Leaving your vehicle by the beach is about to get a little more expensive in one of Orange County’s cheapest places to park along the coastline.
While the maximum parking rate is slated to hit $15 a day in Seal Beach next month, the new price is still far more affordable than some other cities.
Places like Newport Beach have much higher daily rates – currently at Balboa Pier, the hourly rate is $4.10, being capped at $41.25 for the day; Corona del Mar’s parking lot charges $5.35 an hour with a $32.15 daily max.
Seal Beach’s incoming price hikes puts it on par with neighboring Huntington Beach.
Nearby OC beaches like Huntington Beach also have a $3 hour rate in city lots that maxes out at $15 a day to use a beach parking lot, while places like Bolsa Chica State Beach typically charge a $15 flat rate.
Places like Laguna Beach have a $3 hourly rate, but only allow up to 3 hours to park any vehicle.
The price hikes come after Seal Beach City Council members unanimously voted last month to raise the fee to park at city beach parking lots to a $3 minimum with a $15 cap for the day set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
Seal Beach coastline parking lots are also expected to be open to the public at all times, in which city leaders also voted for a $4 flat fee after 6 p.m.
The prior price to park your car was maxed out at $10 for five hours, costing a couple of bucks every hour.
“It brings us more in line with rates along the coast while noting that we’re still one of the lowest,” said Michael Henderson, Seal Beach’s Chief of Police at the May 27 council meeting.
This comes after Seal Beach voters last November approved a 1% sales tax hike to help pay for essential services as the city was projected to face a nearly $6 million budget deficit.
[Read: Here’s Where OC Voters Stand on Sales Tax Increases in 2024]
Raising the price at beach parking lots is projected to bring in about $320,000 annually for city coffers, according to a city staff report.
But some elected officials are raising issues with parking rates across Seal Beach.
“Our model for parking in Seal Beach is upside down,” said Councilman Nathan Steele in a Tuesday phone interview. “The cheapest parking should be done in the beach lots, we want to encourage people to park there.”
Many places around town – including on Main Street – feature free parking spaces, something that ought to be reconsidered, Steele continued.
“People with a wallet are willing to pay for parking,” Steele said, adding that visitors paying a few dollars could help boost the city’s revenue.
Meanwhile, parking is already becoming scarce in places like Seal Beach.
Earlier this year, a new state law went into effect that is aimed to make streets safer for pedestrians by prohibiting motorists from parking near any unmarked crosswalk or intersection.
[Read: Orange County Grapples With New State Parking Laws]
The law – known as daylighting – removed roughly 300 parking spots in Seal Beach this year.
At the May 27 meeting, Councilwoman Patty Senecal brought up concerns about the new resolution allowing for overnight parking despite beach lots currently open to the public until 10 p.m.
The decision to open city beach lots for public access was recommended by the California Coastal Commission, making Seal Beach one of the few cities in Orange County to offer public access at any hour for certain beach lots, which includes Laguna Beach and Newport Beach.
Senecal followed up in a Tuesday text message adding that city officials “will follow guidelines” by the state’s coastal commission “to continue to welcome our residents and visitors to our beaches.”
Similarly, Mayor Lisa Lindau also asked about the feasibility of the city’s police department enforcing overnight parking.
In response, Henderson – the city’s chief of police – said the department has launched a pilot program to track the amount of vehicles that regularly enter city beach parking lots.
The Price to Park Near the Beach
Based on a report from the California Coastal Commission, raising the rates in Seal Beach “could disproportionately affect lower-income visitors from accessing this coastal resource, as higher fees can be a barrier to recreating on the coast.”
The report continues, “Equitable coastal access and recreation opportunities for all populations has not been realized due to historic and social factors, such as discriminatory land use and economic policies and practices.”
Despite the added fee in Seal Beach, other parking rates at neighboring cities along the coast still generally charge more to leave your vehicle at a city beach lot.
Parking in places like Huntington Beach will charge $3 hourly to park your car or motorcycle with a $15 daily max.
Bolsa Chica State Beach – a three-mile stretch from Seal Beach to Huntington Beach Pier – currently charges a $20 flat fee to park your car on the weekends, dropping down to $15 during the week.
However, both Huntington Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach close off access to the public late in the evening.
Other cities like Long Beach vary when it comes to parking by the beach.
Places like the Shoreline Village charge a $2 hourly rate with a $16 maximum for the day.
Other places like Marine Park and Belmont Pier charge $2 hourly, maxing out at $20 daily.
You can contact Hugo Rios at hugo.toni.rios@gmail.com or on Twitter @hugoriosss