indicated by appropriately placed signs displaying the maximum speed limit and the penalty for violations, shall be unlawful and constitute a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of $200, in addition to other penalties provided by law. No portion of the fine shall be suspended unless the court orders 20 hours of community service.
Further under the Ordinance, criteria was set to be used by the City’s Public Works Division (“Public Works”) requiring traffic studies to be conducted to determine if certain City streets should be designated as additional fine streets. Those studies can be requested in 2 ways: 1) upon receipt by the City of a petition signed by at least seventy-five (75) percent of the owners or tenants of all residential structures having lot frontage upon a residential street, or portion thereof; or 2) the City Manager may cause to be conducted or the City Council may, on its own initiative, direct the City Manager or City Manager’s designee to cause to be conducted necessary and material traffic studies on an identified residential street, or portion thereof. A staff report giving the results of any study conducted shall be given to City Council for consideration.
Public Works and the City Manager received concerns expressed by citizens that there was a problem with excessive speeding on Tide Mill Lane from Armistead Avenue to LaSalle Avenue (the “Street”). The City Manager caused Public Works to conduct a traffic study for the Street in accordance with the Ordinance. The study showed that there were issues with excessive speeding on the Street. A copy of the traffic study is attached to this proposed Ordinance amendment for City Council’s consideration. City staff recommends that the Ordinance be amended to add and designate Tide Mill Lane from Armistead Avenue to LaSalle Avenue as an additional fine street in Section 21-227 of the Ordinance.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the amendment.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia, that Section 21-227 of Article X, Chapter 21 of the City Code of the City of Hampton, Virginia be amended and adopted to read as follows:
Chapter 21 - MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
. . . .
ARTICLE X. - ADDITIONAL FINE FOR EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM SPEED ON DESIGNATED RESIDENTIAL STREETS
. . . .
Sec. 21-227. - Designated additional fine streets.
. . . .
(i) Tide Mill Lane from Armistead Avenue to LaSalle Avenue