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# Sorry, only alternative fuel vehicles allowed
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/sorry-only-alternative-fuel-vehicles-allowed/
- Published: 2002-01-05T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-22T23:56:35.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Government & Politics, Montana, #archive-import

*Two city councilmen own electric hybrid vehicles*

Motorists who have chosen alternative fuel vehicles may soon be able to park for free in Santa Monica.

The Santa Monica City Council will consider on Tuesday whether or not to waive parking fees at all city meters for alternative fuel vehicles.

One drawback to electric vehicles is that they have to be charged or drivers will be stranded. The city installed charging stations at six locations throughout Santa Monica, including designated spaces on Montana Avenue at 11th Street, the Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place, City Hall and the airport. The problem is that often times, the spaces are occupied by normal cars. City staff is proposing that those spaces be dedicated to electric vehicles only. And if more spaces are used as charging stations in the future, they would be dedicated to electric vehicles as well.

Santa Monica would not be the first city to give parking away to alternative fuel vehicles — Los Angeles recently adopted a Santa Monica City Council considers free parking 12-month pilot program that allows the special cars to park for free at city meters. Drivers must display a Department of Motor Vehicle clean air decal to be able to park at on-street and off-street parking meters without putting coins into the meters. Vehicles displaying the decal will still have to comply with the two-hour posted time limit and parking restrictions. The decals also allow the cars to drive in high-occupancy lanes on freeways.

The council also will consider waiving permit fees to install electric vehicle chargers and solar thermal systems.

Since there are only 1,200 alternative fuel vehicles in Southern California, city staff doesn’t anticipate losing a significant amount of money in parking revenues.

Both Santa Monica Mayor Mike Feinstein and Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown own alternative vehicles — Toyota’s electric hybrid called “Pirius.”

Feinstein will most likely support the city staff’s recommendation to waive parking fees since he has accrued hundreds of dollars in parking fines since he has been on the city council.

McKeown said he pays his parking tickets and is totally behind the initiative. “I’m actually thrilled that we are doing this,” he said, adding that putting in more electric chargers would be proactive because a new line of electric vehicles is coming out next year.

> “I’m actually thrilled that we are doing this.” — — KEVIN MCKEOWN Pro tem mayor

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 5, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/010502.pdf?ref=smdp.com)