City of LA and free parking for HOV stickered cars

[John in LB]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Sep 23 2006, 10:44 AM) [snapback]323963[/snapback]</div>

Here's the word from the LA City Council:

Hybrid program extended

With a unanimous vote from my colleagues, a program that I initiated two years ago had its lifetime extended today. Drivers of clean air vehicles like hybrids and electric cars will continue to enjoy free metered parking. The program remains in effect until 2008, when we'll have the opportunity to renew it again.

To participate in the program, you must display a California Department of Motor Vehicles Clean Air Vehicle decal. Also, keep in mind that while you don't need to fish under your seat for loose change at the meters anymore, you still have to obey posted time limits and preferential parking restrictions.

Also, tell your friends about the program—both those who are already driving hybrids and those who are thinking about buying one. With gas prices climbing, you may not even need this perk to decide that it's time to reduce your reliance on "the dinosaur" (that is, petroleum fuel). But my office has heard from several people who, once they heard about the parking privilege, decided the time was right for them to go hybrid. And the basin's air is better for it.

Alnilam's Note:

The warning to remember is that this is good only in the City of LA, not surrounding municipalities you might think are LA. Somebody said to look at the meter and see if it says "City of Los Angeles." I don't know if this is the case. I live too far south to use this good deal.
[/b]

Do you have a link to a LA city website that shows this information? I searched several different ways and all I come up with is the original program that expired in June 2006. I did not find any documentation of the extension of the program to 2008.

Thanks

[Flyfish]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John in LB @ Oct 10 2006, 04:36 AM) [snapback]330518[/snapback]</div>

Do you have a link to a LA city website that shows this information? I searched several different ways and all I come up with is the original program that expired in June 2006. I did not find any documentation of the extension of the program to 2008.

Thanks
[/b]

LA City Council Minutes

From the June 21, 2006 LA City Council Minutes...the reason why you may still see conflicting info on the City's web site is that the Ordinance has yet to be signed. Nonetheless, the Council action below has a grace period.

ITEM NO. (20) - ADOPTED
Roll Call #11 - Motion (LaBonge - Greuel) Adopted, Ayes (13); Absent : Cardenas and Padilla (2)
04-1362
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE REPORT relative to the Free Metered Parking Pilot
Program for Hybrid Vehicles.
Recommendations for Council action:
1. FIND that the pilot program enabling certain hybrid vehicles to park for free at City
parking meters is achieving the goal of increasing the sales of hybrid vehicles.
2. REQUEST the City Attorney to prepare and present an ordinance amending Sections
88.00, 88.07, 88.13, 88.57 and 88.63 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) to
make the Free Metered Parking Pilot Program for hybrid vehicles permanent by:
a. Establishing an hourly rate of $0.00 (i.e. free) for Alternate Fuel Vehicles properly
displaying California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Clean Air Vehicle
Decals at all Department of Transportation (LADOT) on- and off-street parking
meters in the City of Los Angeles.
b. Exempting Alternate Fuel Vehicles properly displaying DMV Clean Air Vehicle
Decals from the requirements to deposit coins in parking meters at LADOT on- and
off-street parking meters in the City of Los Angeles until January 1, 2008.
3. DIRECT the LADOT to extend the Free Metered Parking Pilot Program for Hybrid
Vehicles as currently configured until the Ordinance modifying the program as
described above in Recommendation No. 2.
4. DIRECT the LADOT to publicize the changes to the Free Metered Parking Pilot
Program for Hybrid Vehicles once the ordinance described above in Recommendation
No. 2 becomes effective.
5. DIRECT the LADOT to issue warning notices instead of citations to any of the four,
previously eligible, hybrid vehicles observed parked at expired City parking meters
without properly displaying DMV Clean Air Vehicle Decals for 30 days after the
Ordinance described above in Recommendation No. 2 becomes effective.
6. DIRECT the LADOT to report back to Council in 6 months relative to the status of the
Free Metered Parking Pilot Program for Hybrid Vehicles.
Fiscal Impact Statement: The LADOT reports that at this time, only 261 eligible hybrid
vehicles have been observed participating in the free metered parking pilot program
resulting in an estimated annual revenue loss of between $32,500 and $65,000, or less
than 0.31 percent of total annual meter revenue. In spite of the potential for increased
levels of hybrid ownership, the recommended linking of the program with the DMV’s Clean
Air Vehicle decal program is expected to limit any further decrease in parking meter
revenue to the Special Parking Revenue Fund as well as any reduction in General Fund
revenue from parking citations issued for parking meter violations.

