Public Lot Opens to Ease Parking Squeeze

Usually reserved City Councilman Mike Feuer is telling his Studio City constituents--business owners, employees and shop patrons--to park it. In the new city-funded public parking lot, that is.

The newly opened lot at 12229 1/2 Ventura Blvd., across from Art’s Deli, has 66 parking spaces--38 with four-hour meters and 28 with 10-hour meters--said Sharon Mayer, Feuer’s chief Valley field deputy.

At the bargain rate of a quarter an hour, employees, restaurant-goers and shoppers can park near Studio City’s commercial corridor without bothering area residents, many of whom have special permit parking. The maximum meter charge--even for the 10-hour meters--is $1.

“This is the first step in trying to address the public parking needs in Studio City,” Mayer said. “On this site, we’re hoping to eventually build a parking structure that would have about 300 spaces.”

Although the “Public Parking” signs have not yet arrived, Mayer said the lot has been open for about a week.

Studio City has long been identified as lacking adequate public parking. “One of the many sources of contention all along to businesses--especially in Studio City--has been the absence of public parking,” Feuer said.

A little more than $2.1 million of city parking-meter revenue paid for the parking lot, including purchasing the land, dismantling the building that was on site, resurfacing the plot and installing the meters.

Polly Ward, vice president of the Studio City Residents Assn., was pleased with the addition of the lot, but said the proposed garage would be even better.

“We need parking very, very badly in Studio City,” she said.