Laguna Beach : Committee to Consider Parking Limit Changes

The city’s Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee on Wednesday will consider possible changes in parking time limits in the city’s central business district.

Terry Brandt, director of municipal services, said an ever-increasing parking crunch downtown prompted the six-member committee to consider some changes. “Laguna Beach is a traffic-impacted city and we need to encourage parking turnover downtown,” he said.

According to Brandt, meters in the area on the seaward side of Beach Street currently allow parkers a maximum of two hours for 30 cents an hour. The plan to be considered Wednesday would make no changes in the amount charged per hour, but would impose a maximum parking time of one hour.

Meters in other parts of the city would not be affected by the changes, he added.

Also to come under consideration by the committee Wednesday will be fees and time limits for the city’s downtown parking structure, currently under construction on Glenneyre Street between Legion Street and Laguna Avenue.

No firm plan will be unveiled until Wednesday, Brandt said, but one proposal for the 218-car parking complex, to be completed by the end of this month, would allow parkers to pay 50 cents an hour for the first two hours and $1 for a third hour.

Although there is no formal public hearing at the 7 p.m. meeting, members of the public may attend and voice their opinions, he said.