UPDATE: Residents Circulate Petition to Stop Paid Parking Proposal

Update 11:14 p.m.: A PDF copy of the petition has been uploaded to the media box at right courtesy of Charles Hoelzel.

Update 3:35 p.m.: The petition against the paid parking proposal in downtown Half Moon Bay has received 122 signatures.

Some Coastside residents are so upset about the City of Half Moon Bay’s initiative to that they’re circulating their own petition against it.

“I’m hoping to derail the City Council from voting to put meters on Main Street,” said Charles Hoelzel, who recently drafted up the petition, which is sponsored by the Canada Cove Home Owner Association, a senior community off Miramontes Point Road in Half Moon Bay.

“I’m the treasurer of this group and at our last quarterly meeting on March 11, members were outraged by this proposal and decided that a petition should be drafted by the community.”

The petition is currently posted on change.org, an online platform for anyone anywhere to start a petition.

“In two days, we've already received 77 signatures,” Hoelzel wrote in an e-mail. “I believe the petition speaks for itself and the overwhelming response on change.org through citizen comments.”

Undersigners of the petition say these proposed new parking regulations will have a negative effect on all local businesses and anyone who works in the area, deterring visitors and locals from coming to the center of Half Moon Bay.

Ara Croce writes on the petitioning the City of Half Moon Bay change.org comment section that “it will be detrimental to the small downtown businesses.” Doug Pressnell thinks “helping the Main Street business owners would be a better idea. If somebody is spending more than two hours shopping and comes back to a parking ticket, they won't be back again,” he writes.

Coastside resident Chad Hooker also remarks on the comment section: “Parking meters in any town are rude to the tourists and drive business away. That's not what HMB needs.”

Carlysle Young says she’s against the paid parking program because “it's a disincentive to visit or shop downtown and a burden on the Main Street businesses. If you want to charge people to visit that area, then don't discourage it by charging them for parking. Encourage them by keeping it free."

Mark Williams, who runs a small business on Main Street, adds his take in the comment section: “It is hard enough to stay in business as it is without adding another impediment to meeting with customers.”

Even non-residents are weighing in on the issue. Former Half Bay Half resident James Edwards says he’s afraid that paid parking will take away from the small town charm of Half Moon Bay.

“Dealing with parking meters like those that exist in many large cities will be a big step in diminishing the small town character, and will have an impact on people like myself who may likely chose another location to visit,” he writes.

While the paid parking idea is in the proposal stage, the city has hired a consultant to collect data and develop recommendations by March 20 complete with revenue projection scenarios.

The proposal includes immediate side streets in a core area — not just Main Street.

During the held by the city last fall on the issue, councilmembers indicated that that they are in support of continuing to explore the idea of starting a program as a way to generate revenue.

“In addition to managing parking for visitors and merchants, parking revenue can be used to help pay for improvements and infrastructure to keep the downtown and the city a desirable place to visit for visitors and residents,” said Half Moon Bay’s City Manager Laura Snideman.

City officials also say that a paid parking program that is well planned and implemented will not deter shoppers or visitors from coming to downtown Half Moon Bay.  

“Not being able to find parking very close to restaurants and shops is more a deterrent to visitors than paying $1.50 an hour for parking and having spaces available during peak times,” said Snideman. “A visitor who has decided to spend $20 plus for gas and the time to get to Half Moon Bay for dinner is not going to be concerned about a parking fee. It is about the destination and overall environment.”

Snideman added that businesses in other cities have acknowledged that freeing up spaces at peak times has increased their business because of more shoppers.

While nothing has been finalized yet on this issue, Snideman said, “all feedback, positive or negative, will be provided to the City Council.”

Would paid parking deter Half Moon Bay Patch readers from coming to the downtown area? Add your vote and see the poll results .

Half Moon Bay will hold the next study session on paid parking on March 20.

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