It’s a good thing that part of our story earlier this week about the upcoming end of the city’s COVID-19-related parking relaxation was the phrase “…unless we hear otherwise.” Because yesterday, the LA City Council did indeed change things up. In a motion passed by a vote of 13-1, it was decreed that October 15 is now the new date to:
“…resume parking enforcement and impounds, when applicable, for street cleaning, abandoned vehicles, oversize and overnight restrictions, peak hour and anti-gridlock zones, and expired registration…”
The motion also said the city will use the two weeks between now and October 15 to conduct public outreach and education about the changes, and that it will also continue to “delay the impounding of vehicles in which there is vehicle dwelling,” to protect people living in their cars.
The one dissenting vote on the plan for returning to normal enforcement came from Council Member David Ryu, who felt that the relaxation rules should have been continued for a longer period of time. In a statement to the Buzz this morning, he said:
“In CD 4 residents continue to be out of work. They are asking for rent forgiveness and small business assistance, not a resumption of parking enforcement. Most residents who are working are doing so from home in heavily overparked areas of the district. Enforcement should only resume in a thoughtful and compassionate way that takes into consideration the very real struggles that Angelenos still face.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that the following parking restrictions are not (and have never been) part of the relaxation program, and will continue to be enforced as they have been all along:
- Metered parking
- Time limits within preferential parking districts for vehicles without a valid or recently-expired permit
- Posted time limit zones in residential and commercial areas
- All posted Temporary No-Parking signs
- Blocking emergency access areas
- Colored curb zones
- Parking restrictions for City-owned lots
But the bottm line, as of right now, is that we have an extra two weeks’ grace for street sweeping parking…unless we hear otherwise between now and October 15.
