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-Editorial
In a move that has been met with relief and optimism among local business owners, the Calexico City Council has decided to suspend parking meter collection “until further notice.” This decision comes as a direct response to the growing concerns voiced by merchants who have experienced a significant decline in business following recent modifications to parking meter rates and operational hours.
At the Oct. 2nd Calexico City Council meeting, several merchants attended the meeting to ask the council for support as they have been struggling with the parking meter modifications.
“Downtown businesses are seeing a dramatic drop in revenue,” said Robert Gronich, owner of Garlan’s. “As an example, Garlan’s was up year-over-year in revenue until the parking fees were increased. Since then, we’ve been down for three straight months. This is also reducing sales tax revenue for the city and cutting jobs in downtown Calexico. We can still turn this around for the holidays, but we need City Council support.”
On behalf of the Calexico Business Improvement District (BID), Gronich made several key recommendations to the City Council aimed at reversing the negative impact of the recent parking fee increase on downtown businesses. The BID recommended immediately rescinding the parking meter increase and returning fees to their previous rates. Additionally, the BID proposed that the City of Calexico and the BID release a joint statement to publicize the cancellation of the meter hike and raise awareness.
To further support downtown businesses during the holiday season, the BID suggested suspending parking meter fees altogether between November 1 and December 31, encouraging more traffic and commerce in the area. Gronich emphasized that these steps were essential for helping businesses recover from the losses sustained over the last three months and ensuring their success during the most critical time of the year.
Parking Meter Modification
Back in March 2024, the City Council enacted a resolution that dramatically altered the parking meter landscape in downtown Calexico. The new regulations raised the parking meter rate from 25 cents for 30 minutes to 25 cents for just 12 minutes, effective from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Additionally, parking fines were increased by 10%. City officials argued that the adjustments were essential to align with inflation rates and to generate necessary funds for vital public services, including the hiring of four part-time traffic controllers and the reinstatement of a Business Liaison Officer.
Despite these intentions, the changes have drawn sharp criticism from local shoppers and business owners alike, who expressed fears that the increased rates and extended enforcement hours would deter customers from visiting downtown.
The downtown district of Calexico, which boasts 565 metered parking spots, relies heavily on these meters to regulate parking availability near local businesses. The meters are designed to prevent long-term parking, particularly by individuals crossing into Mexico, thereby ensuring that parking spaces remain available for potential customers. The city had also implemented a two-hour maximum parking limit with a fee of $1.00 to encourage turnover and improve accessibility for shoppers.
However, the financial realities of maintaining a robust traffic enforcement system have placed the city in a difficult position. Currently, parking meter and fine revenues amount to approximately $275,000 and $204,000 annually, respectively. Unfortunately, this total falls short of the $900,000 annual budget required for traffic enforcement—a $421,000 gap that has largely been filled by the police department’s general fund, which is increasingly strained.
In light of the mounting pressure from the business community and the potential for further decline in downtown foot traffic, the City Council has opted to suspend parking meter collection. This decision aims to alleviate the burden on local merchants while the council reevaluates the parking policies and their impact on the downtown economy.
