Pilot program gives portion of meter funds to neighborhoods.
By Sam Catanzaro
While nobody enjoys paying for parking, for Pacific Palisades residents, the prospect of dishing out a few coins to feed into meters will soon be more appealing.
Under a program recently approved by the City of Los Angeles, certain neighborhoods, including Pacific Palisades, will be given back a portion of funds collected from parking meters.
“Our effort to improve how parking is managed in Los Angeles is moving forward, and the latest development will mean more money for transportation improvements in Pacific Palisades,” said Councilmember Mike Bonin who represents the Palisades.
Los Angeles recently approved a pilot program that is designed to keep the money spent at parking meters in the neighborhood where the money is generated. Under the pilot program, 15 percent of the revenue from parking meters in the designated business improvement district (BIDs) areas will go to the BID. City lawmakers hope this will bolster local control by allowing residents to make decisions about how best to use money from meters to improve local transportation.
“I am very happy to report that Pacific Palisades will be one of three areas where this pilot program will be launched, meaning that a minimum of $50,000 – and likely more – will be available for the Pacific Palisades BID to spend on local mobility improvements, like street and sidewalk repairs, wayfinding signage, or on streetscape and community beautification efforts,” Bonin said. “The idea for this reform is one part of my parking reform effort, which also includes efforts to make it easier to find parking when you need it, and to keep fines fair.”
The other two neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles included in this program are Westwood Village and Lincoln Heights.
Under this program, expenditures BIDs are allowed to undertake include increasing multi-modal parking supply; construction and/or maintenance of street improvement projects and managing and optimizing existing parking supply. In addition, localities are permitted to use funds to reducing parking demand by the promotion of active transportation by installing electric vehicle charging stations, public transit, sidewalks curb ramps, and bicycle and pedestrian amenities. BIDs will not be allowed to construct new parking structures or special event parking with these funds.
According to Bonin, the Pacific Palisades BID, which is made up of local businesses, and tasked with keeping the Palisades a clean, friendly place to work, shop and do business, will be responsible for engaging local stakeholders to decide which local improvements are best for Pacific Palisades.
“Thank you to the Palisades BID for being an early and eager partner in launching this pilot program. I am very excited for Pacific Palisades to help show that keeping parking revenue local will result in real improvements to our neighborhood business districts,” Bonin said.
For more information contact Councilmember Bonin’s Transportation Director Eric Bruins at eric.bruins@lacity.org
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