The City Council on Tuesday, May 27, unanimously authorized new parking rates in Seal Beach’s beach lots. The new beach lot rate will be $3 an hour during the day in each lot. The city will keep the flat rate of $4 after 6 p.m. The council accepted the conditions of the California Coastal Commission’s approval and authorized staff to submit all documents required by the CCC.
The current rate is $2 an hour.
This was originally a Consent Calendar item, but was pulled for separate consideration.
“On October 9, 2023 the City Council authorized staff to prepare and submit Coastal Development Permit (CDP) applications to raise beach parking lot rates from $2.00 per hour ($10 daily maximum, $4 flat after 6 p.m.) to $3.00 per hour with a $15 daily maximum while retaining the $4 evening flat fee,” according to the staff report prepared by Capt. Nick Nicholas, of the SBPD Support Services Bureau.
“The objectives were to close a widening gap between operating costs and Tidelands revenue, to keep Seal Beach rates aligned with neighboring coastal agencies, and to support turnover that improves public coastal access,” Nicholas wrote.
“The City Council requested that, upon approval by the Coastal Commission, the proposed rates come back to the City Council for final approval before being implemented,” Nicholas wrote.
“For many months, City staff and California Coastal Commission (CCC) South Coast analysts collaboratively addressed public-access equity, environmental justice concerns, legacy unpermitted devices, and precise signage language,” Nicholas wrote.
“This constructive engagement forged a strong, trust-based relationship; CCC staff have referred to Seal Beach as a “model applicant,” benefiting future coastal initiatives,” Nicholas wrote.
The Coastal Commission approved the coastal development permit for the beach parking rates on May 7, 2025.
Parking licenses
“As the Council may know, the City has provided a parking license to two oil platforms, DCOR and CRC, to allow their employees to park in the 10th Street lot for purposes of using the pier’s boat ramp,” Nicholas wrote.
“These historical licenses for parking and use of the boat ramp have been in place for several decades. However, the Coastal Commission has alleged that these parking licenses constitute ‘development’ for purposes of the Coastal Act and require a Coastal Development Permit,” Nicholas wrote.
“CRC’s license has expired and CRC has been using the 10th Street lot on a month-to-month basis. Staff informed the Coastal Commission that it would not be renewing the CRC license after June 30, 2025. The DCOR license, which was recently re-approved by the City Council in 2024, remains in effect. The Coastal Commission staff report indicates that the Commission’s enforcement staff may investigate this matter at a future time,” Nicholas wrote.
