AGENDA ITEM NO. 8
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AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina | Office of the City Manager
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| DATE: | July 7, 2026 |
TO: |
Mayor and City Council |
FROM: |
Milan Mrakich, City Manager |
SUBJECT: |
STATUS OF THE UPDATE TO STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION |
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.
BACKGROUND:
The City of West Covina provides street sweeping services for approximately 463 curb miles of roadway through a contract with a third-party vendor. Street sweeping is an essential public service that removes trash and debris, maintains the cleanliness and appearance of the community, and supports compliance with regional water and air quality regulations.
Community meetings were held on June 12, 17, and 26, 2023, as well as on October 19, 2023, to discuss potential changes to the City’s existing street sweeping program.
On November 7, 2023, staff presented an update on the program to the City Council. Due to additional information requested by the Council, the item was tabled and later returned for consideration on December 5, 2023. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to transition from a bi-weekly street sweeping schedule to a weekly schedule. The Council also directed staff to update the Municipal Code, install signage restricting parking during designated four-hour street sweeping windows, and expand the responsibilities of Public Safety (formerly Code Enforcement) to include street sweeping enforcement. The enforcement component was intended to ensure that streets and curbs remain accessible to street sweepers so the program can operate effectively.
On October 15, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to a third-party vendor for the installation of new street sweeping signs in the amount of $351,095.00, with a 15% contingency of $52,664.25, for a total project budget of $403,759.25. The City Council also authorized staff to purchase additional signage and mounting equipment in the amount of $734,992.87. The project scope included all materials, equipment, labor, and incidentals necessary to install street sweeping restriction signage throughout the City. Signs were installed on existing streetlights, existing signposts, or new Uni strut signposts placed in concrete or dirt, depending on site conditions.
On January 21, 2025, staff presented proposed amendments to the Municipal Code necessary to implement the updated street sweeping program. On February 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2526, amending Chapter 22 (Traffic Regulations) to update street sweeping regulations and enforcement provisions. At the same meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-10, establishing the effective dates and identifying when and where the “No Parking on Street Sweeping Days” regulations would be implemented.
On February 19, 2025, staff issued a Notice to Proceed to the awarded contractor for the installation of Citywide street sweeping signage. Signs restricting parking during the designated four-hour street sweeping windows were subsequently installed throughout all applicable areas of the City.
On July 15, 2025, the City Council authorized the purchase of enforcement vehicles to support the updated street sweeping program. This included four 2025 Ford F-150 trucks and two 2025 Ford Police Interceptors for use by Public Safety as part of the enforcement fleet.
On August 19, 2025, the City Council directed staff to revise the program to an alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping schedule. The Council directed the then Acting City Manager to negotiate an amendment to the agreement with Nationwide Environmental Services and return with the proposed amendment for Council consideration. The Council also authorized the purchase of stickers to revise existing signage and directed staff to prepare a resolution updating parking restrictions associated with the modified program.
On November 18, 2025, the City Council accepted the completed work and authorized staff to file the Notice of Completion for the Street Sweeping Signage Installation Project (Project No. 25015).
On April 7, 2026, staff presented an update on the street sweeping program, including a financial analysis of four implementation options related to alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping. Following the discussion, the City Council directed staff to implement Option 1, which reinstated the zone-based weekly street sweeping schedule originally approved by the City Council on December 5, 2023. Staff was also directed to continue evaluating opportunities to address community concerns and operational challenges associated with the program.
Community meetings were held on June 12, 17, and 26, 2023, as well as on October 19, 2023, to discuss potential changes to the City’s existing street sweeping program.
On November 7, 2023, staff presented an update on the program to the City Council. Due to additional information requested by the Council, the item was tabled and later returned for consideration on December 5, 2023. At that meeting, the City Council directed staff to transition from a bi-weekly street sweeping schedule to a weekly schedule. The Council also directed staff to update the Municipal Code, install signage restricting parking during designated four-hour street sweeping windows, and expand the responsibilities of Public Safety (formerly Code Enforcement) to include street sweeping enforcement. The enforcement component was intended to ensure that streets and curbs remain accessible to street sweepers so the program can operate effectively.
On October 15, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to a third-party vendor for the installation of new street sweeping signs in the amount of $351,095.00, with a 15% contingency of $52,664.25, for a total project budget of $403,759.25. The City Council also authorized staff to purchase additional signage and mounting equipment in the amount of $734,992.87. The project scope included all materials, equipment, labor, and incidentals necessary to install street sweeping restriction signage throughout the City. Signs were installed on existing streetlights, existing signposts, or new Uni strut signposts placed in concrete or dirt, depending on site conditions.
