Parking prices are pinching

She has heard every complaint in the book, but Downtown shop owner Liz

Reyes said the most common gripe is lack of parking.

“I always tell people to be careful, it’s not very visitor friendly,”

said Reyes, owner of Vertigo Gifts on Main Street of the parking.

Many other Downtown business owners share Reyes concerns about patrons

having to pay for parking along Main Street and would like to make it

more affordable to visit their shops.

“No where else in Huntington Beach do customers pay for parking except

Downtown,” said Steve Daniel, the owner of Rocky Mountain Chocolate

Factory and president of Downtown Business Group Assn.

Although he understands the city’s need to make money, it hampers his

ability to do so. He offered the suggestion of giving people two free

hours of parking.

“We need revenues and we can only cut our budgets so far,” he said.

Businesses can buy validation stickers for employees and customers,

which cost 50 cents per day and 25 cents per hour, respectively.

Employees at some stores like Beachcombers surf shop have had to park

as far as five blocks away during the busiest times, said manager Ryan

Lassley, as the store can’t afford to pay for the employee validation

parking passes anymore.

“The pass rates keep going up, it’s ridiculous,” Lassley said.

The business meters on Main Street cost 25 cents every 10 minutes, or

$1.50 an hour.

The high rates were meant to create turnover in those spots and thus

entice the most visitors, said Rob Hagan, director of community services

for the city.

“In a destination beach environment, most go Downtown to go to the

beach,” Hagan said.

For those who don’t wish to park at meters there are three parking

structures that charge by the hour or the day.

Downtown visitors can also purchase annual combination beach and

parking lot passes.

Rather than free parking Hagan suggests trying to establish Downtown

as a year-round destination as a means to help business.

“Parking is a big income for the city, someone has to pay for it

whether it’s taxes or fees,” Hagan said.

Parking pays for all beach services including maintenance and

lifeguards, Hagan said.

“I enjoy the beach and hanging out down here in the mornings, but it

gets annoying when you have to rush back to put more money in the meter

or else you get a ticket,” said Billy Smith, as he and his 4-year-old

daughter Jannai strolled Main Street.

Smith lives too far to walk or bike, so he usually drives to Downtown.

“It gets expensive if you come down here a lot like we do,” he said.

“At least do something for the residents. I don’t even bother coming down

here during the summer.”