Agenda Item No: 3.a
PLACENTIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: June 17, 2025
Submitted by: Chris Tanio
From: Public Works
Subject:
One-Year Pilot Program to Extend Time Limit at the Main Street Public Parking Lot and Designate a 15-Minute Parking Space in Front of 109 W. Santa Fe Avenue Financial Impact:
Fiscal Impact:
The fiscal impact is estimated to be approximately $1,000 which consists of Public Works Maintenance staff time to remove and replace the appropriate signage.
Summary:
The Main Street Public Parking Lot (lot) located at 321 S. Main Street (Attachment 1) currently has 48 parking spaces with free 4-hour parking and no overnight parking from 2am-6am. The lot provides parking for patrons within the Old Town area including small retail shops, restaurants, and professional services. In response to multiple requests from local business owners and patrons, Staff has reviewed the use of this lot to assess the feasibility of extending the time limit to accommodate longer periods of parking. Staff has also received multiple requests from local business owners located along Santa Fe Avenue to implement a short- term parking space to better accommodate quick visits, pickups, and higher customer turnover. Currently, Santa Fe Avenue allows 2-hour parking. However, extended parking durations have limited space availability for short-term visitors resulting in missed business opportunities.
Based on the recommendation of the Streetscape and Transportation Advisory Commission (STAC) at its May 19, 2025 meeting, staff recommends the City Council approve a one-year pilot program extending the time limit at the Main Street Public Parking Lot from 4 hours to 8 hours. This recommendation is intended to better serve the needs of the community including residents, visitors, local businesses and their employees, while continuing to prohibit overnight parking. The STAC also recommended Staff to recommend to the City Council to approve a one-year pilot program to designate one 15-minute parking space in front of 109 W. Santa Fe Avenue to improve visitor accessibility.
Recommendation:
Recommended Action: It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
1. Receive the staff report and consider City Council input; and
2. Approve a one-year pilot program extending the time limit of the Main Street Public Parking Lot from 4 hours to 8 hours; and
3. Approve a one-year pilot program designating one 15-minute parking space in front of 109 W. Santa Fe Avenue.
Strategic Plan Statement:
There is no specific Strategic Plan Goal or Objective associated with this Council action.
Discussion:
The Main Street Public Parking Lot (lot) located at 321 S. Main Street currently has 48 parking spaces with free 4-hour parking and no overnight parking from 2am-6am. The lot provides parking for patrons within the Old Town area including small retail shops, restaurants, and professional services. In response to multiple requests from local business owners and patrons, Staff has reviewed the use of this lot to assess the feasibility of extending the time limit to accommodate longer periods of parking.
Staff has also received multiple requests from local business owners located along Santa Fe Avenue to implement a short-term parking space to better accommodate quick visits, pickups, and higher customer turnover. Currently, Santa Fe Avenue allows 2-hour parking. However, extended parking durations have limited space availability for short-term visitors resulting in missed business opportunities.
MAIN STREET PUBLIC PARKING LOT
When evaluating this request, Staff considered multiple factors as described below:
Parking Count Data:
Parking count data collected in 2023 (Attachment 2) showed that the parking lot reached a maximum occupancy of 26 out of 48 spaces at peak usage, equating to approximately 54% utilization. This consistent underutilization suggests that there is capacity to accommodate longer parking durations without displacing existing users or reducing availability for short-term visitors.
Community Needs:
Feedback from the local business community indicates that the 4-hour limit does not sufficiently accommodate owners or their employees who work full shifts. The owners and their employees currently park along Main Street and Melrose Avenue, north of Santa Fe, during their work shifts and often results in them having to park further away from their place of employment while walking through a single-family neighborhood that is already limited in street parking availability. Additionally, they also use the 4-hour parking lots located at the end of Main Street, the 2-hour public parking lots north of Santa Fe between Walnut and Bradford or the 2-hour street parking on Santa Fe Avenue and on Bradford Avenue. However, owners and their employees typically work longer than a 4-hour shift and often have to relocate their vehicle when parking in either the 2-hour or 4-hour areas. An 8-hour time limit in the Main Street Lot would provide more flexibility, encouraging longer visits and reducing the need for mid-day vehicle relocations. Additionally, by opening up this parking lot for a longer timeframe, it allows customers to park closer to the businesses.
Support for Economic Activity:
By allowing extended parking in this lot and thereby freeing up parking in other areas, the City would be supporting local economic development by creating a more convenient environment for residents, customers, business owners, and their employees. This aligns with the City’s Strategic Plan goal of promoting community and economic development.
Overnight Parking Restrictions:
The current prohibition on overnight parking from 2am-6am will remain in effect. This will preserve the City’s ability to enforce overnight storage of vehicles and maintain cleanliness and security in this lot.
Signage and Enforcement:
The existing signage will be updated to reflect the new 8-hour free parking time limit. Staff does not anticipate significant changes to the enforcement workload, as most violations under the current limit are infrequent.