[silentak1]

Are you 100% sure that Santa Monica has such program? I always forget and have received 2 tickets from them. 1 of them was about a year ago and the last one roughly 5 months ago.

I'm still a little puzzled since the website hasn't been updated and Flyfish brings a point......... so can we park for free or not?

[John in LB]

[quote]
LA City Council Minutes

From the June 21, 2006 LA City Council Minutes...the reason why you may still see conflicting info on the City's web site is that the Ordinance has yet to be signed. Nonetheless, the Council action below has a grace period.



I am sorry - but I am not sure what you mean by the above. Is Parking in LA free TODAY or not?

Your comments imply that the ordinance has been proposed but not signed into law... and then the comment about a grace period did not make any sense to me.

I would appreciate you clarifying this - as obviously I don't want to get a ticket....

Thanks...

[Flyfish]

Updated City of LA Page

This page which HAS been updated says that it is good through January 1, 2008. The City Council action tells the DOT to extend the free parking program until the Ordinance is actually signed. You can always call the City DOT City of LA Parking Violations and maybe they'll have an answer for you.

So to anticipate your next question, does the DOT follow the directive of the Council or wait until there is an Ordinance signed by the Mayor...oh, the dynamics of council versus departments versus mayors is a subject that keeps the LA Times Metro writers fully employed. As a technical matter, you are at risk until the Ordinance is signed because if you are ticketed, and if the City DOT does not rescind the ticket, and if you challenge the ticket in court...then, a judge can only enforce what is in the Ordinance.

But the practical answer is that you print out the City of LA page I linked to above, and if you are ever ticketed before the Ordinance is enacted, you enclose that page with your ticket and it should go away.

For some other experiences, see this link Discussion

Bottom line, if you want 100% assurance that you won't receive a ticket, feed the meter; otherwise, be prepared to fight.

[silentak1]

FlyFish, thanks a lot for the clarification!

Fixed AFV Link

Fixed Discussion Link

LA has had enough of my quarters since July '06. I'm going to "risk" it.

[dragonfly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silentak1 @ Oct 10 2006, 11:31 PM) [snapback]331017[/snapback]</div>

Are you 100% sure that Santa Monica has such program? I always forget and have received 2 tickets from them. 1 of them was about a year ago and the last one roughly 5 months ago.

I'm still a little puzzled since the website hasn't been updated and Flyfish brings a point......... so can we park for free or not?
[/b]

Note that Santa Monica is NOT in the City of LA. However.....

From http://santa-monica.org/epd/residents/Tran.../cleanauto.htm:

“Clean Air Vehicle” Priority Parking: If your vehicle has the decal affixed to your alternative fuel, hybrid or
electric vehicle, the Santa Monica Municipal Code (3.16.120) allows you to park in any metered parking space
in the city without charge for the maximum amount of time allowed by that meter. In other words, if you’re at
a 2-hour meter, you can park there free for 2 hours—but beyond that, you’re subject to ticketing for
overstaying your welcome. Clean Air Vehicle decals are issued by the state.

Do you have the HOV stickers on your car? Maybe you exceeded the 2 hour limit?

[NuShrike]

Interesting, so it's now limited to decal displaying vehicles when before it was open to any hybrids?

[silentak1]

It's awesome to read that SM now offers free parking.

Fixed link
http://santa-monica.org/epd/residents/Tran...n/cleanauto.htm

I know it's pretty early, but any word on the expiration date of free SM parking?

[dragonfly]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silentak1 @ Oct 11 2006, 12:33 PM) [snapback]331224[/snapback]</div>

I know it's pretty early, but any word on the expiration date of free SM parking?
[/b]

Well, it is part of the City Code. I expect it will remain in effect until the City Council amends the Code.