By Daily Press staff
The little blue envelope on your windshield will be holding a more expensive ticket this summer.
As part of its battle against a multi-million deficit, the City Council Tuesday unanimously approved raising the cost of parking tickets and increasing meter rates throughout Santa Monica.
The council said it aims to make the cost of parking tickets in Santa Monica comparable to the cost in neighboring cities.
Currently, Santa Monica charges $28 for a parking meter violations, while West Hollywood charges $36. And Los Angeles’ $65 fine for disobeying posted street signs pales in comparison to Santa Monica’s $38 fee.
Penalty amounts — which have remained the same since 1993 — will be set in June.
The council also voted to increase parking meter rates to $1 an hour downtown and along the beach, and to 75 cents an hour at all other locations throughout the city.
The meter rate increases are projected to generate $3.3 million annually. It will cost about $2.5 million to install new meters.
It also will cost $200 for a person to appeal a planning commission decision that denies a development application. City staff recommended that the fee should be set at $465 but the Council ultimately decided on a lower amount.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 27, 2003. Read the original PDF.