> ## 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.

# Score one for locals in battle for parking
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/score-one-for-locals-in-battle-for-parking/
- Published: 2005-03-10T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:12:40.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Government & Politics, Montana, #archive-import

*Residents feeling crunch petition city for parking*

CITY HALL – Local residents won the battle for parking over employees Tuesday night when the City Council approved a resolution that will broaden some preferential parking in Santa Monica.

The preferential permit expansion was approved by a 5-1-1 vote, with Councilman Herb Katz casting the lone vote against it, and Mayor Pam O’Connor absent from the meeting.

The resolution will allow residents to apply for parking permits on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets between Wilshire Boulevard and Montana Avenue; on California and Montana avenues between Fourth and Seventh streets; and on Washington and Idaho avenues between Fourth Street and Lincoln Boulevard.

Currently, the area is bordered by preferential parking to the south, west and east, according to a city staff report. Staff recommended the expansion after residents living on Idaho Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets filed a petition in February, having the two-third majority of signatures needed for approval.

Residents submitted the petition because of a parking crunch they said is due, in part, to frequent commercial traffic.

“It is the neighborhoods that support those businesses, so we have to give primary access to the people who live there,” remarked Councilman Kevin McKeown.

Current regulations — two-hour parking available to the public between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. — will remain intact, however, no parking will be allowed between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m., except by permit.

The city estimates area residents living within the expanded zone will purchase approximately 400 new permits upfront. At $15 per permit, the city expects to generate an extra $6,000 in revenue this year.

“People are driving six blocks to find a place to park near their house,” said Councilman Bobby Shriver. “You have to give residents priority. What else can you do?”

Jane Walker, chair of the Montana Avenue Merchants Association, said she did not approve of the preferential parking expansion, because it failed to address employee parking needs.

“I request this be postponed until the employee parking issue is addressed,” Walker said. “The customers still have a place to park, but the employees do not.”

Katz concurred with Walker’s sentiments that preferential parking creates a whole new series of obstacles for motorists.

“Preferential parking has never addressed long-term parking solutions,” Katz said. “It has only expanded preferential parking onto other streets. I was involved years ago when it started, and it has proven itself out, only providing parking on a temporary basis.”

Katz said he knew of two ideas that might address Santa Monica’s long-term parking needs. He said existing neighborhood businesses could create parking structures, which would be assessed, or future development could be regulated to ensure developers provide more parking spaces than needed for a site.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 10, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031005.pdf?ref=smdp.com)