Finding a parking spot close to the ocean in Pacific Beach may not get any easier after the California Coastal Commission approved the city of San Diego’s new policy on Wednesday.
Builders will no longer need to include parking spots in future housing developments when building within the city’s public transportation corridors under the new policy.
That means a developer can build a multi-unit apartment complex two blocks from the beach but not include parking for its tenants. It’s designed to encourage residents to use public transportation, ease traffic congestion and protect the environment.
Coastal Commissioner and Chula Vista city councilman Steve Padilla said this new measure pushes people in a different direction and decreases the emphasis on parking.
On the other hand, San Diego City Councilwoman Jennifer Campbell voted against the measure because she said her district, which includes Pacific Beach, is already heavily impacted by a lack of parking.
“It’s not quite the right time in history yet for San Diego to get rid of its parking,” councilmember Campbell said.
Campbell added the city needs to have trolley and bus lines in place before asking people to trade their cars for scooters and bus passes.
Local
Pacific Beach resident Ed Nodland said he is okay with the new rules because of San Diego’s housing crisis. He thought the new policy was a step in the right direction.
“I look more forward to the future rather than trying to hold on to the past,” Nodland said.
Councilmember Campbell said she would be surprised if builders actually developed a property without parking.
“If you build a multi-family building and don’t have any parking spaces, you’re going to have a heck of a time renting it out,” she said.
