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Lake Forest advances plan to simplify downtown parking, staff to pursue vendor RFP and enforcement technology
Summary
City staff recommended simplifying Central Business District parking zones, shifting customer spaces toward businesses, creating perimeter employee zones, and adopting a permit-management system with automated license-plate readers; council provided direction to refine proposals and return with an RFP and implementation details.
City staff on Dec. 1 presented a multi-part plan to reorganize parking in Lake Forest’s Central Business District (CBD) and to modernize permit management and enforcement.
Assistant to the City Manager Carrie Kaup said the staff committee’s three goals were to simplify parking zones and signage, put customer spaces closest to businesses and move employee parking to perimeter lots, and improve permit management and enforcement through technology. Staff recommended standardizing on 90-minute street parking (with specific 30‑minute zones in high-turnover locations), 3‑hour customer zones in key lots closest to businesses, designated employee-perimeter lots providing roughly 600 spaces, and three lots reserved for CBD permit holders or daily-fee patrons.
To replace physical hang tags and manual checks, staff proposed a permit-management system that integrates with ParkMobile and requires license-plate registration, and an automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) enforcement option. Staff estimated the first-year technology investment at about $70,000 (ALPR ~$60,000 and permit system up to $10,000) and ongoing costs of about $20,000 per year.
Council members pressed staff on enforcement mechanics, how shared/seasonal employee passes would be handled, effects on high‑school and college students, and whether discounted employee permits would drive uptake. Staff said vendor capabilities will determine technical details and that they will incorporate council feedback into an RFP and return with more specific proposals.
Council also discussed a potential valet-permit program to require parking plans from restaurants that use valet services; staff said a permit process could provide revocation authority for noncompliance but would require more administrative effort.
No final ordinance or vote was taken; council gave staff direction to continue work and return with refined recommendations and an RFP.
