ISLA VISTA COASTAL ACCESS
Isla Vista Managed Parking Plan  DENIED at Coatal Comission Hearing November 15!

The County of SB came before the Coastal Commission today  to seek approval for a preferential parking permit plan on all Isla Vista  residential streets. This plan when implemented would severely restrict public  beach access and charge residents up to $150/ year and non-residents up to  $8/day and $432/year.  

Representatives of Santa Barbara Chapter  Surfrider Foundation and Sierra Club as well as local residents opposed the  plan at the hearing, urging the Commission to deny it, and instead adopt an  alternative that would allow free parking during the day and institute a  preferential permit parking enforcement plan at night  only.

Commissioner Burke spoke first and said the problem is related to  the University, not the public (commuters are parking in IV to avoid the high  cost of parking on campus).  Burke said that UCSB needs to 'step up'   and deal with the problem, and charging $400 to park in IV is not   'rational' and he will not support the plan.

Commissioners  Shallenberger said Kruer both also blamed the University and said that UCSB  should make more efforts to 'get people out of their  cars.'

Commissioner Reilly said the problem is that the University  isn't even a party to the plan.  Reilly suggested that one approach would  be to require that the SB Co. plan tie fees to University parking fees ....   otherwise students will just park in the cheaper  locale.

Commissioner Wan said the problem with the 'solution' is that  it punishes the public.  The mandate for the Commission is to protect   the public, and public access, not the University or the County.   It is wrong, Wan said, to solve the problems of the County and/or the  University on the back of the public by eliminating Coastal Act access  protections.

Commissioner Burke then said that the parking plan should  include UCSB, and why, for example, is the UCSB housing project on Friday and  not today?

Chairwoman Caldwell said that, among other things, the  university/ county could enforce zoning, prohibit freshman from having cars,  grant on-campus parking based upon IV housing, or that the university could  simply reduce on-campus parking.  Only recommendation Meg could provide  given the circumstances is DENIAL, with advice that the parties get their act  together in the future.

Commissioner Burke then moved to deny the plan,  with Commissioner Padilla providing the second.

The Commission then  voted unanimously to DENY the plan, with Commissioners Padilla, Kram, Burke,  Reilly, Wan, Caldwell, Kruer,  
Potter and Shallenberger all voting to  deny.

SURFRIDER"S ISSUE

Every winter, when large west swells hit the beaches of Isla Vista, surfers throng to spots like Devereaux Beach and Sands Beach at Coal Oil Point.  Many others come to enjoy the sunny weather or the biologically rich tide pools.  Coal Oil Point, situated between the western end of IV and the eastern end of Ellwood Mesa, has parking located on Camino Majorca, at the western end of Del Playa.  Anyone who has been there, either to surf or simply enjoy the beach probably noticed that the only time Camino Majorca is ever packed with parked cars is on nice beach days or when the surf is up.

Currently, the parking on Camino Majorca—and most places in IV for that matter—is free.  The beginning of the end of that situation occurred in June 2004, when the County Board of Supervisors approved a parking plan for IV which limited parking in most areas of IV to those with residential parking permits.  In this plan, a few scattered areas were maintained as parking for visitors—to enable coastal access—but not without fees.  The actual amount of the fee has not been decided yet, but will reflect prices in comparable areas.  This leads most of us to assume that we will be charged the same exorbitant rates that are exacted upon visitors to UCSB—$1.50/hr with a daily maximum of $8.

With the winter swells arriving many of us are left to wonder if we will be able to afford to enjoy the beaches at Devereux and Sands anymore.  A lot of people surf there three or more times per week during the winter, and this would represent a considerable expenditure in parking fees (or tickets) as the winter progressed.  The fact of the matter is that a parking fee imposed upon non-residents represents a de facto beach patron tax, and therefore limits coastal access.

Surfrider Foundation and its attorneys pressured the Coastal Commission staff to uphold the Commission’s precedent of opposing exclusivity to coastal access, and ensure the continuation of daytime parking for people wishing to use the beach in IV.