RPVCCA_CC_SR_2014_11_04_06_Abalone_Cove_Parking_FeesMEMORANDUM RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CORY LINDER, DIRECTOR, RECREATION AND PARKS ~CL.
NOVEMBER 4, 2014
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: ABALONE COVE PARKING FEES
REVIEWl;:D: CAROLYNN PETRU, ACTING CITY MANAGER~
Staff Coordinator: Matt Waters, Senior Administrative Analyst, Recreation and Parks @
RECOMMENDATION
Direct staff to process a Coastal Permit to increase the current parking fee structure at Abalone
Cove Shoreline Park (Abalone Cove).
BACKGROUND
Abalone Cove parking fees have not increased for over twenty years. The following chart
shows the current fees for cars, busses, senior, and disabled parking.
PARKING Current Fee
ABALONE COVE PARKING -CAR $5
ABALONE COVE PARKING -BUS $15
ABALONE COVE PARKING $5 SUMMER -SENIORS
ABALONE COVE PARKING FALL NO CHARGE TO SPRING -SENIORS
ABALONE COVE PARKING NO CHARGE DISABLED RATE
Abalone Cove parkin_g lot revenue has increased steadily in recent years as shown below:
Abalone Cove Parking Fee Revenue
FY 10-11 $46,062 Actual
FY 11-12 $59,451 Actual
FY 12-13 $67,259 Actual
FY 13-14 $117, 734 Actual
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Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Parking Fees
Date: November 4, 2014
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Abalone Cove was closed for the first few months of FY 14-15 due to construction and
improvements related to the Abalone Cove Improvement Project and improvements to the
Parking Lot and Staff building. Projected FY 14-15 parking fee revenue is $98,000. An
automated payment system has been recently installed which will allow visitors to pay at a pay
station using cash or a credit card.
DISCUSSION
Recreation staff has conducted a survey of parking rates at other public beaches and
nature/marine preserves and tide pools in California. RPV's parking fees are well below the
rates charged at other locations. The average fee for a car is $11.00. The average fee for
seniors is $10.57. Of the twenty-two surveyed agencies, six offered a reduction for seniors,
with an ov~rall average discount of $.39. Disabled fees were slightly lower, but followed the
same pattern with the fees either remaining the same or reduced modestly in most instances.
Several locations offered larger reductions for disabled visitors and only one location did not
charge any fee. The average fee for disabled visitors was $9.02. Nine agencies offered a
reduction for disabled visitors with an overall average discount of $2.39. Among agencies
that allowed busses or had a separate bus fee, the average for large buses was $59.67.
Parking Fee Survey
Bolsa Chica State Beach Flat Rate $15.00 $100.00 $14.00 $7.50
Cabrillo Beach $1.00/hr $8.00 $8.00 $8.00 $8.00
Cabrillo National Monument Flat Rate $5.00 $100.00 $2.50 Free
Coal Oil Point Flat Rate $8.00 na $8.00 $8.00
Corona Del Mar Flat Rate $15.00 na $15.00 $15.00
Crystal Cove Flat Rate $15.00 $30.00 $14.00 $7.50
Doheny Beach Flat Rate $15.00 na $14.00 $7.50
Fitzgerald Reserve Tidepools Flat Rate $6.00 $20.00 $6.00 $6.00
Gerstle Cove Tidepools Flat Rate $8.00 $100.00 $7.00 $3.50
Hermosa Beach $1.25/hr $10.00 na $10.00 $10.00
Huntington Beach $1.50/hr $12.00 $100.00 $12.00 $12.00
MacKerricher Tidepools Flat Rate $8.00 $14.00 $7.00 $4.00
Manhattan Beach $1.50/hr $12.00 na $12.00 $12.00
National Bridges Tidepools Flat Rate $10.00 na $9.00 $5.00
Point Lobos Marine Preserve Flat Rate $9.00 $100.00 $9.00 $5.00
Redondo Beach $1.50/hr $12.00 na $12.00 $12.00
San Onofre State Beach & Tide
Pools Flat Rate $15.00 na $14.00 $7.50
Santa Monica -North Beach Flat Rate $8.00 $48.00 $8.00 $8.00
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Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Parking Fees
Date: November 4, 2014
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Santa Monica -Pier $3/hr
Santa Monica -South Beach Flat Rate
Santa Monica -Central Beach Flat Rate
Torrance Beach Flat Rate
Average Discount
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
$24.00
$12.00
$8.00
$7.00
$5.00
na $24.00 $24.00
$72.00 $12.00 $12.00
$24.00 $8.00 $8.00
na $7.00 $7.00
$0.39 $2.39
$15.00 $0-5.00 $0.00
For agencies with an hourly rate, the dollar amounts for the various categories of vehicles/
visitors represent the maximum daily charge that would be imposed.
