Morro Bay looks to add more parking — and some paid spaces — to downtown

A rough plan that would bring about 40 new parking spaces to downtown Morro Bay and loading zones to the Embarcadero will go to the City Council early next year following recommendations by the city’s Planning Commission Tuesday.

Any changes, including the commission’s recommendation for enforced paid parking on stretches of two city streets, could be years away and will ultimately require council approval.

The city has not made significant changes to its parking management plan since 2007, but it recently added roughly 200 public parking spaces with a parking lot acquired from Dynegy, as well as another parking lot on Market and Pacific streets.

Speakers at Tuesday’s commission meeting said parking is not typically a problem most of the year, but that certain improvements would increase access to local businesses during the spring and summer months.

The idea of revisiting city parking came in January 2016 after the City Council told staff to research ideas for improving the “overall parking and business atmosphere,” including by considering paid parking options. The Planning Commission reviewed the city’s parking plan in July 2016 and narrowed its focus to Morro Bay Boulevard, Main Street, and Market Street for possible added parking.

The city’s Public Works Advisory Board had a similar discussion in February, weighing in with concerns about the sustainability of enforcing paid parking.

On Tuesday, Community Development Director Scot Graham brought a running list of topics back to the Planning Commission for final direction before he’ll bring the commission’s recommendations back to the City Council in January or February 2018.

According to Graham’s calculations, the rough plan given the thumbs-up by the commission would bring roughly 43 new parking spaces.

Here’s a summary of what the City Council will discuss in early 2018:

Added parking

Of three sections of city road identified for possible street-side parking, the commission told Graham to explore adding roughly 17 angled parking spots along Morro Bay Boulevard from Napa to Morro avenues, as well as turning the stretch into a one-way street to improve bicycle safety.

Commissioners also agreed that Market Street between Harbor and Pacific streets might work for added perpendicular or angled parking spaces.

A third stretch on Main Street from Harbor Street to Morro Bay Boulevard was removed from consideration for spaces, however, mainly due to bicycle safety.

Graham said Wednesday that the Community Development Department will bring back cost estimates to the City Council on the possible spaces and related striping.

Paid parking

Planning commissioners embraced the idea of paid parking spaces on the stretches of Morro Bay Boulevard and Market Street so long as enforcement and other ongoing costs were sustainable. Payment kiosks were preferred by the majority over individual parking meters.

Graham said Wednesday that he will consult at least three parking systems companies for cost estimates and calculate costs for additional staff to enforce the paid parking. Graham said expanded parking with restrictions will require more than the city’s two current part-time parking enforcement officers.

Under the developing plan, parking fees would eventually fund staffing and maintenance costs and could also go toward enhancement projects in those specific areas.

Loading zones

The city also wants to create commercial loading zones along the Embarcadero, where trucks currently park in the street, blocking a lane of traffic.

The City Council adopted a sidewalk widening plan for the Embarcadero in January.

This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Morro Bay looks to add more parking — and some paid spaces — to downtown."