To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: MICHAEL W. WEBB, CITY ATTORNEY
JOY ABAQUIN, QUALITY OF LIFE PROSECUTOR
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING CONSIDERATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 17, CHAPTER 7, TITLE 3 OF THE REDONDO BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND WAIVE FEES FOR THE PREFERENTIAL PARKING APPLICATION AND PERMITS IF NEEDED IN RESPONSE TO A NEARBY NUISANCE.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On September 22, 2020, Councilmember Gran gave direction to bring back a discussion to amend the preferential parking ordinance to be able to waive the fees for preferential parking on a temporary basis if a neighborhood is located near a nuisance that is impacting parking.
BACKGROUND
In October 2019, an illegal dispensary opened at 1300 Aviation. After the police department investigated the illegal business, the Quality of Life Prosecutor filed charges in November 2019. However, defendants failed to appear for the arraignment. One defendant appeared in court right before the pandemic caused court closures, so the case has been continued due to COVID-19. During this time, the police were able to locate the other defendants and issued citations to appear in court. The first meaningful arraignment was held on September 28, 2020 with all three defendants where the court issued orders not to accept currency in exchange of cannabis, not to advertise as a cannabis or CBD shop, not to advertise on third party platforms such as yelp or Weedmaps, and not to operate a business without a license from the City.
While the case has been pending, residents have suffered several impacts on their quality of life, including customers taking up parking on residential streets. This brings trash, illegal parking, increased traffic, near collisions, loud music, noise, and disrespectful and dangerous people to the neighborhood. Not only is the dispensary a declared nuisance in and of itself, but these consequences are also additional nuisances. The court closures have delayed the usual ways of addressing these nuisances.
While the City pursues different avenues to shut down the illegal dispensary, one way to alleviate the disturbances residents are experiencing is to make the surrounding streets preferential parking. To assist the residents in this process, Councilmember Gran proposed to amend the Municipal Code to waive the fees for preferential parking.
Title 3, Chapter 7, Article 17 sets forth the rules and regulations regarding preferential parking zones (see attached). If the City Council so desires, it can give direction to provide for a fee waiver, specify under what circumstances the waiver would apply, and the length of the fee waiver. Additionally, the Council could give direction to streamline the process for issuing a permit under such circumstances.
FISCAL IMPACT
Currently the fee for a preferential parking permit and visitor parking permit is based upon the costs incurred by the City. If and when the City waives the fee, then the City will not recover its cost in that situation.
ATTACHMENTS
• Title 3, Chapter 7, Article 17 of the Redondo Beach Municipal Code