SELF IMPROVEMENT

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Parking causes scores of headaches in Belmont Shore — for residents, visitors, business owners and workers.

Over the years, there have been many remedies on the drawing board, producing minimal solutions.

Recently, however, the Parking Commission unanimously approved a Long Beach Transit proposal for a three-month trial program to provide free bus passes to Belmont Shore employees.

The Shore's 300 businesses have about 1,400 employees, according to the Belmont Shore Residents Association's June newsletter. It quoted a recent Belmont Shore Business Association survey showing that 63 percent of the workers drive to work.

Commission Chairman Bill Lorbeer said Thursday that the the proposal for free bus passes is now in limbo.

That's because Assistant City Attorney Heather Mahood warned in a memo that Parking Commission revenues can only be spent on infrastructure or physical improvements and not on services, based on the ordinance that governs the parking district.

The proposal calls for Long Beach Transit to issue passes to Belmont Shore employees, and the city/district to pay 50 cents per ride, up to a cap of $15,000.

Mahood is scheduled to address the commission next week, according to Lorbeer, who also expressed a hope of modifying the ordinance to allow for the program.
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