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# Free parking in Santa Monica a pipe dream
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/free-parking-in-santa-monica-a-pipe-dream/
- Published: 2002-06-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:19:37.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Official denies city towed cars after erecting signs*

There is no such thing as free parking in Santa Monica.

A few people learned that Monday after the city towed away their cars for illegally parking on Santa Monica Boulevard.

But two business owners who saw the cars being towed allege that the city had no right to remove the vehicles. They say the city put up “no parking” signs after the cars already were parked in the spaces.

Oscar Delgado, the city’s parking director, said that claim is not true. The signs were put up early Monday morning so construction crews could install bolts for new meters in the spaces between Second Street and Third Street on Santa Monica Boulevard.

There are about two dozen spaces along Santa Monica Boulevard that are currently free. However, that will change quickly because the city is installing meters along the new transit mall, Delgado said.

Marios Savvides, a building owner along Santa Monica Boulevard, said there were no signs posted in the morning. It wasn’t until about 11 a.m. that the signs were put up by city officials, he said. Cars were then towed.

“They caused negligence,” he said. “Whoever did this should be fired.”

Savvides also said the city did the same thing three months ago when constructing the transit mall — officials put “no parking” signs up in the middle of the day while cars were parked in the spaces. They were then towed away.

“There is only so far you can push (people),” Savvides said. “It’s beyond communism, it’s a dictatorship.”

Delgado said when he arrived on scene at 12:10 p.m. Monday, he told motorists who tried to park there that they couldn’t. He said they disregarded the signs and probably presumed parking was still free there.

Also, Delgado said the city only towed away three cars even though there were about 25 cars along the street that should been have been removed.

“We only towed what we needed access to,” he said. “If they can prove what time they were there and there were no signs, they will get their money back.

“If they want to fight their tow they can get their day in court. State law says you can contest it within 48 hours.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/061102-02_01.jpg)

Temporary no parking signs are a common sight in Santa Monica. (Photo: Carolyn Sackariason/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 11, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061102.pdf?ref=smdp.com)