Traffic commission advises against change to Magnolia Park parking rules

The Burbank Traffic Commission on Thursday advised city officials not to change parking restrictions on a block in Magnolia Park where merchants complained of inadequate parking for their customers, as well as a lack of enforcement of parking rules.

A group of business owners had signed a petition earlier this month requesting city officials change parking time restrictions from two hours to one on the 3400 block of Magnolia Boulevard to “encourage curbside turnover.”

City officials didn’t think the change would solve the problem, but suggested instead to change parking restrictions on side streets from all-day parking to two-hour parking, an idea the commission will reportedly consider at its meeting next month.

“I know people like to park right in front of the shop, but sometimes they can’t,” said Ken Johnson, the city’s traffic engineer. “My studies show we can provide additional customer parking by eliminating the all-day parking.”

From July 19 to Aug. 19, parking enforcement officers issued 74 parking tickets on Magnolia Boulevard between Clybourn Avenue and Victory Boulevard, 17 of which were issued in the 3400 block of Magnolia Boulevard, said Burbank Police Lt. Jay Hawver on Friday.

Of those 17, nine were for overtime parking.

“There weren’t that many overtime violations,” Hawver said. “The turnover down in the Magnolia Park area, at least in 3400 block, certainly appears to be consistent with the time posting.”

The merchants who signed the petition, however, argued that customers of neighboring cafe Romancing the Bean, which opened nearly two years ago, park and stay at the shop for hours using the Internet.

Meanwhile, the cafe’s owner, Kerry Krull, said her customers, who stay an average of 45 minutes, never complain about finding parking. At lunchtime this past Thursday, she added, her restaurant was full, but there were ample parking spots available on her block.

“We don’t want people camping out all day,” Krull said. “That doesn’t help my business.”

Jamaal Kincheloe, a manager at Romancing the Bean, opposed one-hour parking at the commission meeting, citing that it would be impossible to bank, shop and go to the theater in that short of a time period.

The merchants all appeared to agree that the city should install a signal and crosswalk at Lima Street and Magnolia Boulevard, where there’s a public parking lot a block away. City officials will present the cost and logistics of installing the signal to the commission next month.