SAN DIEGO — A new parking configuration in Encinitas has neighbors at odds. Last week, CBS 8 talked to people in Encinitas who aren’t happy with the new parking configuration going from perpendicular spaces to parallel parking spaces.
But a neighborhood advocacy group disagrees — they support the parking project for many reasons, members said.
Mattresses, dressers, and couches are just a few things several people in Leucadia are tired of seeing dumped illegally in parking spaces along Vulcan Avenue. NOW Leucadia, a neighborhood advocacy group, said those items are some of the many reasons they support the city’s maintenance project to switch the parking from perpendicular spaces to parallel spots. The group said they've been wanting this change for years. They hope it will clean up the area and make it easier to see bicyclists and pedestrians.
"I support this project. It will enhance mobility for all members of the community," said Dianna Nunez, Co-Founder of NOW Leucadia.
Michael Murray, a member of NOW Leucadia, agreed.
"I think it will improve visibility and make it safer," Murray said.
NOW Leucadia said creating parallel spots will also stop people from parking oversized vehicles, using it as personal storage, and leaving recreational vehicles overnight.
Last weekend, Encinitas couple Sarah Mertz and Mike Brawner told CBS 8 they're upset they didn’t get any input on the project beforehand.
Encinitas officials responded to CBS 8 with this statement:
The area in question is an informal parking area belonging to the North County Transit District (NCTD). The City of Encinitas has as a Memorandum of Understanding with NCTD to allow public parking in their right of way (ROW) on both sides of the rail corridor within the city limits. The maintenance work in this NCTD ROW temporary parking area will realign parking to parallel along the corridor, which has historically been a hodgepodge of parallel, vertical, and angled parking depending upon how the vehicle driver selected to park. After the maintenance work, we will still have ample parking opportunities for the community to access in this area. It will also clean up the trash and large items dumped in the area that occurred during the summer season and enhance visibility for drivers, making it easier to spot bicycles and pedestrians. This work will address issues raised by our community regarding concerns for safety of pedestrians and cyclists when vehicles exit the parking areas, usage of the temporary parking areas as storage, and trash buildup. As this is City maintenance work, a public hearing was not required to receive formal input.
The couple also said it could result in less parking spaces by the beach.
“Don’t eliminate 300 parking spaces along Vulcan Avenue! There is no parking in southern California as is," said Mertz.
But NOW Leucadia disagrees.
"People are not parking here to go to the beach," Co-Founder of NOW Leucadia Rob Fleener said. "I think it’s a great idea. The City is listening to community on concerns of safety."
CBS 8 spoke with Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz, who said he hopes the new parking configuration will make the area more organized.
"The community has expressed at a number of meetings to have this place less junky. It’s the most consistent email I get; trash here over the weekend," said Mayor Kranz.
He says with an estimated 275 parallel parking spots, there will still be plenty of spaces to park.
"We're happy the City is making this effort," said Murray.
The maintenance project is expected to be completed by October 4.
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