Tentative settlement reached on restricting parking near Venice Beach

Venice residents, the California Coastal Commission and the city of Los Angeles have tentatively approved a restriction on parking near Venice Beach, where residents have complained about people living in cars and campers.

Under the settlement, which must be approved by the Los Angeles City Council and the coastal panel, the city would post “No Oversize Vehicles” signs for six months. If those signs don’t resolve the problem to residents’ satisfaction, they would then be allowed to apply for overnight parking restrictions.

The settlement would offer a test of the city’s new oversize vehicle ordinance by prohibiting the on-street parking of vehicles taller than 7 feet from 2 to 6 a.m.

“We are open to trying the new ordinance to see if it solves the problem,” said Mark Ryavec, a Venice activist who pushed for restricted parking. “In some areas it might work better than others. None of us really want to have to get permits and pay for them, if the oversize vehicle ordinance works.”

The agreement appears to resolve a heated conflict that has divided the Venice community for years. Many residents have complained that vehicle dwellers bring late-night noise, public inebriation, crime, litter and dumping of raw sewage into yards, alleys and storm drains. Those residents have spent years drumming up support for overnight parking restrictions.

Opponents said that restrictions would limit beach access and were an effort to make criminals of those who felt compelled by economic circumstances or chose to live in their vehicles.

The coastal agency’s staff had recommended that permit-parking zones be approved. But commissioners in June 2009 rebuffed the idea, contending they were being asked to resolve a social issue rather than a beach access issue.

martha.groves@latimes.com