> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Meters have workers petered - URL: https://www.smdp.com/meters-have-workers-petered/ - Published: 2006-04-21T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T17:38:33.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Days of discounted rates are over* COLORADO AVENUE — Larry Beaufait of Four Oaks Garage has a difficult decision to make — pay for parking, or cover the costs of health care for his employees. Beaufait said he used to be able to do both, but since a discount parking program was eliminated this month, he and other business owners along the industrial corridor of Santa Monica have seen their parking costs skyrocket, some as much as 500 percent. “I pay about $500 a month per employee for health care premiums, and to sit here and say I’ll now have to pay $200 to $250 a month for parking when I was only paying $35 — something has to give,” said Beaufait, who has been operating his auto repair business near Seventh Street and Colorado Avenue since 1987\. “We’ll either have to get the world’s cheapest medical insurance, which is practically no good, or I’ll have to make my employees pay their own parking or insurance.” The parking meter permit program, which is at least 20 years old, allowed for those like Beaufait to purchase permits from the city enabling them to park at meters on certain streets in the industrial zone — between Colorado Avenue and Olympic Boulevard — for $35 a month. The program was intended to provide relief to business owners while generating revenue for the city at meters that were rarely used. Business owners recognized the permits were a bargain. At $35 per month, Beaufait and company could afford to purchase permits for all of their employees — saving them time, money and frustration. Students from Crossroads School also found the permits helpful, as their school lacked adequate parking, city officials said. But with the permits no longer available, drivers are shelling out hundreds of dollars or more each month feeding meters, which can cost as much as $9 a day for nine hours of parking. Those hardest hit are small business owners like Beaufait, who operate on a limited budget. When the program was established, city officials said there were few cars parked on the participating blocks, leaving meters sitting idle. “But things have changed,” said Lucy Dyke, City Hall’s transportation planning manager. “Originally, there wasn’t much demand, but now these streets are very busy with traffic. New businesses have come in, the post office nearby expanded. It’s no longer possible to provide this (parking discount).” The rate for each permit was originally set at $10 per month, but that was raised to $35 in 1989 to match increases in parking meter rates. Dyke said the cost of the permits eventually fell far behind increased meter rates, providing a significant discount, so much so that sales of the permits were capped in 1990 after city staff received complaints from purchasers that there were no spaces available, Dyke said. “We felt the program wasn’t equitable at that point because, how could we tell some they can’t have the permits, but then provide such a discount to others?” Dyke proposed. She added that some were also abusing the program, purchasing permits and then leasing private parking spaces for profit. The move to discontinue the program began in 2003, when the City Council increased parking meter rates and voted to replace aging mechanical meters with electronic ones that could accept a stored value card, now known as the Santa Monicard — a debit card that allows people to store up to $120 at a time and use at meters across the city. With the Santa Monicards available for purchase this month, the parking meter permits were discontinued. Notices were sent out on January 30 to some 60 groups or individuals who purchased the permits. The letter advised them that the program would end by April 1\. Dyke said the city sold 347 permits per month. Scott Carleton, vice president of Nomad, a post-production house on 19th Street, said he understands why City Hall has discontinued the program, but he wishes more advance notice would have been given so he could have factored the new parking costs into his budget for the year. “All I received was one letter,” said Carleton, who had been purchasing 10 permits for his employees. “Their response was that the decision had been made years ago. Well, that’s great, but if you don’t read all the City Council agendas you’re not made aware. I would have thought since the decision was made back then, someone would have given us notices since we purchase new permits every month. “It seems like it happened overnight. I know it didn’t go down like that, but that’s how it felt.” > “It seems like it happened overnight. I know it didn’t go down like that, but that’s how it felt.” — SCOTT CARLETON Vice president Nomad Carleton said he has had to resort to having his employees park in his customer parking lot. If a customer does visit, he has to have his employees leave work to move their car, which cuts into his company’s productivity. Without the permits, Carleton said he is looking at a $14,000 increase in costs this year. “I understand their need to be fair to everyone, but I feel if I’m parking here all the time, I should get some kind of volume discount,” he said. “I understand what they’re doing, but I feel it could have been handled differently.” Dyke said notices were sent out in January to give business owners “an ample amount of time to make other arrangements,” such as purchasing parking in the new Main Library parking structure. Spaces there are going for $85.50 per month. “It’s a brand new facility, underground, secure and there are plenty of spaces available,” said Mayor Bob Holbrook. “I just hope people will take advantage of it.” The only problem with the library lot, business owners said, is that it is too far away to walk. “It’s not realistic,” Beaufait said. “For someone on 19th Street, having to walk 14 blocks at night, unescorted, that’s ridiculous and totally unrealistic.” Dyke said City Hall is investing in improvements to the transit system as well as bicycle and pedestrian facilities that should be able to provide some relief. She also suggested business owners purchase Santa Monicards for their employees. “That’s not a solution,” Beaufait said. “What if one of my employees loses the card? Am I supposed to punch in up to nine hours of parking? What happens when I have to leave? I can’t get that money back.” In a letter sent to Councilman Bobby Shriver in March, Larry Kasanoff, the president of Threshold Entertainment on 11th Street, pleaded for the City Council to reconsider the decision to end the program, which he said was a bad move for residents, businesses and their employees, and doesn’t help in solving the parking crisis in the city. “We could have worked together on a solution,” Kasanoff wrote. “Without sufficient parking, employees will most likely end up circling blocks around the office, wasting time and gas. In the end, they will arrive stressed at the beginning of the day. Ultimately, this reflects upon their work, which in turn, impacts the business.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/042106-01_03.jpg) (Photo: Kevin Herrera/Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 21, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/042106.pdf?ref=smdp.com)