Santa Monica Goes Coastal, Part II - The Parking Continues

By Teresa Rochester

After a second round with the California Coastal Commission Thursday, the city of Santa Monica and residents of Ocean Park emerged victorious after a two year quest to save 936 preferential parking spaces blanketing the neighborhood.

In a series of votes - some of them close - the powerful state agency approved with special conditions seven maze-like preferential parking zones created between 1983 and 1989 in the beachfront neighborhood by the City Council, but not before criticizing the city's parking permit program.

Despite objections from city officials, commissioners upheld their staff's recommendations and approved the parking zone applications for five years. When the city reapplies, it also will have to submit a study documenting parking use on preferential parking streets and the two south beach parking lots along Barnard Way.

City officials objected to the time limit, arguing it would cause residents angst and called the study -- which will cost the city $150,000 each time it applies for a permit -- too far reaching.

"It creates incredible uncertainty for residents," said Suzanne Frick, director of planning and community services, about the five-year limit. "These are zones that were created almost 20 years ago. These are not experimental permits. They have been in place for some time."

The study must monitor three non-consecutive weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day and include a parking survey documenting the purpose of each trip, the length of stay, parking location, destination and frequency of visits.

Frick said after the meeting that she was disappointed commissioners didn't go for the city's modifications, which called for a monitoring program in lieu of a parking study; but she said she was pleased the applications passed.

City Councilman Michael Feinstein, an Ocean Park resident, called the decisions a victory.

"I believe this has been a victory for coastal access, the residents and the Main Street business community," Feinstein said.

Despite the passage of all the preferential parking zone permits, several commissioners balked at some of the zone applications. Four commissioners, out of the 11 present, voted against a preferential parking zone that encompasses Fraser, Hart and Wadsworth Avenues between Barnard and Neilson Ways, the north side of Ocean Park Boulevard between Bicknell Avenue and Pacific Street and Strand Street between Neilson Way and Ocean Boulevard.

The permit application called for 174 replacement parking spaces. Commissioners said they were leery about the number of replacement spaces and blocking off public streets to non-residents.

"I won't be supporting this because of the location's 24-hour-a-day permit," said Commissioner Cecilia Estolano, a former Venice resident. "I'm not convinced those streets should be blocked off."

"My concern is are we providing adequate replacement spaces," Commission Chair Sara Wan said. "We're short 88 spaces with a loss of 121 spaces. These spaces aren't being replaced any where in reasonable proximity to the beach."

Commissioners were also dismayed at the annual $15 cost for parking permits. Calling it a "good deal," commissioners suggested increasing it and using the excess money to fund the Tide Shuttle, a bus that takes visitors to parking spaces in the two beach lots north to the pier.

"I'm very concerned about the cost," said Commissioner Christina Desser. "Fifteen dollars is ridiculous for three permits per household. I believe the first should be X. The second should be XY and the third should be XYZ. We're not here to be encouraging people to have more than one car."

While the commissioners did not attempt to increase the permit cost, officials seemed surprised at the suggestion.

"Even as they approved our preferential parking it seems like a few coastal commissioners still want to find something wrong with the fact that residents have preferential parking in Ocean Park," said Feinstein. "This seems to be leading them to complain that we are not charging residents enough to park near their homes.

"Saying we should double or triple the cost of parking permits and place that money into the Tide Shuttle demonstrates a lack of homework on the economics of the Tide Shuttle, which is a several hundred thousand dollar program," Feinstein said.

Thursday's decision comes four months after commissioners postponed their vote on the fate of Ocean Park's preferential parking. Commissioners were torn between the public's right to affordable beach access and residents' right to street parking. The commission said whatever decision they made would be precedent-setting and they directed city and commission staff to negotiate a cheaper rate in the two south beach lots.

Last week the city council approved a pilot program that reduces rates in those lots from $7 to $5 and calls for the creation of short term parking spaces. City officials said they did not launch the program in response to the commission, but rather for residents, Main Street businesses and their patrons.