Westwood will keep free parking after L.A. City Council rejects plan to lease garages
By Sonali Kohli
Feb. 23, 2011 10:35 a.m.
Westwood Village will keep its free parking for now, as the Los Angeles City Council voted against a proposal to lease nine Los Angeles parking garages, including one on Broxton Avenue.
The proposal was part of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to put a dent in the city’s $53 million budget deficit.
The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 in a meeting Wednesday to stop looking for a private firm to lease the garages for the next 50 years, said Paul Neuman, spokesman for councilmember Paul Koretz.
Leasing the garages would have opened up the option to increase parking fees. The Broxton garage currently provides free two-hour parking.
Koretz said the decision to vote against the lease was easy for him because introducing fees to the only free parking structure could dampen Westwood revitalization efforts.
In January, the city council heard public opinions about leasing the Broxton garage. About 150 people spoke up at the meeting.
The plan faced opposition from Westwood business owners, who said eliminating the only free parking in the Village would decrease foot traffic in the area and drive consumers to other areas.
This poses a significant issue, considering Westwood’s existing problem with retaining customers.
“It was a bad deal to do a 50-year lease when we weren’t sure the damage it would be doing to these communities,” Koretz said.
Toni Gray, vice president of the Westwood Neighborhood Council, said she felt the city council’s decision reflected the interests of community members.
“It shows what happens when a community bands together,” Gray said. “A lot of people were involved in our community and in neighboring communities.”
