Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
PREPARED BY: MICHAEL PLOTNIK, CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER
SUBJECT: EARLY MORNING PARKING PERMIT UPDATE
SUMMARY
Consideration of City Traffic Engineer recommendation to convert the Early Morning Parking Pilot Program into a permanent program.
PROPOSED MOTION
Adopt Resolution No. 2025-XXX.
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING EARLY MORNING PARKING PERMIT POLICY, PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Reject the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Early Morning Parking Pilot Program is self-sustaining with the $50 permit fee covering program costs, including staff time, permits costs and vendor fees. Staff may need to increase permit prices in the future, should program costs increase, to recover full costs.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
City Council directed staff to review Early Morning Parking Regulations, Policies and Procedures on April 4, 2023 to find a more streamlined, resident friendly program to reduce neighborhood conflict and address needs for residents with unusual parking challenges. Various department reviewed, researched and discussed this item and the City Traffic Engineer developed following three options :
Option 1 - Repeal the Early Morning Parking Ordinance
Option 2 - Develop a Citywide parking permit program
Option 3 - Modify the hardship exemption permit.
Staff presented these options to City Council on March 19, 2024. City Council approved proceeding with the more resident-friendly online pilot parking permit program outlined in Option 3. The eighteen-month pilot program officially terminates on December 31, 2025, unless extended by City Council. City Council provided staff leeway to customize the pilot program criteria, rules, requirements and permit costs to create a fair and efficient program. City Council also asked staff to return with an assessment of the pilot program prior to the termination date so City Council could consider making the program permanent.
Traffic Engineering staff was inundated with requests for Early Morning Parking Exemptions prior the Pilot Program. Requests have diminished significantly since program implementation. Staff currently has no active Early Morning Parking Exemption requests. Additionally, staff has not received complaints related to Pilot Program administration or permitting costs. Staff estimates the Pilot Program has generated significant staff time savings allowing Traffic Engineering staff to focus on other infrastructure and safety projects.
The City issued approximately 700 parking permits (Attachment 4). Some areas of the City already have early morning parking exemptions where the Early Morning Parking permits would not apply (Attachment 5). Staff expects this number will increase over time as more residents become aware of this program. Implementing the pilot program generated approximately $18,000 in costs to-date, including staff time, permit costs and vendor fees. Permit fees cost $50 each, resulting in $17,000 in revenue offsetting Pilot Program. Staff estimates the permit fee can remain at $50 annually to retain cost recovery but may need to increase the future should costs increase. For comparison purposes, a single overnight parking violation citation costs $39.
In preparation for returning to City Council with a recommendation, on Staff updated the Transportation and Circulation Commission on the pilot parking program on October 6, 2025 (Attachment 6). Commission Members discussed the Pilot Program operation and the potential for a permanent program. Commission Members generally supported the Pilot Program becoming permanent.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Draft Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Attachment 3 – Early Morning Parking Permits Policy and Procedures Attachment 4 – Early Morning Parking Permits Issued Map Attachment 5 – Early Morning Parking Exemption Map
Attachment 6 – TCC Report
cc: Interim City Manager Eddie Manfro
Early Morning Parking Permit Update
November 18, 2025 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2