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Planners recommend paid parking review, more trolley service after parking study
Summary
A city planner presented a parking and transportation demand management plan that includes a $2 million, four‑year trolley pilot, recommended reviews of unlimited beach permits and consideration of expanded paid parking downtown; the commission received and filed the plan to forward comments to city council.
San Clemente planning staff presented a parking and transportation demand management (TDM) update that recommends expanded transit options, adjustments to beach permit pricing and consideration of paid downtown parking to improve turnover and manage seasonal beach demand.
Zachary, the acting city planner, said data collected in December and again in July–August showed heavy summer demand at beach lots and room elsewhere during the off‑season. The draft plan includes a menu of options—expanded trolley lines, more golf‑cart/NEV parking options, additional bike parking and targeted enforcement—to be considered by the city council later in the year.
"We got a $2 million grant for a four‑year pilot" to add a fourth trolley route (to be advertised as the "yellow line"), Zachary said, describing the pilot as a way to expand transit access to a part of the city between Mr. Herosa Sports Park and North Beach.
Staff recommended maintaining the beach permit program but reassessing pricing (staff suggested the current $50–$100 unlimited pass may be below market and should be reviewed every two years), studying the feasibility and timing of paid downtown parking and exploring private‑lot agreements that make off‑peak spaces available to the public.
Commissioners praised the report’s organization and suggested any paid‑parking expansion include equivalent options for residents (for example, expanding the existing beach permit to covered downtown lots). The commission voted unanimously to receive and file the plan, with staff noting the proposal will return to city council for any zoning changes, budget augmentations or final implementation decisions.
The plan includes short, medium and long‑term recommendations; final actions on paid parking, permit pricing and potential parking structures would be council decisions requiring additional analysis and budget approval.
