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Seaside staff propose red-curb pilot and flex-posts to meet new state rule on parking near crosswalks
Summary
In response to Assembly Bill 413, Seaside staff proposed painting 20-foot red-curb zones near schools and installing flex posts to improve crosswalk visibility, with enforcement beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
Seaside parking compliance staff proposed a pilot program to paint red curbs and install flex posts at priority intersections near schools so the city and residents can comply with Assembly Bill 413’s new parking restrictions, a presentation to the City Council said.
Iris Klotz, the city’s parking compliance specialist, told the council the state law prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk (15 feet where a bulb-out is present) to improve pedestrian visibility. Klotz recommended painting the 20-foot areas red at three intersections identified by the city’s Traffic Advisory Committee, prioritizing locations near schools. She also recommended low-cost physical measures, such as $30 plastic flex posts or $60 metal posts for higher-use locations, to make the no-parking zones more visible and harder to block.
Klotz said the state did not provide funding for implementation and that the city’s approach emphasizes low-cost interventions — paint plus flexible posts — rather than expensive engineering changes. She showed examples from other jurisdictions and cited Hoboken, N.J., which staff said saw declines in collisions after similar interventions. The parking unit also recommended outreach to residents to explain the changes in advance.
Council members asked about enforcement and public outreach. Klotz and Commander Matt Doza of the police department said staff would issue warnings in advance and that enforcement could begin once curbs are painted; Commander Doza confirmed officers have started issuing warnings near the high school. The council and staff discussed using city social channels, bilingual signage and other community notice methods for residents who do not use social media.
The city’s Traffic Advisory Committee had already recommended an initial red-curb location (1184 Barber Court) on the consent agenda; staff said a phased approach could extend the program to additional intersections. There was no council vote on the presentation; staff said they will coordinate with Public Works, school partners and police to implement the pilot ahead of the Jan. 1, 2025 enforcement date.
The presentation emphasized safety benefits for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, and asked council to authorize staff to proceed with the prioritized pilot and outreach.
