Ratcheting up the debate over whether people who live in their cars should be able to park overnight on Venice streets---no small debate that pits homeless and RV hippies against neighbors that don't want to deal with illegal dumping and general unsightliness---Assemblyman Ted Lieu has introduced a bill that essentially states that the city doesn't need to have the approval of the California Coastal Commission to establish parking restrictions in the coastal zone, reports the Argonaut. "I think the Coastal Commission does a great job in protecting our coast, but this to me is an issue of parking and making sure the residents of Venice are not affected by people urinating on laws and throwing trash on the streets,” the assemblyman said. “A lot of residents are being negatively impacted by a decision that should be made by the City of L.A. and not the Coastal Commission.”
But some Venice residents have opposed the proposed bill for attempting to remove the jurisdiction of the Coastal Commission in deciding if coastal zone parking restrictions can take effect. In a letter to Lieu, members of the Venice Action Alliance said the bill would challenge the Coastal Act, noting that the tendency of cities to restrict coastal access is one of the reasons that the Coastal Act was passed by state voters."
Previously, the Coastal Committee had refused to weigh in on the parking issue, essentially banning any chance of establishing overnight parking zones.
· Assemblyman Lieu introduces bill to allow city to restrict overnight parking without Coastal Commission authority [Argonaut]
Loading comments...