Where Can I Park? Parking Tips for Thanksgiving
Thankfully for Southern Californians, some cities have lifted select parking restrictions during the Thanksgiving holiday (and the day after).
After speaking to several city representatives, we've compiled a list of parking enforcement tips for the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday.
Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation states that certain city parking regulations are not enforced on national holidays, including Thanksgiving Day.
According to LADOT's department policy, the following parking regulations will not be enforced during national holidays, unless signs note otherwise. The LADOT has compiled and confirmed this list of parking regulation exemptions with KCET:
-Time Limit signs
-Parking meters (unless posted to include holidays)
-"No Parking" signs with specified days and times (i.e. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
-"No Stopping" with specified days and times (i.e. 7 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.; 4:00 p.m., to 6 p.m.); This includes peak hour parking restrictions.
-Preferential parking districts (unless posted to include holidays)
-Street sweeping (not enforced on Thanksgiving Day, or the day after Thanksgiving, according to LADOT)
The following will still be enforced on all days, including national holidays:
-Red zones, including bus zones.
-Yellow/white zones (on request only)
-Alleys
-Sidewalks
-Handicap zones
-"No Parking Anytime" signs (including "Tow Away, No Parking Anvtime" signs)
-"No Stopping Anytime "signs that do not refer to a specified time limit.
- All temporary "No Stopping" or "No Parking" signs
-Complaints for service, including but not limited to: blocked driveways, etc.
City of Santa Monica:
The following will not be enforced in Santa Monica, according to the Planning & Community Development department:
-Parking meters on Thanksgiving Day (exception includes meters that are enforced daily).
-Street cleaning on Thanksgiving and the Friday after Thanksgiving.
-Preferential Parking (residential and visitor permits will not be enforced on Thanksgiving Day).
Pro tip: Parking meters that are enforced daily can still be enforced on Thanksgiving, according to Eric Widstrand, acting traffic and parking manager at the city of Santa Monica.
City of Pasadena
-All parking meters will be free and parking time limits will not be enforced on Thanksgiving Day.
-Regular enforcement scheduling for metered parking will resume on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
City of San Diego
-There will be parking exemptions for parking meters, yellow commercial zones, green short-term zones, and 1-2 hour time limited parking zones. Unless otherwise noted, all other parking regulations will still be enforced by the city.
City of Long Beach
-Parking meters and signs that read "Except on Holidays" will not be enforced on Thanksgiving Day.
-Street sweeping will not be enforced on Thanksgiving Day, or the day after. (So you don't have to worry about a hefty $50 fine, as noted in the Long Beach Municipal Code.
City of Riverside
- There will be no exemptions. "Thanksgiving is a holiday and Friday is a city holiday, so enforcement typically is lighter on those days," said Phil Pitchford for the city of Riverside.
City of San Luis Obispo
- There will be no exemptions, even for street cleaning and the "No Parking 3 a.m. to 5 a.m." regulations. Meters are enforced on holidays, Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m; Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.
-In the downtown San Luis Obispo area, visitors can park in public parking structures for 75 cents an hour. The first hour is free.
City of Anaheim
-Street sweeping will not be enforced on Thanksgiving Day or Friday.
City of Santa Barbara
Parking Structures in downtown:
-Free parking in downtown structures on Thanksgiving Day. Normal rates will resume Friday.
Street Parking in Santa Barbara:
-15-, 75-, and 90-minute parking zones not enforced on Thanksgiving Day only. Street sweeping will not be enforced Thanksgiving Day and Friday.
-No parking enforcement on Thanksgiving Day.
-No street sweeping on Thanksgiving Day and Friday, Nov. 28; All other restrictions will be back in effect the day after.
Santa Barbara Waterfront Parking Lots:
-Stearns Wharf and Leadbetter Beach lots are free on Thanksgiving Day.
-Main Harbor Parking Lot and all other self-pay parking lots will follow regular hours and fees throughout the weekend.
City of Ventura
-The city is not currently scheduled to change any parking policies during the holiday shopping season according to city transportation manager Tom Mericle.
- Regularly scheduled metered parking will still remain in place.
-"We have found that this period of time is some of our highest demand, and the parking policies are in place to allow for turnover of the prime spaces along Main Street, while allowing free and convenient parking in the close parking lots to encourage spaces for holiday shoppers," explained City Transportation Manager Tom Mericle.
