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# Todd Flora: If we build it, they will come, parking edition
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/093003-story-20030930/
- Published: 2003-09-30T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T01:03:58.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Main St, #archive-import

*By Todd Flora*

■ If we build it, they will come. It’s that simple. We need more consumers in Santa Monica and more parking will help get them here. It’s time for the city’s varied political interests to work together to meet Santa Monica’s prodigious parking challenges.

We’ve done it before. Those numbered parking structures on Fourth and Second streets were funded by a cooperative initiative between businesses and the city. The investment paid off by bringing consumers to the Promenade years ago, aiding in its resurgence. But with the promising prospects for future expansion downtown, we simply need more.

I would further argue that we must also pay much more attention to Main Street. Contrary to the mistaken assumptions of the average Angeleno, the heart of Main Street is in Santa Monica, not Venice. Main Street merchants deserve the support of the city and residents in bolstering parking options. Parking problems during Farmers Market Sundays become particularly acute, and new developments on north Main Street will only heighten the need for attention to this undervalued portion of Santa Monica’s economic engine.

The first thing the city must do is seek a more permanent solution for Main Street merchants and the city’s coffers this coming holiday season. Neither seizing metered spaces for other uses, nor raising meter rates during the holiday peak, is the answer. But then again, relying on meters alone isn’t enough either. Both merchants and residents will have to bend if Main Street is ever to enjoy, say, subterranean options or a small, two-or three-story parking garage.

Business interests won’t be the only winners if city planners prioritize the development of additional public parking infrastructure — so too will residents. Currently, neighborhood requests for preferential parking seem to provide residents with some solace. But then what do we do about the shoppers and beach goers? I would argue that if we take the right steps to provide more parking infrastructure to consumers and tourists, we’ll free up residential streets to a considerable degree. While we should maintain preferential parking, happier days should result for renters and condo owners without adequate parking who just happen to live on streets attractive to the parking public.

I don’t profess to have all the answers or planning research. But like most Santa Monicans, I can look out my window and see what is basically needed. The true challenge is solving our parking challenge as one community. I call on all sides to come together to do so. (Todd Flora is a government affairs representative who advocates for stronger early childhood development programs. He is a six-year resident of Santa Monica. To comment or reach Todd, ).

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 30, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/093003.pdf?ref=smdp.com)