DANA POINT : Permit Parking Law Rejected by City Council

There will be no permit parking in town. Not just yet.

The City Council has rejected a proposed ordinance that would have allowed parking by permit in neighborhoods that requested it. The council does not plan to adopt such an ordinance unless neighborhoods request it, and none have so far.

State law requires that a citywide ordinance first be adopted before permit parking can be enforced in any neighborhood, said Mort August, director of public works.

With permit parking, residents would be required to pay a fee for their permits and would have to purchase guest passes for visitors.

The issue was brought before the council because of residential parking problems near Dana Hills High School. But residents who live near the school told the council they would rather deal with the parking problem by other methods than permit parking.

“Why should we be adopting laws when we don’t know anyone who wants it?” said Councilman William L. Ossenmacher. “If the neighborhood wants it, they can always bring it back to the council.”