Seal Beach council adds $56 penalty to cost-recovery schedule to enforce new statewide "daylighting" rule

The Seal Beach City Council voted 5-0 to add California Vehicle Code section 22500(n) to the city's cost-recovery schedule and set a $56 penalty, aligning the city's fine schedule with existing parking penalties.

The council's action on the amendment came after a presentation by Captain Nicholas of the Seal Beach Police Department, who explained the state law that prohibits parking within 20 feet of the approach side of marked or unmarked crosswalks (15 feet where curb extensions exist) and described local implementation steps the city is taking.

The change matters because, Captain Nicholas told the council, the law is statewide and went into effect Jan. 1; without an updated fee schedule the city would lack a specified penalty amount to attach to citations for the new violation. The captain said the department's outreach to other California parking managers showed widespread variation in how cities are handling the law and…