Committee to discuss Diamond Crestview parking restrictions

The Laguna Beach Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Committee and Fire Department will hold a public meeting May 17 to discuss possibly limiting parking on certain streets in the Diamond Crestview neighborhood during high-fire-danger, or red-flag, days, according to a news release.

The committee suggests restricting parking in Diamond Crestview to enable speedy evacuations and access by emergency vehicles during fires, according to the release.

A map showing specific spaces that would be restricted will be available at the May 17 meeting.

Under the proposal, 34 parking spaces in Diamond Crestview would be designated “No Parking” during red- flag conditions, typically when winds are expected to exceed 25 mph with relative humidity below 15%.

For maneuvering, fire engines need a 20-foot width of roadway, and with vehicles in those 34 spaces, firefighters would be severely hampered, according to the committee.

The city would initially help residents become familiar with the program, which is based on similar plans in Los Angeles and Pasadena, before ticketing and towing would take place, the release said.

Public input from the meeting will be shared with the City Council at a later date. Pending the outcome of this pilot program, other high-risk neighborhoods in Laguna Beach may be selected for tests before any final decision is made on expanding parking restrictions throughout the city.

On average, red-flag days are declared in Laguna Beach five times a year. The city has already exceeded that number in 2014.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at the Laguna Beach Community and Susi Q Senior Center, 380 Third St.