Letter to the Editor: Is the City of Santa Barbara Double-Dipping on Parking Fees/Fines?

By Pam Wilson | Published on 02.07.2012

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Two hours after parking in the Leadbetter parking lot, following our lunch and a stroll on the beach, we were stunned to find a ticket on our windshield in the amount of $48. Reading the citation, we were really perplexed.

For too many years to count, you park in this lot and you pay when you leave for the time you parked. Just like the lots at Garden Street on the beach. Just like the downtown lots, except you get 75 minutes free.

Why on Earth did we get a ticket, and for such an exorbitant amount? Lose your ticket downtown, or park all day, it’s no more than $20 — not more than double that.

To add insult to injury, we left the lot and had to pay again to exit the lot. Isn’t this double-dipping for the City of Santa Barbara? The city Waterfront Department is a department of the city. Same umbrella. Still the city. Why are they (effectively) charging twice for the same place?

I have gone to the café at Leadbetter Beach for many, many years. I have parked in the parking lot, parked in the front row hundreds of times, then dutifully paid the exit fee. I did not notice, nor did I see any new warning signage indicating a change, that there are now 90-minute parking spots in that lot along the front row. When you park in the same place for a very long time, if there is a change, there ought to be some warning of it. I’ve not read about this, nor heard anything about when this change occurred — and why.

Pam Wilson
Santa Barbara

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