Council to Discuss Spending Millions on Beach Parking Expansion

A proposal to add hundreds of beach parking spaces--at a cost of millions--will be discussed by the City Council.

Money for the new lots and spaces would come from the city's beach parking fund, a pool of cash paid by developers to offset the strain on existing parking caused by new residents.

By law, the money is reserved for beach parking and can't be used for any other projects, the city attorney has said during past council meetings.

This is the breakdown of the parking proposals:

• Pier Bowl: City staffers estimate the current 164 spaces in the Pier Bowl lot could be expanded by 36 at a cost of $1.12 million.
• North Beach: The city could lease the drainage channel property from the county and add 70 spaces at $140,000; 86 spaces at a site on Pico at $265,000; and a parking structure at Marblehead Coastal for $6.825 million.
• Other parking: The city is also considering a one-level underground garage that would cost $2.94 million and leasing an existing lot at Calafia Beach from the state for 15 years, which would cost $3.5 million and allow residents to use their city parking passes there.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers, 100 Ave. Presidio.