Public Works Agency
www.santa-ana.gov/pw
Item # 26
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
October 6, 2026
TOPIC: Citywide Residential Permit Parking Study Update
AGENDA TITLE
Citywide Residential Permit Parking Study Update
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Receive and File a Staff Report and Presentation Regarding the Findings and Recommendations from the 2026 Citywide Permit Parking Study.
2. Discuss the Recommended Changes from the Study and Provide Direction to Staff.
3. Direct Staff to Prepare and Present an Action and Implementation Plan for Updating the Residential Permit Parking Program for Consideration by the City Council at a Future Meeting.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
BACKGROUND AND STUDY PROCESS
The City of Santa Ana’s Residential Permit Parking Program was established by Ordinance NS-1919 on July 20, 1987 to limit intrusion of nonresidential and commuter parking into residential neighborhoods through permit parking districts established by City Council Resolution. The Program now includes 27 districts and approximately 9,000 active permits.
In 2018, City Council directed Public Works to examine and perform a pilot study on two permit parking districts in response to parking-related service requests and neighborhood concerns. The pilot study found parking shortages in portions of the parking districts and differences in parking conditions between single-family and multifamily areas. Specifically, the pilot study identified a lack of parking and access to permit parking for multi-family residences. Additionally, the study found a deficiency in enforcement and adherence to the parking restrictions; the available enforcement Residential Permit Parking Action and Implementation Plan Update October 6, 2026
resources were insufficient for the permit parking program demand and, as a result, many unpermitted vehicles were parking in permit required areas.
The City launched a broader citywide permit parking study (Study) in 2022, and awarded a contract to Dixon Resources Unlimited and Fehr & Peers on September 6, 2022 (Exhibit 1) to perform the study. This effort built on the results of the 2018–2019 pilot study (Exhibit 2) and was initiated in response to persistent parking-related service requests and neighborhood concerns. Multi-family residences expressed clear concerns about the inequity of the program caused by the exclusion of multi-family residences from participating in the program. Additional concerns were raised about the challenging administrative process to obtain a parking permit and inadequate enforcement.
Recurring concerns included limited evening and overnight parking, difficulty accommodating guests, long-term vehicle storage, parking impacts associated with higher-density development, inconsistent enforcement, and a manual permit process.
These concerns shaped the Study and its recommendations.
The outreach effort associated with the Study was extensive and citywide generating over 900,000 unique touchpoints and 185,000 community members. The City conducted more than 75 neighborhood, Town Hall, community, and virtual meetings and presentations. The multilingual Citywide Parking Survey received 4,072 completed responses in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, followed by meetings in all six Council Wards, citywide virtual and community meetings, parking-utilization meetings, and Technical Advisory Committee presentations. The Outreach and Engagement Summary Report is provided in Exhibit 3.
The Study identified a need for a simpler and more equitable permit structure, clearer district rules, modern permit administration, improved enforcement, and district boundaries that better reflect actual parking conditions. A summary of the current permit parking program is included in Exhibit 4. The complete Study conducted by the consultant is provided in Exhibit 5.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY
Key findings of the Study are:
• The manual permit process and existing enforcement approach create administrative burdens and inconsistent customer service. A web-based Permit Management System would improve online administration, annual renewal, digital permits/guest passes, reporting, and enforcement integration. • Residential permit parking enforcement is insufficient for the current demand.
The available enforcement resources are insufficient for the permit parking program demand and, as a result, many unpermitted vehicles park in permit required areas.
• Street curbside parking conditions vary substantially by neighborhood. Parking districts ranged from relatively low utilization to districts approaching the 85% Residential Permit Parking Action and Implementation Plan Update October 6, 2026
occupancy level used to trigger parking-management review. For example, Willard Parking District averaged approximately 85% peak occupancy while Northwest Parking District averaged approximately 39%.
• Permit restrictions generally reduce congestion on restricted streets, but can shift demand to nearby unrestricted streets. District boundaries therefore need to be technically evaluated to address spillover.
• Current permit eligibility is inconsistent across housing types: qualifying singlefamily homes may receive up to three permits and 75 annual guest passes, while some multi-family units generally receive one permit per dwelling unit and no guest passes and larger multi-family units receive no permits at all. • The 2016 California Attorney General Opinion supports comparable Residential Permit Parking eligibility without distinguishing residents solely by dwelling type.
The proposed permit quantity allocation is a City policy choice informed by that legal framework; the Opinion does not prescribe a specific permit quantity but it must be equal.
The Study’s recommended direction is to move from a largely manual, one-size-fits-all program toward a transparent, technology-supported program that establishes a consistent citywide baseline while managing individual districts based on actual parking supply and observed demand. A summary of key findings, including how the findings informed the recommendations is included in Exhibit 6.
RECOMMENDED CHANGES FROM THE STUDY
These are the recommended changes identified by the Study. • Permit Administration. Implement an automated, web-based Permit Management System with digital, license plate-based permits and guest passes while retaining accessible in-person options to allow residents to purchase permits at City Hall.
