Negotiators for the Coastal Commission, the city of Los Angeles and Mark Ryavec’s “Venice Stakeholders Association” have reached a tentative agreement on a lawsuit concerning the Coastal Commission’s right to regulate overnight parking in Venice, according to Beachhead sources. Details of the closed-door negotiations have not been released. However, the Beachhead has learned that they most likely include housed residents being able to petition to ban “over-height” vehicles from their blocks from 2am – 6am. The height and length restrictions would likely be 22 feet long or 84 inches high, which would effectively prohibit RVs from parking. Housed residents could purchase a permit.

Another element of the settlement would be taking three parking lots away from general overnight parking and reserving them for RVs. The three lots would be at Rose and Main, Windward and Pacific and in the center divider on Venice Blvd. at Pacific. The three lots would accommodate 52 vehicles. They would most likely be fee parking. North Beach residents protested against losing the Rose Avenue lot when overnight parking districts (OPDs) were being considered a year ago. Parking is difficult to find in this area which is mostly walk streets.

There may also be a fall-back agreement to allow OPDs (or one parking district for all of Venice) if the over-height restrictions do not work to the parties’ satisfaction.

In anticipation of the settlement, Assembly member Ted Lieu’s bill, AB2228 (see last month’s Beachhead), has been dropped. A Lieu representative, Jennifer Zivkovic, said that because of the settlement, the bill “was no longer needed.”

Councilmember Bill Rosendahl told the Beachhead he hasn’t seen the settlement yet, since he is not personally a party to the suit.

Venetians would have ample time to protest such a tentative settlement. It would have to be ratified by the Los Angeles City Council and be the subject of a hearing before the Coastal Commission. In addition, opponents of the settlement would be free to sue.