DO WE NEED MORE PARKING FACILITIES DOWNTOWN? TWO CONSULTANTS SAY “NO!”

 

A few years ago, the City hired IBI Consulting to assess whether we need additional parking in Downtown Laguna Beach. The analysis concluded that the existing parking supply of public and private spaces exceeded the actual parking demand throughout Downtown. This might be hard to believe, but IBI found that parking demand exceeded 85% of the total spaces available during only 22 out of 144 time periods reviewed.

 

The study goes on to state that providing more Downtown parking has the potential to worsen traffic congestion by drawing more cars into the local street circulation systems. A second consultant, MIG Inc., was hired to produce the Downtown Specific Plan Update. MIG incorporated the IBI finding and concluded “…the existing parking supply exceeds the actual parking demand throughout the downtown.”

 

The Council majority used the findings of the two consultants to justify adoption of the revised Downtown Specific Plan with reduced parking requirements for restaurants (10 spaces) and retail (4 spaces) per 1,000 sq. ft. to 3 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. for any use. A landlord can now convert retail to far more intensive restaurant/bar use without additional parking. 

 

THEN WHY IS THE CITY PROPOSING A PARKING STRUCTURE AT ALL? AND WHY ON CHURCH PROPERTY?

 

The Council now wants to ignore the expensive advice from the two consultants and let commercial building owners off the financial hook for providing more Downtown parking. Council is spending another $100,000 for a new parking study to tell the Council majority what they, developers, and commercial landlords want to hear now -- that a downtown parking structure is needed, and residents should pay for it.

 

To add insult to injury, the latest scheme is to build the parking structure we don’t need on the Presbyterian Church’s private property, pay all the costs to build it, manage it, maintain it, and pay more than $10 million to rent it for 50 years. The City will also give the Church more parking places than it has now. And, at the end of the lease, the City will give the structure to the Church.

 

WHAT’S THE TAKEAWAY? 

 

A careful analysis of the financials as presented by the City has been done and when all the details are carefully assessed, it winds up being a great deal for the Church and a bad deal for the City and its residents. If we really do need and want more Downtown parking, at least it should be on a circulation-optimal site on City land, which we would own and would cost substantially less. (Read the analysis at: www.georgeweisscitycouncil.org.)

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, SPEAK UP! QUESTION THIS DEAL AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, IN E-MAILS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, IN NEWSPAPER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND POSTS ON NEXTDOOR.

 

INSIST THAT THE CITY NOT PROCEED WITH APPROVING THE CHURCH PARKING MOU (MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANGING) WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION. THE COUNCIL MAJORITY IS TRYING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH QUICKLY. IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR COUNCIL TO SAY, “OH WELL, WE CAN GET OUT OF THE MOU LATER.”

THERE SHOULD BE NO MOU UNTIL THE DETAILS OF THIS “DEAL” ARE FULLY EXAMINED. AS IT STANDS, IT’S A BAD DEAL! SPEAK UP NOW!