Sherman Oaks : City Agrees to Open Parking Garage

To the delight of community leaders, area residents and merchants, the city moved to finally make good on a promise to do its best to have Sherman Oaks’ only public parking garage open by the holiday shopping season.

“It’s a very festive holiday season,” said Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. Close said the parking lot at Dickens Street and Cedros Avenue means more business for Ventura Boulevard merchants. It also means fewer shoppers and employees will be parking on residential streets.

In September, City Councilman Michael Feuer’s office said it would do its best to get the developer of a senior housing project, which contains the parking garage, to have the full 206-space garage open by Thanksgiving. At that time, the city opened 60 spaces on a preliminary basis. But earlier this month, a Feuer spokesman said the remaining spots would not be made available immediately, saying the existing spots were not being fully utilized.

But changing course again, Feuer’s office recently asked the city Department of Transportation to open the full lot, which the department did Saturday, according to Howard Gantman, Feuer’s spokesman.

Sharon Mayer, Feuer’s chief field deputy, said the decision to open the full lot was made because of signs that more motorists were using it and because Feuer’s office had learned that people in the community wanted the lot completely open.

“Due to that, we felt it was prudent to open,” Mayer said.