1 Vernice Hankins
From: Cris Gutierrez <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 11:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Gleam Davis; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete
Cc: David White
Subject: Oppose 6/14/22 Agenda Item 13-F
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
As a Santa Monica resident who helps lead all kinds of efforts in the community, particularly with youth, for climate actions, I write to oppose the idea of giving certain residents free parking at beach lots. To give some residents free parking is a bad idea, risking more damage to our climate and privileging certain residents over other residents, as well as over non‐resident drivers.
Asking the City Manager to explore this bad idea with the Coastal Commission is also a distraction and, sadly, a waste of resources.
Let’s remember that transportation is a major source of the GHG emissions contaminating our atmosphere, heating up our Earth. In the next eight years we must maximize our reductions if we are to stave off the worst effects of the climate emergency we are experiencing. We need to encourage people not to rely on their individual automobiles for their local trips, including their beach trips.
Heading to our beautiful beach to walk, swim, surf or play in the ocean or on the sand should be a delightful way to relax and to value our Mother Earth and our being a part of her. If a person drives, paying a parking fee is worth it. Obviously, for those who do not drive, there is no parking fee.
I urge the City Council to ask the City Manager to use his time to issue a call to our residents and to others to take advantage of multi‐modal means of getting to the beach. From ride‐sharing, walking, biking, scooting, to riding the bus & shuttles, etc. there are many beneficial, sustainable means of transportation.
With respect,
Cris Gutierrez
Santa Monica resident
SaMo Safe Streets Alliance Co‐Chair
Climate Action Santa Monica Advisor
Item 13.F
06/14/22
1 of 1 Item 13.F
06/14/22