Marina del Rey : Pay Parking Lot Planned

A county-owned free parking lot at Fisherman’s Village in Marina del Rey will be converted to a pay parking lot beginning Feb. 1, said Ted Reed, director of the county Department of Beaches and Harbors.

Reed said vehicles will be charged 75 cents per half an hour or a maximum of $6 a day at the 465-space lot on Fiji Way. Merchants at Fisherman’s Village will give validations for two hours of free parking.

Reed said the fees are being imposed because many visitors are parking there illegally. He cited a recent study by county officials that indicated that nearly 40% of parked vehicles belonged to people who were not patronizing the shops and restaurants at Fisherman’s Village. Reed said people would park their vehicles in the lot, then ride bicycles, jog or go sailing for the day. He said visitors of tenants at a nearby apartment complex also used the parking lot.

“The basic intent of the free parking was abused, and worse, potential customers for these businesses were deprived of available parking spaces and revenue was lost,” Reed said.

The county is expected to receive $130,000 annually in parking lot fees. The lot will be operated by AMPCO, a private company that operates the county’s 10 other pay parking lots in Marina del Rey. Fees at those lots range from $1 to $4, depending on seasonal conditions and location.