The city’s expansion of its downtown valet parking program, which included added hours, two new drop-off locations and a fee increase, has stopped almost as soon as it started.
The new additions were rolled out on Friday, July 31, but were stopped the following Monday when a resident filed a complaint with the California Coastal Commission, the state agency which regulates access to the coast. The new hours, locations and fee have been suspended until the issue can be heard by the commission. Meanwhile, the two drop-off locations on Manhattan Avenue, in front of Fonz’s and MB Post, that were already operating from Wednesday through Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight, are still in use.
Bill Victor, who submitted the complaint, known as an appeal, said that the two new valet drop-off locations in front of the Strand House on Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Arthur J on Manhattan Avenue took away street parking spaces, which cost less than the $11 the program was to charge per car. He argued the increase in the fee from its previous $9 rate discouraged people from using the program. The added hours, which made the valet available all weeknights and starting at noon on weekends, was “a drastic shocking change” that would compound the overall problem, he said in his complaint.
The issue is currently scheduled to be heard at the agency’s next meeting Sept. 9 to 11 in Arcata, California.
In a staff report, the commission’s staff recommended that the commission take up the subject, noting that the city hadn’t identified any new parking spaces for the valet to use other than the 110 spaces at the Skechers office building and the 20 spaces at the Chase Bank. Currently, the two valet stations take up 10 parking spaces on Manhattan Avenue. The two new locations would take up eight additional spaces.
“The parking ratio benefit of using the same 130 private parking spaces for the modified valet program will decrease because the private spaces will remain the same but the valet drop-off/pick-up stations will increase,” the report said.
The program began on Friday, July 31 and didn’t receive the complaint until the end of day Monday, Aug. 3. It operated up until that time.
Kelly Stroman, the executive director of the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professional Association, which is part of the joint agreement between the city and the valet operator, said the success of the program that weekend proved that it was necessary.
“When you park 500 cars, whether they’re going to the beach, restaurants or shops, clearly you provide more access,” she said.
According to Stroman, the valet had to stop taking cars twice because it was full.
“There’s even more demand than we could meet,” she said. “It tells you there’s a need for it.”
She said the increase in price was to cover the operator’s insurance, which costs more in Manhattan Beach than in other cities. Neither her association nor the city makes any money from the program, although the city is reimbursed for the lost parking revenue from the metered spaces. Because the operator, Crimson Parking, already paid for new signage and added more staff, it’s losing money, she said.
“The bottom line is we really feel we’re providing a service to consumers and locals because they can come down and go to the beach and businesses,” she said. “By no means did we feel like we were taking away parking.”
Coastal Commission staff agreed in their report that the increase from $9 to $11 was negligible, but that it was significantly more than the $1.25 per hour charged by the meters.
“The question is whether or not the demand exists for short-term beach use, and if the increased flat rate will discourage these short-term beach users,” the report said. “The City’s analysis does not provide information to support how the valet rate will not have an adverse impact to short-term beach-users, which could result in negatively impacting coastal access” required under the law.
Mayor Mark Burton thought the program increased coastal access and that it was positive for people who live downtown.
“To me, having a successful program is really a benefit to the residents because all of those cars are not driving around residential neighborhoods,” he said.
He regretted the timing of the suspension, since August is one of the busiest months downtown.
Victor complained about the valet parking program to the Coastal Commission twice before. The first time was in 1999, when the program began. The commission found that the program was outside the area of its jurisdiction, which is 300 feet from the beach. The second time was later that year, when the city wanted to expand its program. After holding a hearing, the commission approved the expansion with certain conditions.
If the commission finds that the new expansion is problematic, it will hold another hearing at a future meeting. ER
