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Resident urges pause on sale of downtown parking lot in San Juan Capistrano, warns of harm to businesses
Summary
A downtown business owner urged the City Council to pause plans tied to the proposed sale of a downtown parking lot, saying removing another public space would worsen already strained parking and hurt local businesses; staff said the closed-session item may instead involve expanding public parking and invited the public to a June 2 parking study presentation.
Rebecca Stafford, a downtown resident and owner of Florizon Bridal Loft, told the San Juan Capistrano City Council on May 19 that the council should pause plans tied to the proposed sale of a downtown parking lot (agenda item 5d), saying the change would worsen already-limited parking and harm local businesses.
"Removing 1 more parking resource will only intensify those existing challenges," Stafford said, describing customers who circle blocks and visitors who leave rather than continue looking for parking. Stafford said she works with wedding venues and the Mission Basilica and that lost parking has cost her bookings.
Stafford asked the council to "pause and carefully evaluate" any sale of public parking, warning that once public parking is gone it is difficult to replace.
City staff responded that they appreciated the comments and urged residents to attend the council's June 2 meeting, where a parking consultant will present a downtown parking study. The city manager said the entry listed on the closed-session agenda as a "sale" may reflect Brown Act requirements and that the actual proposal could involve working with a private party to "potentially expand the number of publicly available parking spaces on that site." The manager added that the council was not contemplating a sale for any purpose other than expanding parking.
The council took no public action on the item during the May 19 meeting; after comments and staff clarification the council recessed to executive session to consider listed closed-session items.
The city will present more details to the council at the June 2 meeting, where the public may hear the parking consultant's study and any formal proposals related to the downtown lot.
