DEL MAR — Already rumored to be the city most likely to give Santa Claus a ticket for an expired meter, Del Mar will install eight additional parking timers on Maiden Lane and possibly up to 30 more in three other areas.
Council members approved the action at the Sept. 3 meeting in response to requests from residents and a staff and TPAC (Traffic Parking Advisory Committee) investigation into options for increased parking revenue.
The initial recommendation was to add eight metered spaces on the east side of Maiden Lane, six metered spaces west of the 1400 block on Ocean Avenue, up to 20 park-pay-and-display stations on Court Street near the pump station and three or four park-pay-and-display stations on both sides of Camino del Mar from 29th Street north to the San Dieguito River bridge.
According to the staff report, the Maiden Lane spaces “would be an expansion of the successful partnership with” St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, while adding to the central commercial zone shopping district “with minimal impact to local residents.”
City Councilwoman Sherryl Parks, a council liaison to TPAC, met with church officials and “they’re interested in working closely with the city,” she said.
City Manager Scott Huth also met with church leaders. “We felt pretty comfortable going forward (because) a good portion of this is on their property,” he said.
Huth suggested the other proposals be sent back to TPAC. “We evaluated this a little bit more closely at the staff level and had a concern” that the only notice was the TPAC agenda, he said.
“We didn’t go out and notify the property owners in the vicinity of where this change would be,” Huth added. “There was a concern that it wasn’t a good reflection of what the community in these areas would think about the proposal.”
Councilman Al Corti, also a TPAC liaison, said the committee was tasked with finding where paid public parking could be added.
“These sites were identified and their recommendation is to proceed with evaluating them further,” Corti said. “The staff has recognized the church is one that makes sense and (has) been vetted out as the perfect place.”
He said TPAC and city staff members still need to “look at the other three and see if they really are appropriate.”
“But I think it’s the right recommendation,” he added.
Councilwoman Lee Haydu, a former TPAC liaison, said adding paid parking in the area around the tennis court has been talked about for a while.
Huth said workshops will be held following better public noticing to property owners in the areas.
