HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmailed Comment from Ellery Deaton1
Brandon DeCriscio
From:Gloria Harper
Sent:Monday, April 13, 2026 7:38 AM
To:Brandon DeCriscio
Subject:Fwd: An Apology and a Correction
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Flagged
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Ellery Deaton <ellerydeaton@gmail.com>
Date: April 12, 2026 at 9:05:52 PM PDT
To: Lisa Landau <LLandau@sealbeachca.gov>, Ben Wong <bwong@sealbeachca.gov>,
Patty Senecal <psenecal@sealbeachca.gov>, Nathan Steele
<NSteele@sealbeachca.gov>, Joe Kalmick <jkalmick@sealbeachca.gov>, Michael
Henderson <MHenderson@sealbeachca.gov>, Patrick Gallegos
<PGallegos@sealbeachca.gov>, Gloria Harper <gharper@sealbeachca.gov>
Cc: editor2@sunnews.org, tsears@voiceofoc.org, letters@ocregister.com, Shawn Steel
<ShawnSteel@shawnsteel.com>
Subject: An Apology and a Correction
Dear Councilmembers:
I must apologize for saying the paid parking language was slipped
in. It was not. What actually happened is more troubling: the old
paid parking code from 2002 was left in place even after the City
reversed course and decided not to install Main Street meters in
2004.*
The history matters. In September 2002, the City adopted parking
meter zones for Main Street, Ocean, Central, and Electric. In 2004,
the Council unanimously overturned the Main Street meter
decision. The policy was reversed, but the old code language
remained.
That same conclusion was reached again in 2024. The Parking
Committee voted 5–3 against recommending paid parking on Main
Street, and Julie Dixon’s survey documented that businesses,
residents, and visitors did not want paid parking on Main.
2
This is now the second time in more than two decades that the
documented will of the community has been clear, and yet this
modernization of the code still carries forward language the City
itself already rejected.
This town has generously passed two tax initiatives to help add
money to the city's coffers. All we have asked is that you leave our
Main Street alone.
What you have before you is a modernization of the parking code. It
is time to get it right. Please remove the old paid parking code from
this modernization of the Municipal Code so the law finally reflects
the documented policy reversal and will of the town.
Respectfully,
Ellery Deaton
562-743-4355
I will be unable to attend the meeting so please put this in the
record as my comments.
*The Coastal Commission conditions were so severe the Council reversed
their decision and did not go forward.
Sources and Documentation
Seal Beach Municipal Code, Title 8, Chapter 8.15, § 8.15.105, “Parking Meter Zones” — references the “City of Seal Beach Parking Meter Zone
Map” dated September 23, 2002, and includes Main Street, Ocean Avenue, Central Avenue, and Electric Avenue.
Los Angeles Times, September 23, 2002, “Seal Beach Fears Meters Mean Charm Is Expiring.”
Los Angeles Times, February 8, 2003, “Seal Beach Parking Meter Plan Idled.”
California Coastal Commission Staff Report, dated December 29, 2003, for January 2004 hearing, regarding City of Seal Beach parking meter
proposal.
Los Angeles Times, February 15, 2004, “Time Is About to Expire on Free Parking in Seal Beach …”
Los Angeles Times, March 26, 2004, “Seal Beach’s Downtown Will Retain Free Parking.”
Sun Newspaper, February 8, 2024, “Committee: No paid parking on Main Street.”
Sun Newspaper, June 5, 2024, “City Council receives Parking Committee recommendations.”
Sun Newspaper, October 19, 2023, “Parking committee discusses survey.”
Sun Newspaper, December 7, 2023, “Parking survey: no need to change.”
Seal Beach city webpage, “Main Street Parking.”