City looking to ease parking problems in Santa Cruz

Finding a parking spot in downtown Santa Cruz is easier said than done. After enough complaints the city is trying to do something about it. A parking study just released could make more spaces available for drivers.

There are some Santa Cruzans who freely admit they are guilty of stalking parking spaces, waiting for people to leave before they pounce.

“Oh hey are you leaving and their like no I’m not leaving even though they are like waiting in their car and I’m like okay,” resident Francisco Prado said.

Those who know said this three hour parking lot off pacific avenue is always full. But luck was on Prado’s side Thursday. Parking program manager Marlin Granlund said they took a parking space count during December and then again in June and quickly realized more parking is needed.

“Multi-level parking structure that’s going to help out with any type of parking supply that we have downtown. Because we are going to need new supply with these increased densities downtown,” Granlund said.

The parking lot off of Cedar and Cathcart Street, where the Santa Cruz farmers markets held is an option for a new parking structure equipped with 800 spaces. Two other options for the new structure are off Cathcart and Front Street or above the Metro Center. The city said depending on the size of the garage the project could cost about 20 million dollars and could take up to five years to build.

“They’re starting to notice more, how hard it is to find parking,” Prado said. Until then some residents say they’ll stick to biking.

“Santa Cruz is just very compact as a city. So I feel like everything is just a bike ride away,” resident Makani Speier-Brito said.

The city will hold a parking forum October 15th where professionals will discuss parking strategies.