On January 21, 2025, staff presented proposed amendments to the Municipal Code necessary to implement the updated street sweeping program. On February 4, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2526, amending Chapter 22 (Traffic Regulations) to update street sweeping regulations and enforcement provisions. At the same meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-10, establishing the effective dates and identifying when and where the “No Parking on Street Sweeping Days” regulations would be implemented.
On February 19, 2025, staff issued a Notice to Proceed to the awarded contractor for the installation of Citywide street sweeping signage. Signs restricting parking during the designated four-hour street sweeping windows were subsequently installed throughout all applicable areas of the City.
On July 15, 2025, the City Council authorized the purchase of enforcement vehicles to support the updated street sweeping program. This included four 2025 Ford F-150 trucks and two 2025 Ford Police Interceptors for use by Public Safety as part of the enforcement fleet.
On August 19, 2025, the City Council directed staff to revise the program to an alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping schedule. The Council directed the then Acting City Manager to negotiate an amendment to the agreement with Nationwide Environmental Services and return with the proposed amendment for Council consideration. The Council also authorized the purchase of stickers to revise existing signage and directed staff to prepare a resolution updating parking restrictions associated with the modified program.
On November 18, 2025, the City Council accepted the completed work and authorized staff to file the Notice of Completion for the Street Sweeping Signage Installation Project (Project No. 25015).
On April 7, 2026, staff presented an update on the street sweeping program, including a financial analysis of four implementation options related to alternate-side, alternate-day street sweeping. Following the discussion, the City Council directed staff to implement Option 1, which reinstated the zone-based weekly street sweeping schedule originally approved by the City Council on December 5, 2023. Staff was also directed to continue evaluating opportunities to address community concerns and operational challenges associated with the program.
DISCUSSION:
In response to City Council direction, staff began implementation of the zone-based weekly street sweeping schedule through a coordinated effort involving the Engineering Division, Public Safety Department, and Public Works Department.
On May 11, 2026, following the former Acting City Manager, now City Manager’s direction, Public Safety staff began coordinating enforcement routes with the City's street sweeping contractor, Nationwide Environmental Services. Public Safety Officers followed the street sweeper along designated routes to distribute warning notices to vehicles parked within restricted areas as part of an extensive public awareness and noticing campaign.
In addition to the warning notices, the City Manager has provided updates during City Manager Reports at City Council meetings since April 7, 2026. Residents have been encouraged to submit concerns regarding missing signage, requests for alternate-side street sweeping, or other street sweeping-related issues through the City's Report an Issue application, by email at Permits@westcovina.org, or by phone at (626) 939-8733. Staff logged each concern, conducted an investigation, and provided a response to the resident.
In conjunction with these efforts, Public Safety staff documented outdated signs, incorrect postings, missing signage, and locations with unique characteristics that may warrant alternate-side street sweeping. These characteristics included streets adjacent high-density residential development, commercial parking overflow, or other site-specific conditions. Feedback received from both residents and Public Safety staff was logged and individually investigated. A log of these concerns can be found in Attachment 2.
In addition to concerns raised by residents and Public Safety staff, the Engineering Division completed an independent field review of all streets throughout the City. During this review, staff identified missing, outdated, or incorrect signage and evaluated opportunities to improve sign placement, including installation on existing streetlights, consolidation with other signage, and relocation to more visible locations.
Following completion of the field review and after allowing sufficient time for additional public input, staff cross-referenced resident concerns with the findings from the field review to ensure all issues brought to the City's attention were addressed. In cases where concerns had already been identified during the Engineering Division's review, such as missing or incorrect signage, those items were marked as addressed. Staff then conducted additional field investigations for concerns that had not previously been identified, including requests for alternate-side street sweeping schedules.
It should be noted that field reviews were conducted during normal business hours, as no concerns were reported regarding overnight or weekend conditions. Should concerns arise for specific time periods, staff will conduct additional investigations as necessary.
A comprehensive log of concerns and field findings from residents and Public Safety staff is included as Attachment 2 to this report. A summary of these findings is provided below in Table 1.
Table 1 – Concern/Response Log Overview
It should be noted that Table 1 reflects only concerns submitted by residents and the Public Safety Department. During the Engineering Division's independent review, additional locations requiring modifications were identified and have been incorporated into the proposed updated street sweeping maps. In some cases, individual concerns encompassed multiple streets or blocks depending on the nature of the issue.
The culmination of these reviews resulted in staff recommending the installation of approximately 1,227 additional signs throughout the City. The need for additional signage is largely attributed to the original direction to minimize sign placement, which resulted in concerns from residents that street sweeping restrictions were not clearly identified on certain streets. To balance clear communication of parking restrictions while minimizing sign clutter, staff has also recommended consolidating signs onto existing poles and streetlights, as well as relocating signs where appropriate to preserve neighborhood aesthetics.
