By Theresa-Marie Wilson

A large open space with a panoramic, bluff top view of the ocean, makes Dinosaur Caves Park an ideal venue for some of the city’s larger events, but parking that doesn’t infringe on neighboring residents has been a problem.
Following discussion, the Pismo Beach City Council did not reach a decision about staff recommended parking solutions at the popular park. Mayor Shelly Higginbotham recused herself because she lives within 500 feet of Dinosaur Caves Park.
The city acquired the 11-acre park in 1992 and worked collaboratively with members of the community to create a master plan for the open space. The Dinosaur Caves Preservation Society was formed and continues to lead the charge to raise funds to fulfill the vision laid out in that plan.
Dinosaur Caves is the most widely used of the City’s 16 parks and is home to many events including the Pacific Breezes Concert Series, Art in the Park, Easter Eggstravaganza, Taste of Pismo and the finish line of the City to the Sea Half Marathon.
“Due to the popularity of the park, there has been an increased parking demand,” said City Engineer Ben Fine. “There is a limited amount of parking at the park in the parking lot.”
Event attendees often park along neighboring streets, in particular on Cliff Avenue where approximately 18 parallel parking spaces are located on the north side of the street. Cliff Avenue is a two-way street that is only 23 feet wide, which leaves only 15 feet between the edge of the roadway and each parked car.
“Typically lanes are 11 to 12 feet wide, so with a car parked there it is limited down to one lane,” said Fine adding that it wasn’t safe for pedestrians walking down the street, which has no sidewalks.
Adding to the problem, the parking located along the south side of Cliff Avenue is not striped and cars parked perpendicular to the park are often  “hap-hazard” making for an inefficient use of the available parking.
Over the years, several residents have complained about traffic congestion and a number of “near misses” caused by the conflict of cars backing out of parking spaces lot along Cliff Avenue, according to staff.
“This is a perfect example of what we have to do for people who live here,” said Councilwoman Shelia Blake. “There are people who are adamant about eliminating parking spaces in front of their houses, and I can’t say I blame them. The information that I have received from people who live there is that they are quite agitated about the cars that park in front of their houses because it does blocked them in. It really does make them little prisoners of their own homes. You can’t feel that sorry for them because they bought a home opposite a park, but nevertheless, whatever we can do to help these people out, we should.”
Following a community workshop, staff came up with possible solutions. The first would be the construction of new entrance to the park creating 18 additional spaces. The second would involve paving and striping existing parking on Cliff, which at 90-degrees would create 85 spaces and at 45-degrees would create 60 space. The repaving proposal would dictate that Cliff become a one-way street during events. Another idea would be to prevent parking on the north side of Cliff thereby eliminating 18 spaces.
“The thought with the angled parking is to get people off the street faster and into the parking space, so that they are not holding up traffic as long” Fine said.
The angled parking, with less spaces, would also turn Cliff Avenue into a one-way street with exiting drivers having to loop around onto Water Street. “So, there are some negative impacts, if you will, to the neighborhood,” said Fine.
From a fiscal point of view, the parking lot at the entrance comes in at the lowest dollar amount at $65,000. Increased parking along Cliff Avenue comes in at $235,000 no matter what angle you slice it at. There would be an additional $50,000 in various ADA improvements including restriping handicapped parking spaces required by law and relocating signage on some of the ramps.
The council had previously approved allocating $350,000 towards parking solutions.
One couple spoke during the public comment period.
Duke and Laurie Sterling, who live on Cliff Avenue, said that several residents’ cars have been hit despite park goers often getting out of their cars to guide drivers backing out of spaces.
“We strongly ask you to support no parking on the north side off Cliff,” said Duke Sterling also noting safety issues for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Eliminating north side parking would create a bit of a snafu because parking is closed from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Dinosaur Caves on the other side of the street.
“Basically we are limiting people to what they can park in their garage if we red stripe it and don’t allow for overnight parking” said Councilman Erik Howell.
The council grappled with suggestions to eliminate parking on the north side of Cliff only the weekends or from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“I don’t want more enforcement and I don’t want overnight parking.” Councilwoman Mary Ann Reiss said.
Howell and Councilwoman Sheila Blake agreed that overnight parking in the area isn’t currently a problem and probably wouldn’t become one.
“It already is a parking area now, and so far there hasn’t been a real problem,” Blake said. “All we are talking about is 18 parking spaces that belong to people who probably can’t utilize their garage for one reason or another, and they want to park close to their house. Instead of parking in front of their house, they park across the street.”
Ultimately, council directed staff to meet with the traffic safety committee to discuss eliminating parking on the north side of Cliff and allow parking at all times on the south side of the street along the park.
“We want to figure out how we can correctly label that and don’t create a situation where the integrity of your ‘no overnight parking’ in parks maintains itself for the other parks,” said City Manager Jim Lewis.
The item will be brought back on a future agenda.