Residents weigh in on worker parking plan
CITY HALL — Employees may have gained more bumper room in the citywide parking crunch as a program moves forward that would allow some businesses preferential permitting in residential areas.
The Santa Monica City Council voted in favor on Tuesday of developing a program that would allow businesses along certain commercial corridors to obtain preferential parking permits for their employees in nearby neighborhoods. The council instructed City Hall staff members to move forward with the permitting program that would be restricted to residential blocks virtually “vacant” during the weekdays, which is the only time the permits would likely be applicable.
The program would be piloted for a year in areas near Montana Avenue, Pico and Ocean Park boulevards. Staff will return to the council in the next few weeks to determine how to issue and regulate the permits. The permits would either be issued to the employer to maximize flexibility in the program or to the actual motorist in order to minimize abuse — officials warned of a black market of permit swapping occurring if the program is not developed correctly.
If approved in the final stages, the proposal would be the first time in Santa Monica history that a preferential parking program is instituted for area employees.
The City Council voted unanimously in favor of developing the policy after an outcry from dozens of individuals representing businesses and residents who were either for or against the program on Tuesday night.
UTILIZING A SCARCE RESOURCE Councilman Richard Bloom said much of the reason for the turnout had to do with resident fears of a not-so distant time when mothers had to park blocks away from home, carrying their groceries, because of a lack of parking.
He said it was for those reasons that the preferential parking program was developed for residents in the first place back in 1982. “Every resident remembers a time when you couldn’t park on your own block,” Bloom said. “I think the fear we are seeing is that we not return to those days.
“If we don’t do this right, we will cause a situation that is disastrous, wasting a scarce resource for both residents and businesses.”
City Hall has designated five areas in Santa Monica where it would like to pilot the new program. To ensure resident parking does not suffer as a result, staff will likely suggest only 10 percent of the total spaces in the “vacant” areas be considered for employee parking.
The section around Montana Avenue between Lincoln Boulevard and 17th Street — extending north to Alta and south to Idaho avenues — may be considered, according to a staff report. It is estimated that area could comfortably provide 100 employees with daytime parking spaces.
Two sections near Pico Boulevard — from 20th Street to 23rd Street and from 29th Street to 33rd Street — also may be considered for the pilot program, extending south to Pearl Street. Staff estimates that would provide a little less than 100 total employee parking spaces.
The section of Ocean Park Boulevard between 14th and 18th streets also may qualify for a new employee parking zone, extending as far north as Maple Street and as far south as Hill Street, providing approximately 50 additional employee parking spaces.
A small strip between Pico Boulevard and Michigan Avenue on 10th Street also may have some employee permit parking access.
City Hall expects to sell approximately 155 permits in the first year of the program at $120 each, generating $18,600 in revenue to cover administration costs.
The permits may be issued quarterly through a lottery system used to distribute to businesses.
Residential parking permits costs $15. Residents can purchase a permit for each car they own, and two visitor permits.
SURFACING VOICES Christian Boyce, a 17-year Santa Monica resident, said he disapproved of the proposal mostly because it went against the city’s sustainability plan.
He said better public transportation was needed to ensure employees — many of who live outside of Santa Monica — could get to work without contributing to the burden of vehicular traffic and congestion.
“We’ve got to apply sustainability if we need it,” Boyce said. “Otherwise, let’s give back (the sustainability awards.”
While many at the meeting supported the effort toward sustainable means of transportation and living, some thought forcing employees out of their vehicles is an oversimplification of the issue.
“I would gladly take my bicycle to work, and I’m sure my clients looking at properties would appreciate riding my bicycle, too,” said Ryan Flegal, a realtor for Century 21.
Councilman Bobby Shriver said there was a marked difference between businesses and residents because one group is driven by economic factors while the other is motivated by quality of life concerns.
Shriver said the proposed low cost of the program was too inexpensive for the kind of parking opportunities it lends businesses. He added that because businesses are out to make a profit, they should expect a some costs associated with that.
“Businesses are here to make money, and residents are here to live,” Shriver said. “I think it’s reasonable that (businesses) should have to pay market value for the parking permits, or something close to it, which would be something they could do at their discretion.”
The point was well-received by Santa Monica resident Susan Hartley, who argued in favor of keeping parking for citizens.
“Residents should be able to park in front of their homes,” Hartley said. “This idea is not well thought out.”
Hartley suggested a program be instituted in which employees could park at the Civic Center and receive passes so they can bus to work.
Mayor Pam O’Connor made the case that roads were public property, and as such, parking ought to be open in some capacity to both residents and employees.
It was Councilman Kevin McKeown who brokered the motion that pushed the proposal to further development.
He argued that using a limited number of daytime empty spaces for employee parking may be better than a doomsday-type scenario he described in which the city’s main commercial corridors would have to be sold off to big chain stores who could afford the re-development of city streets for underground parking.
He said the results would be a congestion nightmare and a city that would turn off residents and business owners alike.
He also said that perhaps some of the employee permit parking costs could be used to offset residential parking fees.
City Manager Susan McCarthy said staff would be returning with realistic approaches for enforcement of any employee permit program that is instated.
“Without a reasonable method of enforcement, this is not going to be a win for anybody,” McCarthy said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 18, 2005. Read the original PDF.