TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Masa Alkire, AICP, Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
Nhung Huynh, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a First Reading and Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 3.24 (Parking Meters) of Title 3 (Public Safety) and Chapter 14.01 (Definitions) of Title 14 (Traffic) and Adding a New Chapter 14.42 (Paid Parking) to Title 14 (Traffic) to Modify Paid Public Parking Regulations, and Making a Determination of Exemption Under the California Environmental Quality Act (Budgeted) (Community Development Department Director Alkire).
(Estimated Time: 30 Min.)
INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. 26-0011
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council consider the first reading and introduction of an Ordinance amending Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 3.24 (Parking Meters) of Title 3 (Public Safety) and Chapter 14.01 (Definitions) of Title 14 (Traffic) and adding a new Chapter 14.42 (Paid Parking) to Title 14 (Traffic) to modify paid public parking regulations, and making a Determination of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act, as recommended by the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC).
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The City currently operates over 1,275 single-space parking meters and 12 older model pay stations. These systems are nearing the end of their useful life, are costly to maintain, and are prone to technical issues.
On April 15, 2025, the City Council approved the Parking Technology Roadmap (See PPIC Attachment 1 of Attachment 2). This Roadmap provides the City with guidance on building a cohesive, effective parking technology ecosystem to improve efficiency and future-proof the City’s paid parking program. This Roadmap specifically focuses on replacing outdated parking payment technologies and assessing supporting solutions, including transitioning from existing single-space parking meters to pay stations and a mobile payment program using pay-by-plate technology. As part of their approval, City Council directed staff to proceed with the Roadmap items related to transitioning the City’s parking payment infrastructure to pay-by-plate enforcement, pay station kiosks, and mobile payment options.
On November 4, 2025, the City Council approved the City Parking Management Strategies and Toolkit, which outlined a comprehensive framework to enhance parking operations and implement new technology solutions within the City. Among the strategies identified was the transition to modern pay-by-plate pay stations and mobile payment platforms as part of a broader effort to streamline enforcement, improve customer convenience, and better manage parking demand. On April 7, 2026, the City Council approved the Study Report and directed staff to pursue implementation of the parking strategies in the Report.
On February 17, 2026, the City Council approved a three-year agreement with ParkMobile, LLC, for the purchase, installation, and operation of parking pay stations and mobile parking payment system services. The pay stations and mobile payment system are scheduled to replace the current individual parking meter system in November 2026.
On May 19, 2026, the City Council approved an agreement with EYEP Solutions for the purchase, implementation, and operation of a mobile license plate recognition system for parking enforcement. The system will assist the Police Department in enforcing parking violations under the new paid parking system, which will use mobile license plate readers to monitor time-limit and paid parking regulations, instead of the current manual method of chalking tires.
Although the Roadmap did not specifically address the City’s metered (paid) parking regulations, staff have determined that amendments to the Municipal Code are necessary to update the City’s regulatory framework related to metered parking. The new regulations proposed in this agenda item will authorize new parking payment methods, allow for new enforcement technologies, and ensure consistency between the Municipal Code and the operational framework contemplated by the Roadmap. For example, the public will be able to use a pay station or their mobile devices to pay for parking electronically and make additional payments to extend a parking session up to the maximum posted time limit. Additionally, the Police Department will be able to use time-stamped license plate images instead of marking tires. The code changes will also allow for more flexible parking options depending on the date, day of the week, season, or location.
On August 20, 2026, the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) discussed the proposed code amendment and recommended (5-0) that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 3.24 of Title 3 related to parking meters and Chapter 14.01 of Title 14 related to parking meter definitions and adding a new Chapter 14.42 of Title 14 related to paid parking zones.
DISCUSSION:
Title 3, Chapter 3.24 of the Municipal Code, entitled Parking Meters, was written for traditional single-space parking meters and coin-based payment options. As such, it does not provide for the new mobile payment and enforcement technologies approved by the City Council. Additionally, Title 14 of the Municipal Code was identified as the most appropriate section for paid parking regulations, under the same title as other parking regulations. The intent of these amendments is not to make significant policy changes, but rather to align the Municipal Code with the direction already approved by the City Council, as outlined in the Roadmap.
Staff proposes to amend the MBMC Title 3 - PUBLIC SAFETY, Chapter 24 - PARKING METERS, Section 3.24 as follows:
• Rename Chapter 3.24 from “PARKING METERS” to “MERCHANT PARKING PERMITS”
• Repeal Sections:
o 3.24.010 - Definitions.
o 3.24.020 - Penalty.
o 3.24.030 - Parking meter zones.
o 3.24.040 - Parking meter rates.
o 3.24.050 - Deposit of coin.
o 3.24.060 - Parking meter violations.
o 3.24.070 - Time limits.
o 3.24.080 - Use of substitute coins unlawful.
o 3.24.090 - Repealed.
o 3.24.095 - Parking fund.
o 3.24.100 - Repealed.
o 3.24.110 - Off-street parking meters.
o 3.24.120 - Issuance of payment of notice of parking violations.
o 3.24.130 - Special rules and regulations.
o 3.24.140 - Parking in off-street public parking spaces.
o 3.24.160 - Parking in publicly-owned or controlled parking lots.