Upon substantial completion of the field investigations, staff prepared updated street sweeping signage maps and provided them to the Public Works Department in mid-June 2026. Public Works staff subsequently began removing, replacing, and installing signage throughout the City at locations where improvements had been identified.
At this time, Public Works staff continue to install and update signage while Public Safety staff continue the public awareness campaign by distributing street sweeping notices to vehicles parked in restricted areas. A copy of the notice being provided is shown in Attachment 3.
Upon completion of the signage updates, the City intends to notify residents through social media platforms and other communication channels regarding the date on which parking enforcement will begin. Once enforcement commences, Public Safety staff will issue citations to vehicles parked within posted street sweeping restriction areas. Public Safety staff will continue to follow the street sweeper through each designated zone. After the street sweeper has completed service on a street, residents may return their vehicles to the curb without receiving a citation.
Residents who receive a citation will be provided with information identifying the applicable Municipal Code section, citation amount, and instructions for payment or contesting the citation. Citations may be paid online or by mail. Payments submitted by mail must be made by check or money order; cash payments will not be accepted. Mailed payments must be postmarked on or before the payment due date to avoid late penalties.
The City also provides customer service support through a third-party citation processing vendor to assist residents with citation-related questions. Eligible residents may enroll in a payment plan within 120 days of citation issuance or within 10 days of an administrative hearing determination. Payment plan terms, including minimum monthly payments and repayment periods, are based on the total citation amount enrolled. Processing fees may apply. Payment plans are not available for citations associated with vehicles that are currently booted or impounded.
Low-income residents may qualify for reduced payment plan options in accordance with applicable requirements. Monthly payments generally will not exceed $25 for eligible citations totaling up to $500, while alternative arrangements may be available for higher citation amounts.
Residents who believe a citation was issued in error may contest the citation in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 40215. The first level of review is an initial administrative review conducted at no cost to the resident. Requests for review must be submitted within 21 calendar days of citation issuance and must include supporting documentation. If the citation is dismissed, any payments made by the resident will be refunded.
If the citation is upheld during the initial review, the resident may request a second-level review through an administrative hearing. Requests for an administrative hearing must be submitted within 21 calendar days of the mailing of the initial review determination. To qualify for an administrative hearing, the citation amount must generally be paid in advance. Residents may request either an in-person hearing or a hearing by written declaration. Administrative hearings are conducted by an impartial hearing officer and do not involve direct examination of the issuing officer.
If the citation is upheld during the administrative hearing, the resident may pursue a third-level appeal through the Superior Court pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 40230(a). Residents dissatisfied with the results of the administrative hearing may file a civil appeal in accordance with applicable legal requirements. If a citation is dismissed at any stage of the review process, any amounts paid by the resident will be refunded.
On May 11, 2026, following the former Acting City Manager, now City Manager’s direction, Public Safety staff began coordinating enforcement routes with the City's street sweeping contractor, Nationwide Environmental Services. Public Safety Officers followed the street sweeper along designated routes to distribute warning notices to vehicles parked within restricted areas as part of an extensive public awareness and noticing campaign.
In addition to the warning notices, the City Manager has provided updates during City Manager Reports at City Council meetings since April 7, 2026. Residents have been encouraged to submit concerns regarding missing signage, requests for alternate-side street sweeping, or other street sweeping-related issues through the City's Report an Issue application, by email at Permits@westcovina.org, or by phone at (626) 939-8733. Staff logged each concern, conducted an investigation, and provided a response to the resident.
In conjunction with these efforts, Public Safety staff documented outdated signs, incorrect postings, missing signage, and locations with unique characteristics that may warrant alternate-side street sweeping. These characteristics included streets adjacent high-density residential development, commercial parking overflow, or other site-specific conditions. Feedback received from both residents and Public Safety staff was logged and individually investigated. A log of these concerns can be found in Attachment 2.
In addition to concerns raised by residents and Public Safety staff, the Engineering Division completed an independent field review of all streets throughout the City. During this review, staff identified missing, outdated, or incorrect signage and evaluated opportunities to improve sign placement, including installation on existing streetlights, consolidation with other signage, and relocation to more visible locations.
Following completion of the field review and after allowing sufficient time for additional public input, staff cross-referenced resident concerns with the findings from the field review to ensure all issues brought to the City's attention were addressed. In cases where concerns had already been identified during the Engineering Division's review, such as missing or incorrect signage, those items were marked as addressed. Staff then conducted additional field investigations for concerns that had not previously been identified, including requests for alternate-side street sweeping schedules.
