The La Jolla Community Parking Advisory Board picked up the controversial paid on-street parking issue at Monday’s meeting where they had left it, discussing two alternatives with a large crowd of local residents and merchants.
After being forced to adjourn the Nov. 13 meeting when San Diego firefighters were called to the scene for an overcrowded room at the Hotel Parisi, the parking board moved the meeting to Nov. 19 at the La Jolla Recreation Center, where more than 150 people attended to discuss changes to the pilot parking plan. Although there were no firefighters present, officers from the San Diego Police Department were in attendance.
While different proposals were discussed at the previous meeting, including an incremental program that included increasing enforcement before implementing any type of paid on-street parking program, the board had two options on the table open for discussion: a “voluntary block-by-block opt-in throughout zone,” or an “opt-in/ opt-out plan.”
The changes in the parking proposal state that the plan, a “voluntary block-by-block opt-in” program for both commercial and residential zones, includes a provision for opting in or out, but a majority of the residents on any given block must be in favor of one alternative.
The parking plan says the changes are contrary to the existing plan of “prescribed” paid parking, although the board has added an additional “compromise resolution” to their prescribed plan, which would allow for an “opt-out program” on prescribed blocks.
In addition to the commercial and retail changes, the board spoke about changes to the beach zone and valet parking. Board members will decide the final changes at their December meeting, when they will vote on the proposal.
“The main thing that happened at the meeting, as far as the public was concerned, was that there was no choice for them to have no paid on-street parking,” said Darcy Ashley, of the group Free La Jolla.
The exact date of the December meeting has not yet been announced. For more information, visit www.nopaidparking.org or www.lajollabythesea/parking.