H.B. to consider raising parking rates to shore up city revenue

The Huntington Beach City Council on Monday will consider increasing fees, adjusting parking meter rates and modifying parking citations to generate revenue.

City staff recommends upping annual beach parking pass rates for over-sized vehicles from $225 to $300 and disabled placard passes from $50 to $75.

Community center room rentals would see hourly increases from $5 to $10.

Daily special event setup and take-down charges would range from $187 to $275 instead of the current $75 flat rate.

These increases would generate a projected $319,000 annually in revenue for the general fund, according to a city staff report.

Parking meters would be set at $1.75 an hour, year-round, instead of just the peak season from May to Labor Day. The off-season rate is currently 25 cents lower.

Some parking ticket fees could spike as well. Increases in street sweeping, expired registration and 72-hour violations are proposed. These changes could increase general fund revenue by an estimated $243,000annually.

The recommendations are based on an August Finance Commission presentation to the council. Commissioners suggested several potential budget-tightening and revenue-generating solutions.

General fund revenue increases are projected to taper off. Commissioners estimate possible budget deficits of $1.059 million to $1.385 million from fiscal 2019-20 through 2022-23.

Assistant chief of police position

In other business, the council will consider creating an assistant chief of police position.

In 2017, an independent consulting firm recommendeded creating a second-in-command position to “improve departmental operational efficiency� and establish a “ladder of succession planning.�

Ban on scooter and bicycle sharing services

The council will also consider adopting an ordinance banning scooter and bicycle sharing services in Huntington Beach for public safety reasons.

If approved, the ordinance will make it illegal for any operator to provide, place or offer shared mobility devices in public rights of way. Bikes or scooters rented in another city would also be barred from Huntington Beach.

A first offense would carry a $100 fine. Second and third violations would be $200 and $500, respectively. The bikes and scooters would be impounded.

The council meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center, 2000 Main St.

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