A parking and transportation demand-management study presented Oct. 8 to the San Clemente Planning Commission found seasonal spikes in downtown parking demand — summer occupancy reached roughly 62% citywide but exceeded the parking-industry 85% threshold in downtown and the Pier Bowl — and identified a menu of management strategies including enforcement, paid parking, expanded trolley service, employee parking and a potential parking-benefit district.

Senior transportation engineer Jonathan Sanchez of Sierra Associates, retained by the city, told the commission the study used automated license-plate-reader camera runs during an off-peak period (January) and a peak summer run (July/August), sampled weekdays and weekends, and mapped public off-street (about 892 spaces), on-street (about 3,000 spaces) and private off-street parking (about 2,500 spaces). The consultant identified Saturday midday (noon–2 p.m.) as the peak period and found many public lots in downtown exceed 90% occupancy in summer.

The study’s recommended toolbox includes: stepped enforcement and time-limit changes; paid or dynamic on-street pricing; expanded trolley service and clean-mobility options; marketing and wayfinding to underutilized lots; conversion of some stalls for NEVs (neighborhood electric vehicles) and bike parking; employee-only lots and leasing of underused private parking; and exploring a parking-benefit district to funnel meter revenue back into local mobility and public improvements.

Commissioners pressed staff and the consultant on next steps. Commissioner Gary (last name on file) urged staff to analyze building a parking structure — noting city-owned parcels near the library — and asked for a financial model showing how a parking-benefit district (PBD) or seasonal pricing could pay for capital improvements. Commissioner McCann and others emphasized enforcement and time limits as the highest near-term priorities and asked the team to analyze employee parking to reduce long-term on-street occupancy. Several commissioners asked staff to provide the draft report to the commission earlier than the typical Friday packet to allow pre-meeting reviews.

Why it matters: High summer occupancy and limited turnover in prime spaces reduce access for visitors and customers, and commissioners said a staged approach—starting with enforcement and targeted pricing—may be most politically feasible. The study also identifies underutilized private lots (for potential leasing) and low-occupancy public structures (an identified outlet mall structure with ~40% occupancy) as short-term supply options.

Next steps: Staff will refine the draft with a pro-forma (cost/revenue scenarios) and return to the Planning Commission in November for a recommendation and to City Council in December; the project is funded in part by Coastal Commission grants and will be rolled out over time rather than implemented all at once.

Speakers quoted or cited in the article appear in the meeting transcript and included the presenting consultant and planning staff.