Dueling Free Parking Measures to Be on Ballot

Ballots for the March 8 election are being printed this week after a month-long delay over the legality of putting a two-hour free parking initiative on the ballot.

The city had delayed printing the ballots—and sending absentee ballots to voters—to wait for a Court of Appeals final decision on the free parking initiative. Measure 2P, as it is called, would require Beverly Hills to increase its free parking period to two hours at most city-owned lots.

The issued a temporary emergency stay of a Los Angeles County Superior Court ruling that Measure 2P should be removed from Beverly Hills ballots. The stay of the trial court ruling effectively meant a delay in printing the ballots in order to give the appeals court time to make a ruling.

City Attorney Larry Wiener initially expected the appeals court to make a fairly quick decision. But weeks later, there has been no decision.

“It is highly unusual for the court to take this long,” Wiener said Thursday at a media briefing.

The pending elections made it necessary for the city to go ahead and print the ballots, he said. California law forced City Council to allow Measure 2P to be placed on the ballot after for it to qualify. The city filed suit to stop that process.

Sure to cause voter confusion, the printed ballot will also include Measure 3P, which would provide three hours of free parking for Beverly Hills residents at most city lots. Measure 3P was  as the city’s answer to 2P.

Under 3P, residents would get preferential parking status. This would include three hours of free parking during the day and half-price entry into the lots during the evening flat-rate period. (Currently the city lots charge $5 to all cars entering after 6 pm.)  

Measure 3P would cost the city about $400,000 annually in lost parking revenue, according to information presented at the media briefing. The city estimates that Measure 2P would cost $1.3 million a year in lost revenues. Supporters of 2P dispute this figure.

Those supporters include and Marcia Caden. G&L Realty owns five medical buildings on Bedford and Roxbury drives in the Golden Triangle shopping district where many of the city's public parking facilities are located.

The backers of 2P have ramped up their campaign, creating a website discussing the need to "save free parking" and sending residents fliers and emails urging them to vote yes on the measure. Pink 2P signs have sprung up on lawns across the city.

What happens if there is no appellate court ruling by election day, and Measure 2P passes? It is still unlikely to become law as the city has vowed to continue legal action against it, Wiener said.

In the event that both Measures 2P and 3P pass, the measure with the highest number of votes will be considered as passed.

Look for continuing coverage in Patch of both parking initiatives. In the meantime, voters can expect sample and absentee ballots to arrive next week.