The Coastal Commission will consider whether to allow Seal Beach to increase beach parking lot fees on May 7. The city has applied for permits to increase the parking fees for the First Street, Eighth Street, and 10 Street lots. The Commission will hold combined hearings on these three applications. According to the agenda, the city proposes raises the parking fee in both lots to $3 an hour (up to $15 a day), with a flat fee of $4 after 6 p.m. A note on each agenda item says the CCC’s enforcement division is investigating “potential” Coastal Act violations related to the applications. The agenda gave no specifics. “The Coastal Commission agenda likely refers to long-standing contracts for using the City’s pier and parking lot to access offshore oil platforms,” wrote Interim City Manager Patrick Gallegos in an April 22 email. He wrote that no action had been taken against the city and staff was working to resolve the matter.
