TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Patricia Matson, Assistant City Clerk
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Continuation of the Oversized Vehicle Permit Program and Approval of an Updated Fee Resolution (No Budget Impact) (City Manager Mirzakhanian).
A) APPROVE CONTINUATION OF THE PERMIT PROGRAM
B) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 26-0036
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council continue the Oversized Vehicle Permit Program and adopt Resolution No. 26-0036 updating the fees.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Initial one-time costs associated with program implementation were previously completed in Fiscal Year 2024-25 and included installation of regulatory signage throughout the City and development of administrative and enforcement procedures. Ongoing staff time associated with application review and permit issuance was previously incorporated into the permit fees and are reflected in the updated fee resolution (Attachment) to ensure cost recovery.
BACKGROUND:
At the July 2, 2024, meeting, City Council adopted Ordinance No. 24-0006 amending Manhattan Beach Municipal Code Chapter 14.46 related to the on-street parking of oversized vehicles and trailers and established a parking permit program.
The ordinance defines an oversized vehicle as any vehicle, or combination of vehicles, exceeding 22 feet in length, seven feet in width, or eight feet in height. The program requires residents or their guests to obtain a permit to temporarily park oversized vehicles on any street in the City (with a few exceptions) for up to 72 hours. The permit types are established as follows:
Resident Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit
This permit is selected if a resident owns an oversized vehicle that they would like to park on the street throughout the year (in 72-hour increments).
• Permit duration: annual permit - valid October 1 to September 30
• Price per permit: $65.00
• Resident will pick up a physical permit (hang tag) from City Hall once the application is approved.
• Allows a resident to park their oversized vehicle on the street for 72 hours at a time throughout the permit’s duration
• Limit: 1 permit per household
• Resident must reapply annually for a new permit.
Guest Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit
This permit is selected if a resident will be hosting an out-of-town visitor or if the resident is temporarily renting an oversized vehicle that they would like to park on the street for 72 hours.
• Permit duration: valid for 72 hours
• Price per permit: $ 45.00
• Resident will print permit from home once the application is approved.
• Allows the permit holder to park their oversized vehicle on the street for 72 hours.
• Limit: 4 permits in any 12 month period
• Resident must apply for the permit for their guest.
• Residents cannot have more than one guest permit issued for the same 72 hour date range.
Neither permit type allows the use of hook-ups (cords, hoses, cables, or other items) from any residential or commercial property to the oversized vehicle parked on the street.
The City began accepting permit applications on September 1, 2024. The program became operational on October 1, 2024, with full enforcement commencing on February 1, 2025.
As part of the program adoption, the City Council directed staff to return after an 18-month pilot of the permit program to provide an evaluation of its performance.
DISCUSSION:
Over the 18-month pilot period, the Oversized Vehicle Permit Program has functioned as intended, providing a framework for managing oversized vehicle parking in the City.
Staff has not received any formal complaints regarding the program, and the City’s Traffic Engineer has reported that there have not been any unanticipated impacts in the Coastal Zone or other areas of the City.
Staff compiled the following data since the City began accepting permit applications on September 1, 2024, through April 1, 2026.
Permitting Activity
• Resident permits issued: 78
• Guest permits issued: 4
The most common permitted vehicle types are camper vans, particularly Mercedes-Sprinter type vans, followed by mid to large-sized recreational vehicles.
Enforcement Activity
• Warnings issued: 10
• Citations issued (since full enforcement began February 1, 2025): 47
• Appeals filed: 12
o Appeals upheld: 1
The Oversized Vehicle Permit Program has demonstrated effectiveness over the 18-month pilot period, with stable utilization and no identified adverse impacts. Given the absence of negative impacts and the successful integration of the program into City operations, staff recommends that the program continue in its current configuration.
Fee Resolution Update
When the City began the pilot program, the permit costs were calculated based on the fully burdened hourly rates that were in place. Since that time, a new Cost Allocation Plan was adopted and the City’s fully burdened hourly rates were recalculated. Due to these recalculations, the hourly rates for the staff working on the Oversized Vehicle Permit Program decreased. Therefore, staff is proposing an updated fee schedule to accommodate for these lowered rates and still ensure full cost recovery for application processing and permit issuance. The proposed permit fees are as follows:
Resident Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit
Current Fee: $65
New Fee: $55*
Guest Oversized Vehicle Parking Permit
Current Fee: $45
New Fee: $42*
*All permits are subject to an additional 13% technology fee as provided in the existing Citywide User Fee Schedule, which became effective July 1, 2025. This fee was established to achieve cost recovery for the technology costs related to the City’s online permitting system.
The current permit fee established by Council was not subject to the technology fee. At the time of adoption in 2024, staff considered the fully burdened hourly rate for staff to operate the pilot program and procure hangtags but unintentionally omitted the technology fee. As the program transitions from a pilot phase to a permanent program, the addition of the 13% technology fee will now be applied to ensure full cost recovery.
If the City Council adopts the resolution, the new fees will be instituted on July 1, 2026. Thereafter, fees will subsequently increase or decrease on July 1st annually, based on salary increases/decreases per current Memoranda of Understanding with City Employee bargaining groups for all fees not set by law.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council continue the Oversized Vehicle Permit Program and adopt Resolution No. 26-0036, updating the fee resolution.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council’s continuation of a permitting program for oversized vehicles and trailers has been determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the common sense exemption (formerly the “general rule”) that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question can have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA, as is the case with the continuation of this permitting program.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 26-0036