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State Parks and partners advance 'Park It' shuttle and reservation plans for Point Lobos; county permit review under way
Summary
State Parks and the 'Park It' partnership said they submitted a coastal development permit application to Monterey County for an outside parking and shuttle program that would include reservations for Point Lobos; implementation timing depends on county review and construction schedules.
State Parks and partner organizations told the collaborative they have submitted a coastal development permit (CDP) application to Monterey County for a proposed Park It parking and shuttle project intended to reduce roadside parking and crowding at Point Lobos.
A State Parks representative said the Park It plan would include off‑site parking at a location referred to in materials as Maribond (Lobos) Flats and a concession‑operated shuttle service that could use a reservation system for Point Lobos entries. The agency said the CDP is in county review and that timelines vary: permitting, construction of the parking lot and then the shuttle concession procurement could make a near‑term implementation take a few years.
Braylon (Coastal Commission staff) told the meeting the commission and State Parks “are in kind of mutual agreement of what the project should look like generally” and that the county’s processing schedule will largely determine the next steps. State Parks said the shuttle would likely be a concession procured through a request‑for‑proposals process.
Why it matters: Point Lobos is a high‑demand site where illegal roadside parking creates safety hazards on Highway 1. Park It seeks to provide an alternative that reduces roadside stopping, adds shuttle capacity and manages visitor entries via reservation to smooth peaks.
Community outreach and related efforts: State Parks said it is running public tours and outreach through existing programs and has started feasibility assessments for longer‑term additional parking options at other sites (referred to as Lobos Ranch in the meeting). Participants urged that any shuttle or parking program coordinate with transit providers and consider micro‑transit and worker‑centered services as complementary options.
Next steps: County review of the CDP is ongoing; if Monterey County schedules the public hearing it will lengthen the timeline, the presenters said. If the county declines a hearing, the process may move faster. State Parks and partners expect to continue outreach and report progress at future collaborative meetings.
