A plan to implement paid parking in the lots between Alamitos Bay Marina and Marina Drive appears to have stalled, with the Long Beach Marine Advisory Commisson unanimously approving a letter opposing the proposal last week — and a city department head and a councilwoman both saying the idea will not move forward for now.
At issue is a recommendation from Walker Parking Consultants that the city add some form of paid parking to a portion of the spaces in lots in front of Basins 1, 2 and 3. That recommendation and a supporting report — created under a 2019 contract with the city — was presented in November.
That prompted public meetings in front of the Marine Advisory Commission, with boat owners and yacht clubs united in opposition. January presentations by the Seal Beach Yacht Club and the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association showed that current commercial and yacht club leases, along with boat owners in marina boat slips, take up all 2,654 parking spaces.
A commission subcommittee was appointed to write a letter and recommendation to the mayor and city, which was first presented on Jan. 27. The commissioners agreed then that they were opposed to any form of paid parking, but wanted to see the letter refined further — primarily to strengthen its language.
Even before the second reading of the letter, however, Public Works Director Eric Lopez has said he had no plans to change parking at Alamitos Bay Marina.
“We’re still in the first phase of the process,” Lopez said last week. “We have more work to do, including talking with stakeholders.”
The letter returned for approval on Thursday, Feb. 10. The six-page letter was read into the record by Vice Chair Tom Mayes. It had minor changes, but the result was the same — opposition to paid parking.
“For the reasons listed above, the MAC does not and cannot support the conversion of the ABM basins 1, 2, and 3 parking lots from ‘free’ parking to a pay-to-park scheme, at this time,” the letter said. “The Walker Report and the city’s presentation to the MAC failed to persuade the MAC that conditions in ABM basins 1, 2, and 3 justify such a profound shift in the management of the public’s parking lots.”
Shortly after the meeting during which the commission OK’d the letter, Third District Councilwoman Suzie Price agreed with Lopez that no changes would be made any time soon.
“The study and report are the first steps in this process,” Price said by email. “We are now reviewing the report and the comments that we heard from the MAC meetings. City staff will regroup with our office as we review the feedback and determine how best to proceed with the next steps.
“We are taking all the feedback very seriously,” she added, “and won’t implement anything without specific outreach with the impacted stakeholders.”
Walker was contracted to come up with a parking plan in 2019, when the 2nd & PCH shopping center was preparing to open and the addition of Ballast Point at Alamitos Bay Landing heavily impacted parking at that end of Marina Drive. Alamitos Bay Landing has a separate lot, but is allowed a valet parking plan using some marina spots when the lot fills up.
Walker’s report used a parking survey conducted in October as the basis for its report, trying to extrapolate summer use and impact of 2nd & PCH opening. Then, late last year — after the report was finished — the Marina Shores center next to 2nd & PCH was sold, with plans for up to 500 residential units there. The 2nd & PCH center has both surface and garage parking, but it charges.
Requiring people to pay for parking could reduce use of the lots by employees and others, the Walker report said. It also could help fulfill requirements from the California Coastal Commission that access to the waterfront be prioritized. Boat owners argue the opposite is true — paid parking would turn away low-income people.
Any plan would ultimately require City Council and Coastal Commission approval.