TO:
Honorable Parking and Public Improvements Commission Chair and Commissioners
THROUGH:
Adam Finestone, Acting Community Development Director
FROM:
Erik Zandvliet, T.E Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Proposed Code Amendments to Title 3 - Public Safety, Chapter 3.24 - Parking Meters and Newly Proposed Title 14 - Traffic, Chapter 14.42 - Paid Parking of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Parking and Public Improvements Commission pass a motion to recommend that the City Council consider and adopt the proposed code amendments to Title 3 - Public Safety, Chapter 3.24 - Parking Meters, and the newly proposed Title 14 - Traffic, Chapter 14.42 - Paid Parking sections of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code (MBMC).
BACKGROUND:
The City currently operates over 1,275 single-space parking meters and 12 older model pay stations. These systems are nearly at the end of their useful life, costly to maintain, and prone to technical issues.
On April 15, 2025, the City Council approved the Parking Technology Roadmap (see Attachments 1 and 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 This Roadmap specifically focuses on replacing outdated parking payment technologies and assessing supporting solutions, including transitioning from existing single-space parking meter technology to a pay station and a mobile payment program using pay-by-plate technology. As part of their approval, City Council directed staff to proceed with specific 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 for enhancing parking operations and implementing 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 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.
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 the enforcement of parking violations of the new paid parking system that 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 with electronic payments 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 week, season or location.
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 that have been 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 3.24.095 - Parking fund.
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.
MVMC Sections 3.24.170 through 3.24.174, related to the City’s long-established merchant parking permit program, will 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 reference (Attachment 3).
Staff proposes to add a new chapter in 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 MBMC Title 14-TRAFFIC, Chapters 14.01-DEFINITIONS and 14.42-PAID PARKING, are attached to this report (Attachment 4).
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.
Following the Commission meeting, next steps include introduction and first reading of the proposed Ordinance at the September 15, 2026, City Council meeting, with second reading and adoption of the Ordinance tentatively scheduled for the October 6, 2026, City Council Meeting. Should the City Council adopt the Ordinance, it will become effective in November to coincide with the implementation of the new parking and payment technology system.
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 this meeting has been provided to the Downtown 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 project qualifies for a Class 1 - Existing Facilities Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 of the State CEQA guidelines since the project proposes minor changes to parking regulations and provides for the replacement of parking meters with modernized parking kiosks and supporting payment technology. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. City Council Staff Report - April 15, 2025
2. Parking Technology Roadmap - Final
3. Proposed MBMC Chapter 3.24 Merchant Parking Permits (Redline)
4. Proposed MBMC Chapter 14.42 Paid Parking (New)