SEAL BEACH

Main Street store owners who presented a petition against a proposed fee increase for merchant parking permits were able to convince the City Council to keep the cost the same earlier this week. The council had discussed increasing the yearly fees to park at a lot on nearby 8th Street from $40 to as high as $200. Councilman Shawn Boyd had proposed the increase on the theory that because of the high property values in the surrounding area, the lot should bring the city a higher return.

Merchants said the increase would have been unaffordable for their employees, who are mostly high school and college students working part time.

The council also voted at its meeting Monday evening to create a Parking Management Committee that would look into adding metered parking at various locations in the downtown area.