(Nov. 9, 2019, 3:10 p.m.) -- LB's non-elected city staff may ultimately adjust/tweak/change some aspects of 4th St. parking meter installation but staff can't unileratelly rescind the action. Only LB's elected Councilmembers can do that because LB's elected Councilmembers explicitly directed city staff to install the meters (details below.)

On November 13, 2018, the City Council voted twice (8-0/Uranga absent) to install parking meters along 4th Street between Hermosa and Temple Aves. Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce made a motion (seconded by then-Councilwoman/now state Senator Lena Gonzalez) to approve a city staff recommendation to establish a parking meter zone between Hermosa and Temple Aves., including side streets intersecting 4th St.; set operating days/hours from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for up to two hours at $1.00 per hour and ask the City Attorney to prepare an Agreement with a 4th St. City Hall-authorized "Business Improvement District" ["BID"] to equally share net parking meter revenues.

Councilwoman Pearce said the action had been two years in the making and "we went through a survey with businesses, we engaged our constituents, we did this through email and in person meetings...Hopefully Retro Row can be a model for other areas that are looking not only to cycle through and making sure that we're moving traffic for our businesses but that respect in those BIDs as well."

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The action also has fiscal/potential budget impacts...because city staff's agendizing memo indicated that the meters were expected to generate estimated annual revenue of approximately $342,720. (Net collections would be evenly divided between the City and the 4th St. Business Improvement District (BID), and the BID would repay the City from its portion of the meter revenue for three years to cover the $197,000 City cost to install the meters.

There was no public podium testimony and the Pearce motion carried 8-0 (Uranga absent.)

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However after two more agenda items elapsed, the Council voted to reconsider its earlier vote and re-opened the hearing, effectively enabling public testimony by Porter Gilberg, speaking as co-vice president of the 4th St. Business Improvement District (BID). Mr. Gilberg strongly supported installing the meters saying it would "increase parking availability" and provide the BID with a continuing source of revenue. Howevcer on behalf of the BID board, Mr. Gilberg asked the Council to extend the parking meter time period to three hours (instead of two hours) saying it would better accommodate Retro Row visitors seeing a movie at the Art Theater and enjoying a meal (without having to re-feed the meter.) Mr. Gilberg also supported applying metered hours from Monday through Sunday, not just Saturday.

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During the hearing, Mayor Garcia reiterated several times that he supports installing the meters, but asked city staff about whether three hour meters would be unusual among beach cities. Public Works Dir. Craig Beck acknowledged that most LB meters are for two hours so extending the period for three hours would be difficult. Councilwoman Price suggested a three hour pilot project.

Ultimately Councilwoman Pearce made a motion to extend the metered period to three hours and include Sundays as a metered day, and moments before the vote Mayor Garcia commented that he thinks the idea of a pilot is "really smart." Although Councilwoman Pearce didn't audibly change her motion, the meeting minutes recite that an amendment to create "a 1 year pilot program, extending the maximum hours to 3 hours, and include Sundays as a meter day" carried 8-0 (Uranga absent).

To hear on-demand audio of what took place, click here.

Since these were two voted actions by the current Council, where do LB's 2nd district candidates seeking to become LB's newest 2nd district Councilmember stand on the issue?

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• Robert Fox has criticized installation of the 4th St. parking meters but has blamed city management, not Council actions. "Road Diets, Roundabouts, Meters, refusing diagonal parking to create 40% more parking...All are symptoms of this out of control deaf dumb and blind Management. How close to a revolt do we need to get before the City realizes that government is supposed to serve the people not abuse them?" (Fox's opposition to the meters is consistent with his previous advocacy to reduce parking fines in LB's parking impacted neighborhoods (including the 2nd dist.)

The Facebook pages of candidates Cindy Allen, Jeanette Barerra and (Pearce-endorsee) Eduardo Lara were mum on the parking meter issue as of Nov. 9, 2019 at 10:45 a.m.

• Cindy Allen is endorsed in the 2nd dist. Council race by Mayor Garcia who supported installing the meters. Councilwoman Price (who also voted "yes" twice on the meters) was among electeds attending Ms. Allen's recent fundraiser kickoff (LBREPORT.com coverage here.) Ms. Allen previously contributed sums to re-elect and/or support the officeholder accounts of Council incumbents Austin, Price, Richardson, Mungo (and then-Councilwoman) Gonzalez who voted to install the meters. Ms. Allen was also among the earliest contributors to Mayor Garcia's 2018 re-election campaign.

• Eduardo Lara contributed to the 2016 campaign to elect Jeannine Pearce to the City Council. Councilwoman Pearce, who recently announced she's not seeking a second term, has endorsed Dr. Lara.

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