Street Parking Costs Raised in Bid to Boost Use of Public Lots

In an attempt to stop long-term parking on city streets and encourage more people to park in public lots, the City Council has increased the price of metered street parking in the downtown Manhattan Beach.

Beginning July 1, parking at meters on the streets downtown will increase from 25 cents for one hour to 50 cents. Parking in the public lots will remain 25 cents.

Assistant City Manager Dave Doyle said city officials have discovered that too many people are parking long term at the two-hour meters on the streets and causing congestion in the area. He said city officials hope that the lower rates in the parking structures will be an incentive to park in those lots.

Doyle said parking rates in the city have not been raised in at least a decade. The new rates will generate an estimated $250,000 annually. He said the city eventually plans to raise parking rates at all meters throughout the city.