Council opts for flexible meters

Parking meters that accept coins or credit cards will drive up the cost of some beach-close parking, starting in September.

The City Council unanimously approved on Tuesday the purchase of 209 Flexi Pay meters, to be installed near Heisler Park and to increase the rate to $2 an hour for part of Cliff Drive. The $140,000 purchase will be funded with an $80,000 appropriation from the Parking Fund to supplement the $90,000 in the current budget earmarked for parking meters and operating costs.

“We have talked a long time about higher rates for parking closer to the beach — so I support this,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson said.

The meters will be installed on the 100 and 200 blocks of Cliff Drive, between Broadway and North Coast Highway and a small section of Lower Cliff Drive, designated Zone A1; and on the 300 to 600 blocks of Cliff Drive, between the mid-600 block and the highway; and the 100 blocks of Jasmine and Myrtle streets — Zone A2, the $2 zone.

Another option was to replace meters with ones in use that accept only quarters, the advantages being that the foundations, posts and housing can be reused. The disadvantage is the limited payment method.

A third option was the purchase of multispace meters that would accept coins, bills or credit cards. They have been well-received by the public in parking lots and structures, but are not currently used for any on-street parking in the city. The cost was a consideration, about $10,000 to $15,000 per meter for an estimated total of $170,000, not including removal of existing poles, repairing the sidewalks, creating new housing and bringing in power, estimated to cost an another $30,000.

There was no public opposition voiced at the meeting.