Parking Permit Plan Expands in Neighborhoods Near Santa Barbara City College

A parking permit program for residents near Santa Barbara City College is expanding.

The permits cost $20. each. Those who buy them say they are worth it to have a place to park close to their homes. Without them, students park near the campus and the spaces are used up.

The expanded program is going to include upper La Marina off Cliff Drive. Other streets may also have the program after more survey’s and studies.

Neighborhood meetings have also been held before the plan went to the Santa Barbara City Council where it was supported on Tuesday.

One resident Mac McNeel said she has seen the benefits. “We’ve instituted this so our friends our family our workers have a place to park instead of city college kids,” she said.

The permits are necessary from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

Eddie Breffitt has lived in the area since the early 1980’s. He says the worst time for parking problems comes when the school year begins.

“It’s always in the beginning of the semester. It’s a huge inflow of people then gradually two or three weeks later it changes. The attrition rate from people dropping out,” he said.

A downfall for those who do not buy guest permits is the tickets that are handed out when friends come by or a service worker is at a property for a repair job. Those tickets run $48. each.

For information go to:

http://services.santabarbaraca.gov/CAP/MG133016/AS133020/AS133050/AI136711/Documents.htm