Prepare to take more change for parking meters
By Tanya Mannes, Union-Tribune

CHULA VISTA – Chula Vista's parking meter fees haven't gone up in 44 years, making them the cheapest in the county, city officials say. That's about to change.

The city's rates – 10 cents an hour in some areas – will increase to 50 cents an hour for most meters Jan. 10. The price of parking tickets for expired meters will also go up, from $12 to $25.

The change will bring Chula Vista in line with other cities in the county. For example, San Diego's downtown meter rates range from 50 cents to $1.25 per hour, according to the Centre City Development Corp. Parking tickets in San Diego start at $25 but can be higher, depending on the circumstances and location.

The increases to Chula Vista's rates were recommended by a parking consultant, Michigan-based Rich and Associates, which the city paid $45,500. The consultant suggested a $50 rate for parking tickets, but city officials decided that was too high.

The revenues will be used to upgrade the city's parking lots by sealing cracked pavement, replacing broken meters and adding security lights, said Redevelopment Director Eric Crockett.

Crockett said that until the meter rates go up, “We won't be able to pay for the capital improvements.”

The City Council adopted the new rates at its meeting Tuesday night, after some confusion.

Councilman John McCann attempted to block the fee increase after getting incorrect information from the City Attorney's Office that four of the five council members needed to vote yes for it to pass. The vote was 3-1, with McCann opposed and Councilman Steve Castaneda abstaining because he lives near the parking district.

That night, officials believed the motion had failed.

But yesterday, City Attorney Ann Moore researched the matter and concluded that only three votes were needed. She said that even though the increase technically passed, she will bring it back Dec. 4 for another vote.

Chula Vista's only parking district is along Third Avenue and includes 10 parking lots, a parking garage and on-street spaces. The city has a parking surplus; on average, 57 percent of the downtown spaces are filled. City officials are negotiating with developers about building condos on some of the parking lots.

McCann criticized the city's $45,500 contract for the parking study, saying, “We could have paved two parking lots for that money.”

He believes the public parking should be free and the city should consider selling off its parking lots.

Under the parking plan, Diem Do, a community development specialist who supervised the consultant study, will be promoted to a new position: parking administrator. Do said her salary has not been finalized. McCann opposed creating a job as the city is considering layoffs.