Seal Beach proposes charging for street parking on Main Street, but the October 26 Council vote result remains unknown as of October 30. The requested authorization concerns a permit application and would not authorize paid parking to begin.
What the city is deciding
The Council was asked to support a five year parking pilot and authorize a Coastal Development Permit application to the California Coastal Commission. That action would not authorize implementation spending. Paid street parking would require a permit and a later Council ordinance changing the municipal code.
Where and who it affects
The proposal covers Main Street and designated portions of Electric Avenue, Central Avenue and Ocean Avenue. Those streets currently have no street parking charge.
The proposal includes about 235 paid street spaces and 75 public lot spaces, subject to verification. Seven spaces are identified for removal, and final red curb designs could remove more. Accessible spaces at Ocean Avenue and Main Street would move, preserving all 11 accessible spaces.
The existing two hour limit on Main Street and in its three public lots would stay, with 12 free 20 minute spaces proposed, seven existing and five added.
What it could mean for your property
Designated street spaces would cost $3.00 per hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during April through September. During October through March, street parking would cost $1.00 per hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the three Main Street public lots would be free.
Homeowners and renters whose primary residence is in Seal Beach would qualify for a proposed $70 annual Shopper Pass, limited to two passes per household, each tied to a vehicle. Each pass would cover one session of up to two consecutive hours daily. Activation would require a mobile device. A pass would neither guarantee a space nor extend posted limits.
The report says some drivers may seek free parking on nearby residential streets. Staff proposes monitoring that spillover. Whether existing residential permits would change is not stated.
Questions to ask before you buy or build
- Is the property near the proposed paid parking boundary?
- Would nearby red curb extensions remove parking?
- Would the household qualify for a Shopper Pass?
What happens next
If authorized, staff would submit the permit application. After Commission approval, staff would return to Council with permit conditions, costs, funding requests and a code amendment. The documents give no Commission hearing date or launch date.