MBMC Sections 3.24.170 through 3.24.174, related to the City’s long-established merchant parking permit program, would remain in Chapter 3.24, as reflected by the chapter’s name change. A red-line version of MBMC Chapter 3.24 is attached to this staff report as a reference (PPIC Attachment 3 of Attachment 2).
Staff proposes adding a new chapter to MBMC Title 14 - TRAFFIC, entitled “Chapter 14.42 - PAID PARKING”. This chapter will include any previous metered parking regulations in MBMC Chapter 3.24 that still apply to the new paid parking system, as well as new regulations that are necessary to operate and enforce the approved parking technologies for mobile parking payments and license plate-based enforcement.
The proposed new sections in MBMC Chapter 14.42 are as follows:
• 14.42.010 - Paid Parking Zones.
• 14.42.020 - Paid Parking Rates.
• 14.42.030 - Payment Required.
• 14.42.040 - Paid Parking Violations.
Several definitions related to paid parking will also be added to MBMC Chapter 14.01-DEFINITIONS, including Operator, Paid Parking Device, Payment, Street, and Vehicle. The proposed municipal code changes to Title 14-TRAFFIC, Chapters 14.01-DEFINITIONS and 14.42-PAID PARKING, are attached to this report (PPIC Attachment 4 of Attachment 2).
The proposed code language has been reviewed by all affected departments, including Public Works, Finance, Police, Community Development, and the City Attorney’s Office, to ensure that it covers all enforcement and implementation areas and is consistent with City practices. The Ordinance will be effective 30 days after its adoption in time to coincide with the implementation of the new parking and payment technology system and conversion from individual parking meters to mobile parking payments and pay stations.
Paid Parking Zones and License Plate Based Enforcement
The establishment of mobile payments and pay stations, removal of individual parking meters and modification of off-street parking time limits were discussed in detail during the Citywide Parking Management Plan update in 2025 and 2026. On April 7, 2026, the City Council directed staff to pursue implementation of these parking strategies in coordination with the Parking Technology Roadmap.
With the removal of individual parking meters, the public will no longer pay for the use of a particular space. Rather, drivers will pay to park in a particular area for a certain time. The areas are called parking zones, typically comprised of the on-street parking within one street block, or in a certain section of a parking lot, and are identified by a posted parking zone number. Parking zones are the preferred method of paid parking throughout the nation, because they are more convenient and flexible to use, integrate more easily with technology, and simplify enforcement when compared to pay-by-space, or pay-and-display payment methods. Parking zones use license plates to track a parking session rather than a parking space number or parking receipt on a dashboard. Enforcement is license-plate based, which is more efficient and accurate than marking tires.
Mobile app and pay station technology have the ability to prevent drivers from “feeding the meter” beyond the maximum time limit, which is often observed by beachgoers and employees in Downtown, North Manhattan Beach and beach lots. Feeding the meter reduces the opportunity for customers and clients to find high-demand parking spaces in front of businesses. For those that do need long term parking, one of the approved parking strategies is to lengthen the time limits in some the City’s public parking lots to encourage long term parking in off-street lots instead. The technology also has the capability to impose a “time-out” period to require a driver to vacate the parking zone after their parking session ends, similar to our existing parking regulations that require a vehicle to vacate the parking space after the maximum time limit. However, this feature will not be activated until after the City Council discusses the advantages and disadvantages at a future meeting.
Parking Zone Resolution
As outlined in the proposed ordinance language, a separate Resolution is required to establish the parking zone locations and specific parking time limits within those zones. Staff will return to the City Council on October 20, 2026, to discuss and approve the specific parking regulations that will replace the City’s current parking meter regulations. This future discussion will include: a) location and configuration of the parking zones, b) enforcement policies for paid parking time limits, and c) the potential extension of the existing two-hour street parking time limit to three hours in certain City lots and structures located in the City’s Downtown and North Manhattan Beach to better support local businesses with a longer-term parking needs.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
In addition to the standard public noticing requirements through the City’s website and posted agendas at City Hall, the Manhattan Beach Public Library, and other City community centers, email notification of tonight’s meeting has been provided to the Downtown Business and Professional Association, North Manhattan Beach Business and Professional Association and the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce to share with their members.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the Ordinance is not a "project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) because it does not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment, as contemplated by CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4). Furthermore, staff has determined that there is no possibility that the Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because imposing regulations on public parking authorized by this Ordinance will not result in a permanent alteration of property nor the construction of any new or expanded structures or other direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. The Ordinance is an administrative process and regulates the manner in which vehicles are parked on public property. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved the proposed ordinance to form and content.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance No. 26-0011
2. PPIC Staff Report 08/20/2026 with attachments
3. PowerPoint Presentation