Key Issues Raised by the Community
- Threat to Cultural & Non-Profit Lifelines: Speakers pointed out that Lot 613 does not serve beachgoers or tourists, but functions as the primary parking facility for historic cultural institutions including Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center), Pacific Resident Theatre (PRT), and the Safe Place for Youth community garden[cite: 1]. Converting the lot to paid parking would place an undue burden on students, seniors, staff, and volunteers[cite: 1].
- Severe Spillover onto Residential Walk Streets: Neighbors along Oakwood, Amorosa Place, Brooks, and Superba Avenue testified that nearby homes lack driveways or street parking[cite: 1]. Removing free parking will force vehicles into residential streets that are already overcrowded and frequently blocked by construction, filming, or street cleaning[cite: 1].
- Coastal Act Violations & Revenue Intent: Multiple attendees argued that eliminating free parking conflicts with California Coastal Act policies (Sections 30213 and 30253) protecting lower-cost visitor access and special communities[cite: 1]. Residents noted that LADOT’s push appears to be an unvetted revenue measure rather than genuine access management, with no dedicated occupancy or spillover studies conducted for Lot 613[cite: 1].
- First Responder & ADA Accessibility Concerns: Concerns were raised regarding a second parcel of Lot 613 that sits directly behind Fire Station 63, as well as the need to preserve critical ADA access points and repair hazardous, buckled sidewalks[cite: 1].
Speaker Testimonies
| Speaker | Affiliation / Area | Summary of Testimony |
|---|---|---|
| David Adelson | Oakwood Resident | Stated Lot 613 is not an Abbot Kinney tourist lot but an anchor for local community arts[cite: 1]. Asked LADOT to deny the conversion or implement neighborhood permits and a fee/hours cap[cite: 1]. |
| Danny Condon | Oakwood Resident | Echoed that walk-street homes have zero street parking and that Lot 613 has served as a neighborhood saving grace for decades[cite: 1]. |
| Brian | Abbot Kinney Store Manager | Argued that existing 2-hour limits on Abbot Kinney are never enforced and that adding meters ruins the welcoming environment for shoppers[cite: 1]. |
| Selena | Beyond Baroque | Noted that Lot 613 is the sole parking option for community members attending free and low-cost weekly arts programming[cite: 1]. |
| Colin Warren | Community Member | Expressed support for demand-based pricing as sound economics and suggested improvements to the traffic booth queue at Washington Boulevard[cite: 1]. |
| Cory Martin | SPARC | Emphasized that local arts organizations have served Venice for over 150 combined years[cite: 1]. Cited Coastal Act protections for affordable community resources[cite: 1]. |
| Brennan Lindner | Venice Chamber of Commerce | Requested monthly permits for retail workers and asked for clarity on meter enforcement and ticket compounding along Abbot Kinney[cite: 1]. |
| Sheila | Brooks Ave Resident | Warned that extending meter hours will push visitors into neighborhoods and lead to increased sidewalk hazards and scooter issues[cite: 1]. |
| Jimi Vega | Executive Director, Beyond Baroque | Urged denial of the permit for Lot 613, noting their 1906 historic building has no on-site parking and meters would hurt seniors and students attending evening events[cite: 1]. |
| Marilyn Fox | Artistic Director, Pacific Resident Theatre | Stated PRT serves 12,000 patrons annually on tight budgets who cannot walk long distances; called the adjacent lot an essential lifeline[cite: 1]. |
| Judy O’Neill | Pisani Place Resident (49 yrs) | Cited a 1994 Coastal Commission report showing the lot does not serve the beach[cite: 1]. Demanded protections for Fire Station 63 parking and ADA spaces[cite: 1]. |
| Tristan McKinnon | Oakwood Resident | Argued that metering 53 spaces contradicts Venice Land Use Plans, and criticized LADOT for using revenue collection as a pretext for access management[cite: 1]. |
| Jay | Abbot Kinney Merchant/Resident | Noted that the community successfully turned back a similar metering plan in 2020 and that peak capacity does not justify intrusive street meters[cite: 1]. |
| Peggy Kennedy | Community Advocate | Warned that parking fees restrict low-income families from visiting the coast, suggesting diagonal parking instead to expand capacity[cite: 1]. |
| Carol Schneider | Amorosa Place Resident (42 yrs) | Stated walk-street residents have no street parking and urged the city to provide residential permits if fees are adopted[cite: 1]. |
| Sidney | Local Resident | Pointed out that elderly residents depend on the lot for basic access and loading groceries[cite: 1]. |
| Genesis Perez | Beyond Baroque Staff | Highlighted the difficulty non-profit performance spaces face after budget cutbacks, noting fees would create barriers for low-wage staff and performers[cite: 1]. |
| Tom Snyder | Neighbor (40+ yrs) | Added his opposition, noting that placing meters on Lot 613 would be devastating to the local ecosystem[cite: 1]. |
| David Hare | Abbot Kinney Property Owner | Spoke in favor of meters on Abbot Kinney to encourage parking turnover and discourage all-day vehicle camping[cite: 1]. |
| Bunny Lula | Community Member | Asked about Venice Trust Fund 864 and supported leaving Lot 613 free for community use[cite: 1]. |
| Amie Steer | 20-Year Resident | Raised safety concerns for young drivers and teenagers forced to walk far distances at night if nearby lot parking is lost[cite: 1]. |
| Jake Garner | Lifelong Venice Resident | Noted that Lot 613 is too distant from Abbot Kinney to impact shopping demand and only penalizes neighborhood regulars[cite: 1]. |
| Lisa | Superba Ave Resident | Described how narrow streets with one-sided parking rely on Lot 613 as the sole neighborhood “release valve” during filming and construction[cite: 1]. |
Next Steps & Public Comment Window
Public testimony will be incorporated into the Bureau of Engineering’s staff report prior to the City Engineer issuing a determination on the local Coastal Development Permit[cite: 1]. Following the decision, a 10-day local appeal period will open to the Board of Public Works, followed by state-level Coastal Commission review[cite: 1]. Written comments remain open until November 24, 2026[cite: 1]. Comments can be submitted by email tolauren.delrosario@lacity.org or mailed to 1149 S. Broadway, Suite 600 (Mail Stop 949), Los Angeles, CA 90015[cite: 1]. Categories: Art, City of L.A., Overnight Parking Districts, Traffic/Parking
