By Jorge Casuso

July 22, 2020 -- In an unusual move, residents in two areas of Santa Monica have asked the City Council to ease preferential parking restrictions on their streets.

Residents on Hill Street between 21st and 23rd streets in the city's south side and residents on 25th Street between Idaho and Washington avenues in the north side have filed petitions to make the necessary changes.

City staff is recommending that the Council adopt a resolution at Tuesday night's meeting amending the two preferential parking zones.

Residents on Hill Street near Santa Monica College (SMC) "desire greater flexibility to facilitate visitors during the early evening," staff wrote in its report to the Council.

While those on 25th Street near Wilshire Boulevard "desire greater flexibility for evening and weekend visitors," staff wrote.

"Reducing regulations during those respective time periods would eliminate the need to provide visitors with visitor permits."

After three-quarter of the residents in the two areas submitted qualifying petitions, staff reviewed the streets in November and January and confirmed "there is adequate parking to facilitate this change."

The current regulations on Hill Street near the college prohibit parking between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday except by permit, staff said.

"As it is one of the furthest blocks from the campus, however, residents assert that parking is not a major issue during the week and there is ample parking on the weekend," staff said.

The proposed regulations would allow 2-hour parking on the street between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, except by permit.

On 25th Street the current regulations -- intended to limit all-day parking by employees of businesses along Wilshire -- allow 2-hour parking between 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except by permit.

"Residents feel that the existing regulations should end earlier in the day and are not needed on Sundays," staff wrote in its report.

The proposed regulations would allow 2-hour parking from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except by permit.

If Council approves the recommendation, the new regulations would be implemented within 12 weeks, staff said.

"This time period allows for signs to be ordered, manufactured, and installed, as well as a grace period between the installation of signs and the enforcement of the amended preferential parking regulations," staff wrote.

The new signs would cost approximately $3,200 for both streets, staff said.