It should be noted that field reviews were conducted during normal business hours, as no concerns were reported regarding overnight or weekend conditions. Should concerns arise for specific time periods, staff will conduct additional investigations as necessary.
A comprehensive log of concerns and field findings from residents and Public Safety staff is included as Attachment 2 to this report. A summary of these findings is provided below in Table 1.
Table 1 – Concern/Response Log Overview
| Concern Category | Total Number Received | Total Number Concurred After Field Review |
| Alternate Day Sweeping | 47 | 24 |
| Damaged Sign | 1 | 1 |
| Incorrect Day | 30 | 30 |
| Missing Signs | 101 | 97 |
| Outdated Signage | 18 | 15 |
| School Zone | 1 | 1 |
| Total Received | 198 | 168 |
It should be noted that Table 1 reflects only concerns submitted by residents and the Public Safety Department. During the Engineering Division's independent review, additional locations requiring modifications were identified and have been incorporated into the proposed updated street sweeping maps. In some cases, individual concerns encompassed multiple streets or blocks depending on the nature of the issue.
The culmination of these reviews resulted in staff recommending the installation of approximately 1,227 additional signs throughout the City. The need for additional signage is largely attributed to the original direction to minimize sign placement, which resulted in concerns from residents that street sweeping restrictions were not clearly identified on certain streets. To balance clear communication of parking restrictions while minimizing sign clutter, staff has also recommended consolidating signs onto existing poles and streetlights, as well as relocating signs where appropriate to preserve neighborhood aesthetics.
Upon substantial completion of the field investigations, staff prepared updated street sweeping signage maps and provided them to the Public Works Department in mid-June 2026. Public Works staff subsequently began removing, replacing, and installing signage throughout the City at locations where improvements had been identified.
At this time, Public Works staff continue to install and update signage while Public Safety staff continue the public awareness campaign by distributing street sweeping notices to vehicles parked in restricted areas. A copy of the notice being provided is shown in Attachment 3.
Upon completion of the signage updates, the City intends to notify residents through social media platforms and other communication channels regarding the date on which parking enforcement will begin. Once enforcement commences, Public Safety staff will issue citations to vehicles parked within posted street sweeping restriction areas. Public Safety staff will continue to follow the street sweeper through each designated zone. After the street sweeper has completed service on a street, residents may return their vehicles to the curb without receiving a citation.
Residents who receive a citation will be provided with information identifying the applicable Municipal Code section, citation amount, and instructions for payment or contesting the citation. Citations may be paid online or by mail. Payments submitted by mail must be made by check or money order; cash payments will not be accepted. Mailed payments must be postmarked on or before the payment due date to avoid late penalties.
The City also provides customer service support through a third-party citation processing vendor to assist residents with citation-related questions. Eligible residents may enroll in a payment plan within 120 days of citation issuance or within 10 days of an administrative hearing determination. Payment plan terms, including minimum monthly payments and repayment periods, are based on the total citation amount enrolled. Processing fees may apply. Payment plans are not available for citations associated with vehicles that are currently booted or impounded.
Low-income residents may qualify for reduced payment plan options in accordance with applicable requirements. Monthly payments generally will not exceed $25 for eligible citations totaling up to $500, while alternative arrangements may be available for higher citation amounts.
Residents who believe a citation was issued in error may contest the citation in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 40215. The first level of review is an initial administrative review conducted at no cost to the resident. Requests for review must be submitted within 21 calendar days of citation issuance and must include supporting documentation. If the citation is dismissed, any payments made by the resident will be refunded.
If the citation is upheld during the initial review, the resident may request a second-level review through an administrative hearing. Requests for an administrative hearing must be submitted within 21 calendar days of the mailing of the initial review determination. To qualify for an administrative hearing, the citation amount must generally be paid in advance. Residents may request either an in-person hearing or a hearing by written declaration. Administrative hearings are conducted by an impartial hearing officer and do not involve direct examination of the issuing officer.
If the citation is upheld during the administrative hearing, the resident may pursue a third-level appeal through the Superior Court pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 40230(a). Residents dissatisfied with the results of the administrative hearing may file a civil appeal in accordance with applicable legal requirements. If a citation is dismissed at any stage of the review process, any amounts paid by the resident will be refunded.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office did not review this staff report.
OPTIONS:
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.
Prepared by:
Brian Cervantes, Associate Engineer
Additional Approval:
Robert Ortega, CIP Project Manager
Attachments
- Attachment No.1 - St Sweeping Power Point Update
- Attachment No.2 - Concern Response Log
- Attachment No.3 - Street Sweeping Enforcement Warning
CITY COUNCIL GOALS & OBJECTIVES:
A Well-Planned Community
Enhance City Image and Effectiveness
An Accessible Community
Enhance City Image and Effectiveness
An Accessible Community