Opinion: Parking for Dollars is the City's Game

What is the most lucrative way for Laguna Beach to raise more city revenue other than taxes and parking fines? That’s right honey, put up a metered parking lot.

In the interest of maintaining village appeal through zoning restrictions and height limitations, the city has constrained business development to the extent they gross more revenue from parking meters than retail sales (see the Adopted Budget).  It should be no surprise the $44 million dollar village entrance has a provision for 580 parking spaces (143 reserved for city employees) paying $1,500 per space per year.

Too bad the business of parking cars is revenue neutral to the city fund. The net annual revenue from Laguna Beach parking is less than the combined salaries of its first two employees, the city attorney and manager. Until Laguna Beach city management plans and implements a viable business district, from Ruby's Shake Shack to the Montage, Laguna Beach will remain a parking lot. 

Les Miklosy, Laguna Beach