Paid parking may be coming to Morro Rock. And the Embarcadero could be next
For now, parking is free in the quiet, coastal city of Morro Bay, from downtown to the beach — but that could change soon.
On Tuesday night, the Morro Bay City Council directed staff to take the first step in developing a plan for paid parking at Morro Rock.
Requiring drivers to pay for parking could reduce traffic congestion at Morro Rock and cover the city’s maintenance costs for the parking lot, which is currently paid out of the General Fund, according to Morro Bay Police Chief Amy Watkins.
“I have people constantly telling me that the bathrooms are broken, the showers — I hear about from the surfers. I hear from people picking up garbage,” Mayor Carla Wixom said at the meeting. “So I think this might be an opportunity, without being ridiculous, and even just something as minimal as $1 (per parking spot), to help us maintain that area.”
City staff will present the idea of paid parking at Morro Rock to the California Coastal Commission. If the agency approves, staff will develop a pilot program for the City Council to review and approve next year.
The effort is part of a larger discussion on parking in the city, particularly along the busy Embarcadero.
That question, however, will be considered separately. The City Council preferred to address the potential for paid parking on the Embarcadero through the Waterfront Master Plan, which city staff is currently developing.
“I believe that there is a vital need for us to consider the circulation issues that we have along the entire Embarcadero and to and from the Rock,” City Councilmember Jen Ford said at the meeting. “(But) I think it’s more than just paid parking to fix this problem.”
Why install paid parking at Morro Rock?
Traffic congestion is a perennial challenge at Morro Rock, according to Watkins. On holiday weekends, crowds driving between the Embarcadero and the Rock can bring traffic to a standstill.
“We have seen increased daily visitors to the Rock, certainly since COVID, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down,” Watkins said.
In 2021, the Police Department installed traffic message boards near Morro Rock that collect data on the number of vehicles entering the parking lot for the approximately 385 free parking spaces, according to Watkins.
An average of 12,311 vehicles enter the parking lot during the weekend, while an average of 11,193 enter during a typical work week, she said.
Traffic congestion increases tension between drivers in the parking lot and makes it difficult for first responders to access the area.
The Police Department responds to about 12 calls per weekend at Morro Rock, according to Watkins. Some of those calls are complaints about traffic congestion, while others report verbal altercations related to road rage, she said.
The Police Department already works to mitigate traffic by posting signs that encourage drivers to park on Front Street, Beach Street and Pacific Street then walk to Moro Rock.
Sometimes, police will close part of Embarcadero Road after a certain number of vehicles enter the Morro Rock parking lot, so as to prevent traffic congestion.
“You’d be surprised by how many people just want to go out there, drive to the base of the Rock and look at the Rock,” Watkins said.
If the city requires paid parking near Morro Rock, Watkins expects more drivers to park on the Embarcadero for free and then walk to the Rock.
“What I’m hoping for with paid parking is one, obviously, the cost recovery, but also pushing some of those visitors back into our Embarcadero,” Watkins said. “It’s a wonderful walk — so if you’re not interested in paying to drive out to the Rock, we’re not restricting any access, it’s just mitigating the number of vehicles.”
Meanwhile, the Morro Bay Public Works Department and community volunteers spend a significant amount of time maintaining the parking lot, according to Public Works Director Greg Kwolek.
Work includes repairing sewer line issues at the restroom, filling potholes during rainy weather and picking up trash, Kwolek said.
“We’re sort of providing a free subsidy for folks who come to that Rock parking lot and do nothing else in the city of Morro Bay and then leave,” he said.
Paid parking could recover the cost of maintenance, Kwolek said.
Will city install paid parking on the Embarcadero?
In the meantime, the city will continue to explore the possibility for paid parking on the Embarcadero
Space is consistently in high demand on the waterfront, making it a prime location to charge for parking, according to a 2021 study conducted by Walker Consultants.
In 2021, the busiest areas of the Embarcadero were between Beach and Marina streets, along with the parking lots north of Beach Street.
Most people parked for one to two hours, the study found, while some folks parked long-term, Walker Consultants director of studies Steffen Turoff said at the meeting.
Paid parking would improve turnover of high-demand parking spaces and generate revenue for the city, he said, while adding that rates could be adjusted based on the time of day and year.
He recommended that the city maintain free parking in the unpaved lot south of the stacks and on Front Street for locals and employees of businesses on the Embarcadero.
According to the 2021 study, paid parking would generate about $200,000 annually — but that number could be different in 2023.
The City Council suggested that staff explore paid parking options on the Embarcadero through the Waterfront Master Plan, which is currently being developed.
Councilmember Cyndee Edwards said she wanted to see more research on how paid parking at Morro Rock would impact parking on the Embarcadero.
“I believe this is two different parking issues. One is pubic safety, and I’m seeing another as a spin of economic vitality,” Edwards said. “It’s how these two would integrate that is my biggest question.”
This story was originally published October 26, 2023 at 9:00 AM.
