Del Mar could gain up to 41 parking spaces near the beach if a plan to convert two streets to one-way traffic moves forward.
The City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 6, directed staff to study whether converting Stratford Court and Ocean Avenue to one-way streets between 13th and 15th streets would work, The Coast News reported. One-way traffic would free curb space on both sides of each street for parking.
The council also approved $48,625 for Encinitas-based engineering firm Dudek to study stormwater flooding on Coast Boulevard and waived emergency permit fees for property owners preparing for El Niño storms.
Parking shuffle on Stratford Court and Ocean Avenue
Staff recommended removing 14 parking spaces from the east side of Stratford Court between 12th and 13th streets. Vehicles parked on both sides of the narrow road create hazards for cyclists and pedestrians and block residents' driveways.
On Ocean Avenue between 13th Street and Seagrove Park, staff proposed shifting parking from the west side to the east side, adding six spaces because fewer driveways line that stretch.
Councilmember Dan Quirk asked whether cutting spaces could draw a challenge from the California Coastal Commission over public beach access. Principal Planner Amanda Lee said the commission typically stays out of local parking decisions when safety is the reason.
"The Coastal Commission generally defers to the local agency on traffic circulation and parking – particularly related to public safety," Lee said.
Deputy Mayor John Spelich proposed approving the Stratford Court changes and directing staff to study the one-way option. The council approved both parking actions in separate votes.
City Manager Ashley Jones said additional studies are needed before any one-way conversion. She also noted the Fire Department discourages speed humps and similar traffic-calming devices on one-way streets because they slow fire engines.
Storm prep and Dudek contract
At the same meeting, the council authorized a $48,625 task order with Dudek, plus a $6,375 contingency, to analyze stormwater infrastructure along Coast Boulevard. The item passed on the consent agenda without discussion, according to the city's Oct. 6 meeting agenda.
The city has formed an El Niño Task Force that meets weekly. It includes representatives from Public Works, Planning and Community Development, Community Services, the Fire Department and the Sheriff's Department.
Staff described expanding sand-berm construction at beach-end streets. The city is still waiting for Southern California Edison and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to set a date for dredging the San Dieguito Lagoon. The council declared a local emergency over sand buildup in the lagoon on Sept. 22, asking the Corps to raise the per-event dredging limit from 16,000 to 50,000 cubic yards.
Spelich moved to waive emergency permit fees for property owners seeking to protect their homes ahead of the storms. The motion passed unanimously.
As we reported Oct. 12, the council also introduced an ordinance lowering speed limits on eight road segments, including portions of Camino Del Mar and Jimmy Durante Boulevard. A second reading is scheduled for the council's Tuesday, Oct. 20, meeting.
