Parking Meter Money May Return to Palisades
Pacific Palisades, which garners more than $419,000 annually in money solely from parking meters, may be receiving some of that money back, if a pilot program is approved by the City Council.
At the Business Improvement District (BID) meeting on September 5 at the Palisades Chamber of Commerce office, Eric Bruins, transportation policy director for Council District 11, explained the pilot program.
In addition to Pacific Palisades, two other areas, Westwood Village (Council District 5—Paul Koretz) and Lincoln Heights (First District—Gil Cedillo) would also be participating.
Fifteen percent of the income from meters in Pacific Palisades (about $60,000 to $65,000) would come back here. The City is designating BIDS as the recipients of the money, which could be used for parking, streetscape and other improvements.
“This money would be for the public benefit and geared towards projects rather than ongoing ‘public right of way’ options,” Bruins said.
The BID board had just finished a discussion about trying to light trees from Ralphs to Gelson’s (excluding the Village Green). Costs are being explored and a representative from Mobile Illumination said that solar and batteries would not work, and that an underground electrical line would have to be laid.
Although Caruso’s Palisades Village trees will most likely have lighting, about four months is the earliest that the rest of the Palisades business district, along Sunset, could have it. That timeline would depend on funds raised first for the underground cable and then the individual lights in each tree (there are 31 trees along the stretch, excluding the Village Green).
Bruins said a lighting project like this would qualify. Most of the meters in Pacific Palisades are located in the BID District and a designated amount of revenue from those meters could be used for a BID beautification project.
He was asked about the meters in Santa Monica Canyon, on Marquez Avenue and near Vons at Sunset and Castellammare Drive, which are not in the BID District. Bruins said he’d have to check into that.
The next step for the pilot program will be to go before the L.A. City Council for approval and Bruins thought that might be in early October.
If the City Council approves the program, then each BID would submit a letter of interest, and a public meeting would be held to determine what the community wants.
The money would be given on a reimbursement basis (currently the City is designating BIDS as the recipient) and funds should be spent within two years.