February 16, 2004

Santa Cruz limits long-term parking downtown

UCSC faculty, staff, and students using downtown Santa Cruz streets for free remote parking will do so at their own risk beginning Tuesday, February 17.

In response to neighbors' request for parking controls, the City Public Works Department will be implementing a downtown residential permit parking program in the neighborhood surrounding the downtown commercial district. 

“The signs are up, the city has issued windshield courtesy notices, and still there remain vehicles parked along the Laurel Street corridor and elsewhere,” said Marc Adato, transportation coordinator for Santa Cruz.

Violators will be issued $33 parking fines.
The City Council is limiting parking to two-hour segments in this area
in response to residents' needs for on-street parking access. A permit system has been implemented so that residents and their guests may park past the two-hour time limit on weekdays.

The parking limit along residential frontages in the adjacent neighborhood is designed to remove stored vehicles and create more short-term parking for downtown visitors. Parking in the neighborhood will be restricted after midnight every day, but daytime parking will remain uncontrolled on weekends and holidays.

Employee parking options are available in downtown public parking facilities. Commuter permits, being sold for specific block faces in the Downtown Program Area, are being sold only to downtown employees with proof of employment.
Additional details on the new parking program are available online from the city’s web site.

Return to Front Page