Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Soledad outlines education-first rollout for AB 413 parking ban near crosswalks
Summary
City staff briefed the Soledad City Council on California Assembly Bill 413, which prohibits parking within 20 feet of crosswalks; staff said enforcement begins Jan. 1, 2025, but the city will prioritize outreach, Spanish-language materials and warning citations before issuing fines.
Assistant Engineer Juan Wethbeth presented the council with key points of Assembly Bill 413, noting the law passed in October 2023 and will move from voluntary compliance to enforceable penalties on Jan. 1, 2025. Juan said AB 413 makes it illegal to park within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk in California and 15 feet from certain curb areas, and that the law was passed as an unfunded state mandate (citing 24 CFR part 570.489B only for federal CDBG program income elsewhere in the meeting). Juan told the council the city will remove or re-mark some diagonal parking spaces that conflict with the new distance rule and has prepared social-media and public-information materials to alert residents.
The council focused on how the city will implement the law locally. Mayor Ana Velasquez and other members pressed staff on visible cues and enforcement. Chief Lawson said the department plans an "education-first" approach: public-service announcements, warning citations and complaint-based code enforcement initially rather than immediate fines. "Our goal is to educate somebody and not give them a citation," the chief said, describing a period of warnings and outreach before regular enforcement.
Staff said the city will not proactively paint all curbs red because the number of curb faces would be large and the cost high; instead, staff will prioritize problematic intersections and make improvements as funding and traffic-engineering analysis permit. City staff also committed to producing Spanish-language versions of outreach materials and to partnering with schools, faith organizations and local businesses to distribute information.
Why this matters: AB 413 is aimed at improving sight lines for drivers and reducing pedestrian injuries at crosswalks. Because the state did not provide implementation funding, Soledad must balance safety goals with limited local resources and prioritize outreach to reduce confusion among residents.
The council did not adopt a formal enforcement ordinance at the meeting. Staff will return with outreach materials and an implementation plan that identifies priority intersections and a timetable for education and enforcement.