Since Abalone Cove Shoreline Park is within the City's Coastal Zone, Staff contacted the
California Coastal Commission Staff and was informed that any increases to existing public
parking fees in the Coastal Zone that exceed a 25% increase in one year or a 50% increase
in 3 years requires the approval of a Coastal Permit. While the City has the ability to issue its
own Coastal Permit for a parking fee increase, said City decision is appealable to the Coastal
Commission since Abalone Cove Shoreline Park is located in the "Appealable Area" of the
City's Coastal Zone. Raising the parking fees incrementally on an annual basis to avoid the
need for a Coastal Permit would result in multiple rate changes which could cause confusion
and consternation to residents and regular park visitors. It would take six years and four
separate rate increases to reach the above survey's $11.00 average fee. Further details of
this option are in the report's "Alternatives" section.
Recommended Approach
Staff is recommending that the City Council authorize Staff to process a Coastal Permit for a
parking fee increase from $5 to $10 for all automobiles and a fee increase from $15 to $55 for
buses. The current reduced fees for disabled and senior visitors would be eliminated.
Previously, disabled visitors were not charged and seniors were only charged during the
summer. Disabled parking spaces would still be available. The proposed changes would
align Rancho Palos Verdes parking fees with rates charged at similar locations. The
proposed Coastal Permit for the parking fee increases would be heard by the City Council at
a future duly noticed public hearing.
The following chart shows the proposed fee changes.
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Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Parking Fees
Date: November 4, 2014
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PARKING Current Fees
ABALONE COVE $5 PARKING -CAR
ABALONE COVE $15 PARKING -BUS
ABALONE COVE
SUMMER-$5
SENIORS
ABALONE COVE
FALL TO SPRING-NO CHARGE
SENIORS
ABALONE COVE NO CHARGE DISABLED RATE
Proposed New
Fees
$10
$55
$10
$10
$10
There are several justifications for this one-time increase and standardization of fees.
• First, as stated before, Abalone Cove parking fees have not been increased for over
twenty years.
• The current $5 automobile fee is only 45% of the parking survey average of $11. The
proposed increase would bring it to over 90% of the average fee. Bus fees would also
be raised to over 90% of the average fee.
• Most locations in the survey either do not charge lower rates for senior or disabled
visitors, or offer modest reductions. Charging all vehicles the same rate would bring
Abalone Cove in line with standard practice with most surveyed locations. Preferred
parking spaces would still be reserved for visitors with official disabled placards.
• Free public parking lots are available within the City's coastal zone for senior or
disabled visitors, as well as the general public, at Ocean Front Estates, Point Vicente
Interpretive Center, Pelican Cove, Terranea Resort, and Trump National Golf Club.
• Attendance at Abalone Cove has increased dramatically in recent years as evidenced
by a doubling of parking fee revenue since FY 11-12. Increased awareness of the site,
particularly through social media, has certainly been a factor in its attendance growth.
It is not possible to accurately forecast the ongoing impact of social media or an
increase in parking fees on future attendance.
• Increased part-time recreation staff presence is planned to patrol Abalone Cove's
ecological reserve and tide pool areas during the summer to help educate the public
and enforce rules at an estimated annual cost of $2,500.00.
