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Politics & Government

City Council Sends Free Parking Initiative to Voters

Residents will get decide on an initiative to allow two hours of free parking in some city lots at a special election in March.

The Beverly Hills City Council on Tuesday approved an initiative allowing voters to decide the fate of free parking at city-owned lots.

"The did it for self-interests," Vice Mayor Barry Brucker said. "The law compels us to either adopt it [tonight] or put it on the ballot."

Voters will decide during a special election March 8 whether the city will allow two hours of free parking at certain lots. There will also be a vote on limiting the amount of monthly passes permitted at city lots. 

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If the initiative is approved, it is estimated the free parking will cost the city $1.3 million annually.

Council members said a lot of the parking issues have to do with employers not providing it for their workers.

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"I agree the problem with free parking we have is with employees—and not shoppers," Councilman John Mirisch said.

Parking officials said they have tracked multiple vehicles exiting and re-entering parking lots to take advantage of the current free parking situation. Some drivers will cycle their cars "as many as four times a day," said director of parking operations Chad Lynn. In anticipation of the vote, Mirisch suggested a $500 fine for drivers who exit and re-enter a parking structure.

Representatives of the developers and real estate companies that stand to benefit from free parking were on hand and told the council that without the free parking many shoppers will instead head to centers that do include it, such as the Grove, Century City and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. They urged the council to adopt the initiative during Tuesday's meeting without sending it to voters.

Not only did the council approve sending the decision to voters, it also asked the city attorney to prepare an analysis of the initiative and to file rebuttal arguments against it in time for the March election.

"We are going to ask the city to go against it," Mayor Jimmy Delshad said.

Editor's Note: When this story ran on 11/17/2010, it was written that the free parking initiative would cost the city $13 million annually. The correct number is $1.3 million annually. Beverly Hills Patch apologizes for the error.

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