Employee parking permit plan offers less for more
by Kevin Cody
Downtown Hermosa Beach employees will pay higher monthly parking permit rates for fewer parking spaces under a plan approved by the city council on a 4 to 1 vote at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Presently employees pay $61 per month for 24 hour permits, and $31 per month for daytime permits. The new rates will be $75, and $38, a 22 percent increase, which mirrors the increase the council approved for residents’ parking permits. But under the new plan the monthly permits will only be valid in the three level parking structure. Previously, the permits were also valid in Lot A, south of Pier Plaza; and Lot B, north of pier plaza.
Employees may also purchase annual permits, which will increase from $143 to $175. The annual employee permits, like the resident permits, are valid at the downtown’s 1,212 yellow meters, but not in the parking structure.
Councilman Mike Detoy cast the dissenting vote, after saying the employee parking issue was too complicated to be resolved at 12:30 a.m, Wednesday morning, when the agendized came up for discussion.
Detoy also questioned where employees who buy parking lot permits will park when the 400-space parking structure is full.
Last year, the downtown employees bought 1,529 daily permits and 1,811 24 hour permits.
Meter increase worth $1.8 million
Parking meter rate increases were unanimously approved by the Hermosa Beach City Council on Tuesday. The rates will increase from the current $1.25 per hour to $2 per hour between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.; and from $1.50 per hour to $2.50 per hour between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The rate increase will generate an additional $1.8 million annually for the city, according to a city staff report. ER