• Enforcement. Fund additional enforcement resources and evaluate license plate reader technology for permit compliance.
• Permit Allocation. Establish a first-come, first-served allocation of up to two (2) permits per qualifying single-family residence and two (2) permits per qualifying multi-family dwelling unit, subject to available physical curb capacity and future monitoring.
• Program Guidelines. Update the Program Guidelines document and post on City’s website to reflect the Study recommendations.
• District Boundaries. Use Neighborhood Association boundaries as the initial framework, then refine boundaries based on occupancy, curb capacity, blockface configuration, land use/housing type, existing permit blocks, spillover, permit demand, and community input.
• Existing Districts. Existing permit parking blocks can either opt-out (dissolve the permit restriction) or be grandfathered into the new program without requiring a Residential Permit Parking Action and Implementation Plan Update October 6, 2026
new petition, while applying the updated program rules to all participating properties.
• Fee Structure. Modernize the program fee structure to ensure the program is not subsidized by the General Fund.
• Permit Fee. Update the City’s Miscellaneous Fee Schedule and revise the current fee from $93 bi-annually (up to 3 permits) to a new structure of $40 annually per permit.
• Guest Parking. Provide up to 100 annual guest passes for each qualifying single-family residence or multi-family dwelling unit, at $2 per guest pass. Guest passes are valid for 24 hours.
• Permit Cycle. Convert the permit cycle from two (2) years to an annual renewal on a rolling basis to improve eligibility verification, data accuracy, and program monitoring.
• Continue Parking Supply and Demand Management. Continue evaluating the potential for shared parking agreements, partnerships with institutional property owners, improved use of City-owned parking facilities, curb management, oversized-vehicle and long-term-storage strategies, and alternative transportation options. These measures can supplement permit controls and improve effective parking availability without relying exclusively on new infrastructure.
A more detailed description of the recommended Residential Permit Program Guidelines is included as Exhibit 7.
NEXT STEPS
With the City Council’s direction and authorization to move forward with the recommended changes from the Study, staff will initiate the preparation and planning work necessary for approval and implementation. This will include refining the recommended program framework and implementation strategy from the Study and identifying the specific actions necessary to implement the updated Residential Permit Parking Program, including the final Action and Implementation Plan, budget and timeline, revised Administrative Permit Parking Guidelines, proposed district boundary changes, permit allocation and petition requirements, Permit Management System agreement, enhanced enforcement approach, and any necessary Municipal Code or policy amendments.
The critical tasks and items for consideration to be included in the Action and Implementation Plan will include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Procurement and approval of a permit management system to transition the City's Residential Permit Parking Program to a technology-enabled permit administration system, including online permit management and license-platebased permits and guest passes. • Drafting and presentation of Resolution(s) to change Permit Parking District Boundaries to coincide with established Neighborhood Association Residential Permit Parking Action and Implementation Plan Update October 6, 2026
boundaries, with modifications as appropriate to reflect neighborhood size, parking conditions, district rules, and operational needs. • Drafting and presentation of Ordinance(s) revising the Residential Permit Parking petition process, including reducing the current 66% favorable-petition threshold (owners only) to 60%, which would include multi-family unit tenants/owner-occupants.
• Drafting and presentation of Ordinance revising permit allocations and eligibility requirements to align with legal requirements: draft ordinance(s) to implement the updated Residential Permit Parking Program, including revised permit allocations, eligibility requirements, and other program provisions to align with the 2016 AG Opinion and establish the allocation of 2-permits for single family residences, 2-permits for multi-family units, and the provision of guest passes as defined in the Administrative Permit Parking Guidelines. • Presentation and Adoption of Miscellaneous Fees, as part of the next fiscal year budget process to include the proposed fees for the permit passes and guest passes.
• Approval and Procurement of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology. • Approval and Procurement of enhanced enforcement services, including amending the existing LAZ Parking enforcement agreement.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action and the action does not authorize the expenditure of funds or approval of any contracts.
Implementation of the recommended changes from the Study would result in both onetime and recurring costs, as well as recurring revenues from residential parking permits, guest passes, and parking citations. Future permit and guest-pass revenues will depend on the final permit allocation, permit and guest-pass fees, number of participating households, permit utilization, and implementation of the new parking management system. These revenues, along with the final cost of enforcement and citation processing, will be incorporated as part of the Action and Implementation Plan that will need to be considered and approved by the City Council before any future contract or appropriation is presented to the City Council.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Request for Proposal 22-074 Citywide Parking Study
2. 2019 Pilot Parking Study
3. Outreach and Engagement Summary
4. Existing Permit Parking Program at a Glance
Residential Permit Parking Action and Implementation Plan Update October 6, 2026
5. Citywide Residential Parking Action and Implementation Plan
6. Key Findings and Recommendation Basis
7. RPP Program Guidelines
8. Implementation Phasing and Monitoring
Submitted By: Rodolfo Rosas, P.E., Acting Executive Director of Public Works Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager