PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BLOG POST FOR AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON PARKING:

A Conversation with Robert Fox: Parking

"If we created three-story, brick-backed, ivy covered, neighborhood-friendly parking structures and rented them out to commercial interests during the day and neighborhoods at night, this would really help to solve the parking crunch all along the corridor."

Posted by Robert Fox for Long Beach on Thursday, September 26, 2019
A Conversation with Robert Fox: Parking
  1. Reduce Parking citation fines to 2016 levels
  2. Build Parking Structures on major corridors
  3. Create Diagonal Parking in neighborhoods
  4. Designate Preferential/Permit Parking zones for residents.
  5. Work with local businesses to rent out Parking Spaces overnight
  6. Hire a City Parking Manager to co-ordinate a parking plan

Thanks to Councilmember Pearce, the boondoggle that is the Broadway Road Diet has stripped our business corridor of parking spaces where they’re needed most. Adding a few spaces to Appleton simply will not assist businesses or residents along Broadway.  We need real solutions, and we cannot create more land.  Instead, we need to better use the resources we have to create structure parking where it makes sense and can be used for the businesses by day and the neighborhood at night.

The idea is not new.  Many downtowns, including Long Beach, have shared parking lots that serve both businesses and residents. While we have some along Pine Ave and a small lot on the corner of Cherry and 4th, these are simply not enough to make a difference.

We need more parking and we need it NOW. We don’t need more false promises of parking in some distant future.  We need new leadership that is willing to take a stand against designing streets and infrastructure that further erode our precious parking spaces.  If the incumbent is allowed to continue, we’ll continue to see businesses fail and long-time residents leave the area.

Instead, we need to be BOLD. We need to start a community conversation on redeveloping some of our current corridor to include storefronts with structured parking with permits for both businesses and residents to help pay for them. We should also look at the new parking apps available to cities to help residents and visitors find parking to cut down on unnecessary congestion and pollution.

As a local businessman and homeowner, I understand the needs of our community. I’ve seen firsthand how the attack on our parking spaces has affected neighborhoods.

As your 2nd District Councilmember, I will work to really dig into our budget and make priorities based upon current parking needs, while setting aside funds for future infrastructure as well.   Any business does this.  It is time for the City of Long Beach to think like a business too.

Let’s get to work.