• The City has recently made a significant fiscal investment to improve the upper portion
of the park, including the public parking lot and staff building. The increase in parking
fees will partially off-set the on-going costs for maintenance of the new improvements,
including approximately $53,000 in anticipated landscaping maintenance, irrigation and
repairs associated with the Abalone Cove Shoreline Improvement Project, $50,000 in
annual maintenance and operation costs associated with the parking lot system over
the next seven years, and additional ongoing costs for maintaining the improved
parking lot, restrooms, and staff building.
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Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Parking Fees
Date: November 4, 2014
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ALTERNATIVES
1) Recommended Option but Maintains Subsidy for Seniors and Disabled: Same as
recommended option discussed above; increases fees for automobiles to $10, but
maintains current senior and disabled subsidies.
2) 25% lncrease/3 Year Maximum 50% Increase for Cars and Busses, with
Elimination of Subsidy for Seniors and Disabled: This alternative would require
staff to initiate a public hearing process recommending an initial 20% increase of entry
fees from $5 to $6 per auto. It would eliminate current free admission for disabled
visitors and seasonal free admission for seniors (Fall-Spring). Staff would return to
Council in two years with an increase to $7.50. This option would not require a Coastal
Permit and would not be subject to an appeal to the Coastal Commission. The
Commission allows agencies to increase parking fees by 25% per year with a
maximum of 50% over a three-year period. The following chart outlines one scenario
for an incremental increase approach:
PARKING Current Year1 Year2 Year3
ABALONE COVE $5 $6 PARKING -CAR $6 $7.50
ABALONE COVE $15 $18 PARKING-BUS $18 $22.50
3) 25% lncrease/3 Year Maximum 50% Increase for Cars and Busses with
Continued Subsidies for Senior and Disabled: Same as Alternative 2, with current
parking subsidies for Senior and Disabled visitors maintained.
PARKING Current Year1 Year2 Year3
ABALONE COVE $5 $6 $6 $7.50 PARKING -CAR
ABALONE COVE $15 $18 $18 $22.50 PARKING -BUS
ABALONE COVE
PARKING $5 $5 SUMMER-$5 $5
SENIORS
ABALONE COVE
PARKING FALL TO NO CHARGE NO CHARGE NO CHARGE NO CHARGE SPRING-
SENIORS
ABALONE COVE
PARKING NO CHARGE NO CHARGE NO CHARGE NO CHARGE
DISABLED RATE
4) No Change to Current Status: Maintains the current parking fee structure.
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Abalone Cove Shoreline Park Parking Fees
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FINANCIAL IMPACT
The financial impact of these alternatives cannot be determined precisely.
• The recommended option doubles the fee from $5 to $10 which could result in a
100% increase of parking fees from the current budgeted $98,000 to $196,000,
presuming there was no accompanying decrease in attendance. The fiscal
impact of eliminating the subsidy for senior and disabled visitors would likely
further increase revenue, but the exact increase is not known.
• Approving Alternative One doubles the fee from $5 to $10 but keeps the existing
senior and disabled subsidy. This would result in a potential 100% increase of
parking fees from the current budgeted $98,000 to $196,000, presuming there
was no accompanying decrease in attendance.
• Approving Alternative Two would result in an estimated 20% increase in parking
fee revenue in year one ($117,600) with an overall 50% increase in revenue by
year three ($147,000). The fiscal impact of eliminating the subsidy for senior
and disabled visitors would increase revenue, but the exact increase is not
known.
• Approving Alternative Three would result in an estimated 20% increase in
parking fee revenue in year one ($117,600) with an overall 50% increase in
revenue by year three ($147,000).
• Approving Alternative Four would have no discernible financial impact.
CONCLUSION
Abalone Cove Parking Fees are below the norm for similar nature areas and beaches in
California and have not increased in over 20 years. Attendance and revenue figures have
increased dramatically in recent years and significant City resources have been expended at
Abalone Cove to improve the public's experiences and enjoyment of the park. Staff is
recommending a one-time increase in parking fees from $5 to $10 per vehicle as preferable to
increasing the fees a small amount, multiple times.
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