15-MINUTE PARKING SPACE
Staff evaluated the request and conducted field reviews of parking patterns. A 15-minute space in front of 109 W. Santa Fe Avenue was identified as suitable based on it being adjacent several retail/food establishments, is on a one-way street which minimizes traffic conflicts, and is in a highly visible area allowing this new designation. This designation is anticipated to improve turnover by encouraging short-term parking for quick errands and pickups, supports local businesses, and increases access for visitors to the Old Town area. A potential drawback to this designation is it requires regular enforcement to ensure the 15- minute space is not being misused.
At the May 19, 2025 STAC meeting, the Commission recommended Staff to recommend to the City Council to implement a 1-year pilot program to extend the time limit at the Main Street Public Parking Lot from 4 hours to 8 hours. This recommendation is intended to better serve the needs of the community including residents, visitors, local businesses and their employees, while continuing to prohibit overnight parking. The STAC also recommended Staff to recommend to the City Council to approve a 1-year pilot program to designate one 15- minute parking space in front of 109 W. Santa Fe Avenue to improve visitor accessibility.
Fiscal Impact Summary:
The fiscal impact is estimated to be approximately $1,000 which consists of Public Works Maintenance staff time to remove and replace the appropriate signage.
Attachments
Attachment 1_Parking Lots in Old Town.pdf
Attachment 2_Parking Count Data for Main Street Lot.pdf Attachment 3_Photos.pdf
Old Town Placentia Concerns Meeting Agenda Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Parking In Old Town 1. History a. The City has conducted multiple studies, with third-party consultants, over the years (2009-10, 2015-16, 2021-22). These studies include traffic circulation and parking demands at various times throughout the day. b. Community meetings were held to gather feedback from merchants, residents, and property owners. c. Based on these studies, several pilot programs were introduced, particularly with the construction of the new parking lot at Main Street. d. Time restrictions for parking lots were adjusted in response to community feedback. 2. Parking Enforcement a. Parking enforcement has been issuing citations to individuals exceeding the 4-hour parking limit, including business employees. As a result, employees have raised concerns with their employers. While business owners generally find the current time limits reasonable, they are requesting day-use permits for businesses and employees (excluding residents) for the Main Street Parking Lot. 3. Request for Parking Permits/Pay-for-Parking a. Examine Pay to Park System for Main Street and Crowther Parking Lots. Any others? b. Determine the following: i. Only for businesses and employees ii. For all (business, employees and residents) iii. Include overnight passes? iv. Ensure enforcement is streamlined
*Consider having Crowther Lot serve residents and overnight guests (Clementine and The Herald) *Consider having Main Street Lot only for 8-hour parking and no overnight parking (for businesses/employees)
Main
Street Lot
48 Spaces
4 Hours/No
Parking
2am-6am
11 spaces 2 Hour Parking No Parking 2am-6am 12 spaces 2 Hour Parking No Parking 2am-6am 25 spaces 2 Hour Parking No Parking 2am-6am 47 spaces
4 Hours/No
Parking 2am -6am
Crowther Lot
56 spaces
No parking
2am-6am
SurveyCountProject#: SC0312 Contact: (949)-543-5767For City of PlacentiaLocation North of Realway and East of Melrose St. Refer to map.pdfTask Parking Counts******** ********AVAILABLE PARKING SPACE: 52Daily Summary9/23/2023 (Saturday)9/24/2023 (Sunday)9/25/2023 (Monday)9/26/2023 (Tuesday)9/27/2023 (Wednesday)9/28/2023 (Thursday)9/29/2023 (Friday)AM Peak Hour 10:00-10:59 11:00-11:59 10:00-10:59 11:00-11:59 11:00-11:5911:00-11:59 09:00-09:59AM Peak Hour Occupancy26 17 6 10 8 14 8PM Peak Hour12:00-12:59 13:00-13:59 18:00-18:59 17:00-17:59 17:00-17:59 12:00-112:59 18:00-18:59PM Peak Hour Occupancy21 26 9 18 15 21 160510152025300:00:00 1:00:00 2:00:00 3:00:00 4:00:00 5:00:00 6:00:00 7:00:00 8:00:00 9:00:00 10:00:0011:00:0012:00:0013:00:0014:00:0015:00:0016:00:0017:00:0018:00:0019:00:0020:00:0021:00:0022:00:0023:00:00OCCUPANCYTIMEParking Lot #4 Occupancy SummaryMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
MAIN STREET PARKING LOT
Tuesday, 5/13/2025, 11AM-12pm, 3 cars observed
Tuesday, 5/13/2025, 5-6PM, 4 cars observed
Wednesday, 5/14/2025, 11AM-12PM, 10 cars observed
Wednesday, 5/14/2025, 5-6PM, 10 cars observed
MAIN STREET FACING NORTH, NORTH OF SANTA FE
Wednesday, 5/14/25, 12PM
Wednesday, 5/14/25, 5-6PM
MELROSE STREET FACING NORTH, NORTH OF SANTA FE
Wednesday, 5/14/25, 12PM
MELROSE STREET FACING SOUTH, NORTH OF SANTA FE
Wednesday, 5/14/25, 3PM
109 W. SANTA FE AVENUE