If you park on an exempt block in Downey, or you’re considering a home on one, it could: the council is being asked whether to direct staff to draft an ordinance removing the exemption process. That hasn’t been decided. A separate discussion asks whether parking fines should increase.
Both items were on the Downey City Council’s regular meeting agenda for Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (open session 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 11111 Brookshire Avenue) as discussion items 7 and 8 under Administrative Reports. Both ask the council only for “direction to staff”. No code change or fine change would happen that night: staff says that if the council chooses to remove the exemption, staff “will return at a future meeting with a code amendment ordinance”, and that any fine increase would come back as “a resolution at a future date for final Council approval.” The council discussion was scheduled for October 27, 2026; its outcome was not verified when this was written. Check the city’s minutes for what the council decided.
What does the exemption let you do?
DMC Section 3181(b)(1) allows residential street blocks to request an exemption from the street sweeping program so residents can park on the street without restrictions on street sweeping days.
The October 27 agenda packet explains the arrangement in item 8. Residents on existing exempt blocks come in each year to purchase permits for their vehicles to park during sweeping operations. The report doesn’t give a permit price.
For a separate permit parking topic, see the guide to Alhambra preferred parking district permits.
The arrangement also assigns gutter cleaning to homeowners. The report calls gutter cleaning the homeowners’ trade-off for receiving the exemption.
For another street sweeping topic, see the guide to Rancho Santa Margarita street sweeping parking restrictions. For your Downey property, check the Downey report and ask Public Works about the applicable block.
Which blocks should you check?
You should check the exact street limits in the staff report’s list of 22 exempt blocks, including any restriction to one side of the street.
Some entries cover:
- Adoree St., Downey Ave. to Gneiss Ave.
- Brookshire Ave., Cherokee Dr. to Quinn St.
- Irwingrove Dr., Old River School Rd. to Julius Ave.
- Richeon Ave., Rundell St. to Quill Dr.
Other entries need a closer look. Downey Ave., from Adoree Ave. to Comolette Ave., is listed for the west side only. So is Garnish Dr., from Otto St. to Gainford St. Parrot Ave. has separate entries for Lyndora St. to Adoree St. and Suva St. to Raviller Dr.
A street name alone doesn’t settle the question for a particular home. Ask the Public Works Department to confirm the listed limits and side of the street for the property you’re checking.
Why is the council reconsidering the arrangement?
The report points to inconsistent gutter maintenance over the decades as ownership has changed.
Homeowners were required to keep the gutter in front of their properties free of debris when these exemptions were established. The executive summary also connects that responsibility to annual parking permit purchases. Staff says some blocks have struggled to keep up with the maintenance requirement; that doesn’t establish that a particular current owner is breaking a rule.
The history is specific. The 22 blocks requested exemptions between 1989 and 1993, and 4.125 lane miles currently aren’t swept because of those exemptions. The last block exemption was enacted in 1993. No new blocks have been added since then.
The code doesn’t specify how requests should be handled. Staff describes the past practice as requiring support from three quarters of residents on a block. At the August 25, 2026 meeting, the council requested the report to consider continuing the exemption.
What could happen after this discussion?
The council could direct staff to return with a code amendment ordinance addressing the exemption.
Item 8 asks whether the code should be amended to restrict all street blocks from parking during street sweeping operations. The discussion itself doesn’t make that amendment. Staff lists no fiscal impact for this item.
You can check subsequent agendas through the official agenda portal. Ask Public Works whether an ordinance has returned and what language the council is considering.
The Downey Patriot’s coverage of a civic center parking overhaul concerns another item on the same agenda. It isn’t reporting on the street sweeping exemption or fine discussion.
Are parking fines going up?
No increase was decided when this was written; item 7 asks for direction on possible increases.
The current fine for DMC 3181(a), “Parking During Street Sweeping Times”, is $38. The schedule separately lists a $24 delinquent penalty and a $3 DMV hold. It doesn’t supply a proposed replacement fine.
The same schedule lists $43 for parking in a front yard setback (DMC 9728(f)) and $38 for parking on a driveway in excess of 72 hours (DMC 9710.02(h)); for another area’s rules, see Rowland Heights front-yard and RV parking rules.
Staff reviewed fines after council direction on September 8, 2026. The last increase was in 2020 under Resolution No. 20-7925. From 2021 to 2025, Downey issued 147,482 parking citations, including 110,457 for the street sweeping violation listed in the report.
The comparison lists street sweeping fines of $53 in Pico Rivera, $57 in Bellflower, $40 in Lakewood and $55 in Cerritos. If the council wants increases, staff would complete further standardization research and return with a resolution for final approval. Replacing citation books would cost about $4,500.
What should you ask when buying or selling?
Ask Public Works to confirm the property’s block limits, permit arrangement and the status of any proposed ordinance.
V. had organized her work mornings around a street-sweeping exemption on her block. She knew which days the truck came through, but she had not needed to move the car or arrange for someone else to do it. News that Downey might end exemptions made the issue more than a general parking discussion. It could mean a new weekly routine and the possibility of a fine if she forgot. She wanted to know whether her block was included and when any change would actually begin before rewriting the schedule taped inside her kitchen cabinet.
The short version
Downey could reconsider its street sweeping exemption process and parking fines, but both October 27 items ask for staff direction.
Check the exact block entry, confirm permit questions with Public Works and look for any later ordinance or fine resolution. The current street sweeping fine is $38.
This guide is educational, not legal or tax advice.
If you’re considering a sale, start with the home value tool.
Common questions
Has Downey removed the street sweeping exemption?
The council discussion was scheduled for October 27, 2026; its outcome was not verified when this was written. Check the city's minutes for what the council decided. The council was asked for direction to staff. Removing the exemption would involve a code amendment ordinance returning at a future meeting.
Which blocks have street sweeping exemptions?
The staff report lists 22 blocks, including specified portions of Adoree St., Brookshire Ave., Irwingrove Dr. and Richeon Ave. Check the report's limits and any side-of-street restriction.
What is the current Downey street sweeping parking fine?
The current fine for DMC 3181(a), Parking During Street Sweeping Times, is $38. The schedule also lists a $24 delinquent penalty and a $3 DMV hold.
Do residents on exempt blocks purchase parking permits?
The staff report says residents on existing exempt blocks purchase permits each year for their vehicles to park on the street during street sweeping operations. It does not give a permit price.
