Hottest spots in town

Barbara Diamond

Finding a parking space in Laguna in summer can be a pain, but

parking illegally can be even more painful.

The city rakes in nearly $1 million in parking-related fines each

year, and visitors and residents alike feel the parking pinch as the

annual arts festivals and the beaches draw thousands into town.

Residents say they keep parking in mind at this time of year.

“As a resident, this is my first time down all summer because of

parking. But what can you do? That’s the price we pay for living in

such a beautiful place,” said Chris Marinec.

Linda, a resident who wouldn’t give her last name, said, “It’s

horrible. What upsets me is I can never find a place to park and I

live here.”

“Residents should just pretend they are on vacation and take the

trams to work or play and never have to worry about a parking space

or a fine,” advises Councilwoman Toni Iseman.

Visitors are equally hard-pressed.

“We did pretty well today, we found this spot early,” said Diana

Burnstine, from Chicago, on a recent Thursday around noon.

“If I hadn’t found this spot, I would have gone home,” said Karen

Murtaugh of Corona Del Mar. “I always think about parking before I

come down here.”

The city lists 27 California Vehicle Code and 24 Municipal Code

parking violations that can be ticketed. Fines range from $35 to

$250. An accumulation of five unpaid tickets can result in a “boot,”

which disables a vehicle until all the tickets are cleared.

“Fines, including the Department of Motor Vehicle collection of

unpaid tickets at license renewal time, came to about $950,000 last

year,” City Manager Ken Frank said. “The money goes into the city’s

capital improvement fund and is used only for large city projects.”

Parking stickers for locals allow drivers to park without putting

quarters in the meters but do not exempt them from code restrictions,

such as no parking on street sweeping days, overtime parking, or

blocking a driveway -- which will get the vehicle towed, as well as

ticketed.

The city has four categories of stickers. Each category has

specific privileges and restrictions, according to Laura Alcantra at

the City Hall cashier’s desk, where stickers are purchased if payment

is not mailed.

* Shopper’s permits allow parking anywhere, but only up to the

posted time. The permits are for residents only and proof of

residency is required -- a utility bill suffices. Four permits per

household are allowed. The first two permits cost $80 each for two

years. The third and fourth permits cost $150 each.

* Shopper Permit and School District are for residents who live in

the district. They have the same privileges and restrictions as city

resident stickers. However, only two permits per household are

allowed. The first one costs $120, the second $150.

* Residential parking stickers are issued for parking in metered

spaces in front of the residents’ homes or within one block of the

residences on 12 specified streets. Permits are good for one year and

cost $200 each.

* Business permits are limited to 150 a year and cost $240 each.

Only business owners and employees downtown qualify for the permits,

which allow parking only in specified areas and only at certain

times. No parking permits are valid for Laguna Canyon Road meters

during festival season, June 25 through Aug. 31.

Police department statistics indicate that violations jump

dramatically during festival season.

Hilda Madrid, senior records manager in the criminal statistics

division, estimates that the jump is higher than 50%.

“People park where they aren’t supposed to, or they get too busy

and forget,” Madrid said.

And many drivers assume that as long as they pay the meter, they

can park in a space. Not so. Feeding meters longer than is allowed is

a violation that can cost a driver $35.

Street parking meters will cough up an estimated $1,747,000 in the next fiscal year.

“Compared to some other cities our meter rates are a little high,”

Frank said. “But not compared to places like San Francisco and Los

Angeles.”

Parking lot meters and fees will add another $849,000 to the city

coffers. Parking permits in this off-year will bring in an estimated

$100,000.

“The fees go into the Parking Authority Fund, which is used to

provide more parking, to maintain lots -- cleaning and lighting,

meter and enforcement costs,” Frank said.

Five parking control officers are on duty in the summer to enforce

the codes.

“And for more than 10 years, about $700,000 goes into the general

fund to help make up for the money the state takes from us, which

comes to more than $1 million a year,” Frank said.

He said the parking fees are also used to subsidize the city’

transit system -- the only municipal bus system in the county with

free summer trams.

Torrey AndersonSchoepe contributed to this article.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Does Laguna need more public parking lots? Write us at P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652, e-mail us at coastlinepilot@latimes.com

or fax us at 494-8979. Please give your name and tell us your home

address and phone number for verification purposes only.