The Laguna Hills City Council has moved to implement neighborhood parking permits in specific areas around Beckenham Park, addressing concerns over overcrowded residential streets. The approval occurred during the city council meeting on September 8.
Parking permits will be enforced on the south side of Wilkes Place, Luton Street, Via Balboa, and Calle Carmel. Additionally, specific areas of Costeau Street, Camberwell Street, Avenida Avalon, and Hendon Street will also implement permit parking. Establishing such areas requires a city-created petition signed by at least 67% of homeowners, according to Laguna Hills municipal code. Assistant City Manager Joe Ames noted that continuous streets with varying approval rates could be combined to meet the required 67% threshold.
Residents will pay $25 per year for a parking permit. The city faces a one-time cost of $10,000 for the installation of street signs and the distribution of notification letters to residents regarding the new permit areas. Future discussions will revisit the possibility of waiving these permit fees.
Councilmember Dave Wheeler characterized the implementation of neighborhood parking permits as a “game of Whac-A-Mole,” highlighting concerns that addressing parking issues in one neighborhood might merely displace vehicles to others. Wheeler attributed the underlying problem to high-density housing areas, such as apartment complexes, that do not provide adequate parking, leading to overflow into surrounding residential zones. He also mentioned ongoing discussions about a potential citywide parking permit system.
Concurrently with the permit area approval, city officials voted 3-1 to continue plans for providing approximately 46 unrestricted parking spots on the north side of Laguna Hills Drive. Councilmember Wheeler abstained from this vote, while Councilmember Erica Pezold voted against the proposal.
Pezold expressed concerns that lifting parking restrictions on Laguna Hills Drive could lead to an increase in crime, specifically citing potential issues with patrons of a nearby marijuana dispensary and homeless individuals. She also raised alarms about the proximity of this unrestricted parking area to Laguna Hills High School, stating, “If we can’t control who parks there, we can’t control what’s happening.” Pezold suggested that permit parking might offer better monitoring capabilities for this area.
Conversely, Councilmember Joshua Sweeney supported the plan, arguing that it is preferable to have unrestricted parking on a main thoroughfare rather than within residential neighborhoods. Councilmember Jared Mathis and Assistant City Manager Joe Ames echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that public streets are a better alternative for overflow parking than residential zones, particularly those where youth reside. Sweeney cautioned that permit parking is not a universal solution, as it can displace vehicles, stressing the need for the program to be carefully monitored with clear boundaries, resident education, a warning period, and public review.
Looking ahead, the city council is scheduled to reconvene on September 22 to make a final decision on implementing the unrestricted parking area on Laguna Hills Drive. City officials will also hold discussions at a later date concerning the addition of a dedicated street sweeper for the vicinity of Beckenham Park, an initiative estimated to cost approximately $32,240 annually. Councilmember Pezold expressed skepticism about the cost-effectiveness of this street sweeping proposal, suggesting that alternative solutions could be found that are less burdensome on taxpayers.
