Planning commissioners receive Southwest Tustin parking study; staff recommends enforcement, permit outreach and shared‑parking options

The Tustin Planning Commission on April 28 received and filed a staff report on the Southwest Tustin Residential Parking Study after a presentation by Senior Planner George Maldonado and discussion with police and public‑works staff.

Maldonado said the city collected two weeks of on‑street counts, drone imagery and community input, including bilingual workshops, surveys and interviews with residents, apartment managers and HOAs. He said much of the study area shows on‑street occupancy routinely at or above 70%, with many block faces exceeding the technical problem threshold of 85% occupancy. “There’s more cars than there are spaces in this part of the city,” Maldonado said, summarizing the study’s central finding.

Among five key findings, staff cited (1) demand exceeding supply in multifamily‑dominated blocks that typically provide one parking space per unit; (2) gaps in enforcement of the 72‑hour parking abatement; (3) underuse and low awareness of the city’s permit parking program; (4) communication and language barriers limiting program participation; and (5) needed public‑infrastructure improvements such as lighting, sidewalks and painted markings to organize street parking.

To respond, staff recommended a mix of near‑term and midterm actions: step up enforcement and education, promote the permit program (including materials in Spanish), explore an income‑based reduced‑fee permit option, limit oversized/commercial vehicles parked overnight, pursue shared‑parking agreements with nearby commercial lots and install street lighting and painted T/L markings where appropriate. Maldonado said the city plans to present the study to City Council on May 19.

Capt. Arzadi of the Tustin Police Department said the department concurs with many recommendations but flagged enforcement limits. He said part‑time parking control officers are difficult to staff and cited a 2023 court decision that reduced some towing options, which has weakened the deterrent effect of citations. “We have enforcement, education and engineering,” Arzadi said, calling enforcement only one element of a multi‑pronged approach. Sgt. John Hedges confirmed the 72‑hour abatement remains enforceable and described the city’s citation‑then‑tow practice for chronic, stationary vehicles.

Public comment amplified enforcement concerns and reporting gaps. John Gurey asked the city to add reporting categories to the municipal app so parking and traffic enforcement receive more targeted complaints; he said residents also want enforcement hours earlier than 2 a.m. to make reporting realistic. Staff noted two license‑plate‑reader units cited in the report have been returned to service and are aiding enforcement.

Commissioners discussed equity and practicality. One commissioner warned a city‑led permit program could act as a regressive charge in lower‑income neighborhoods and urged caution. Others urged the city to pair permit options with expanded mobility infrastructure — bike lanes, improved lighting and safer walking routes — and to explore shared‑parking deals with commercial property owners. Staff said the permit program currently requires about 65% of households on a block to petition for a district and that, where adopted, permits are allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis and can include a four‑permit maximum per household under the current program.

The commission took no regulatory action beyond receiving and filing the study. Staff will return with any ordinance or program proposals only after additional outreach and analysis and after council consideration.

The Planning Commission’s next regular meeting is May 12, 2026.