To help cut a shortfall in Grover Beach’s current budget, city officials are reducing the number of times that local streets are swept and parks are watered.

As of April 5 through July 1, street sweeping has been reduced to once per week on West Grand Avenue, and once a month on other major roads, including Oak Park Boulevard, Fourth Street, 13th Street, Atlantic City, Longbranch and Mentone avenues. Street sweeping has been completely eliminated on other city streets.

Also, park maintenance and watering has been reduced by half for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, with the exception of the 16th Street and Ramona Garden parks.

In March, City Manager Bob Perrault said the city faces a possible $500,000 shortfall in this year’s budget, in part due to flat property and sales tax revenues, the dissolution of the city’s redevelopment agency, and higher utility costs.

Also, a proposed sale of a piece of city property, now used as a community garden, hasn’t moved as quickly as planned.

To cut some of that shortfall, Perrault proposed several steps, which also include consolidating the city’s four public counters at City Hall into one counter and closing the South County Skate Park as of April 8 through June.

These moves could save about $40,000 this year. The rest of the deficit would be covered with reserve funds.