The Isla Vista Self Governance Initiative held a meeting Tuesday evening in the Isla Vista Clinic building to discuss how best to implement a survey to assess parking needs in I.V.

The meeting focused on the types of information that will be needed from the survey to create a viable parking program, including questions pertaining to how long cars are parked and why residents have cars in I.V. The CSD will appoint $30,000 to create an initial parking survey and use $200,000 from UCSB to create the parking program.

Spencer Brandt / Daily Nexus

Spencer Brandt / Daily Nexus

According to Isla Vista business owner Jay Freeman, it is important to focus on and question the demographic of who uses parking in I.V. and ask “what kinds of people are parking their car and at what time of the day.”

Ken Masuda, a volunteer with Assemblymember Das Williams’s office, said she believes a system centered on street blocks will help organize which residents can park in certain locations.

“The other part is if we can do it by area, then that would be really good,” Masuda said. “I am thinking about blocks, so we can see where the people who we don’t want to have parking are concentrated and in what certain area. We could then implement a parking program in that area, only for those blocks and the residents on those blocks.”

David Lackey, Santa Barbara County Planning and Development staff member, said the parking program’s effect on coastal access is vital to its success in the community.

“When creating the parking program, you want to have some updated coastal access survey data,” Lackey said. “The Coastal Commission — what they are going to be looking at in permit issues is if what you are proposing will have any type of impact to any coastal success users.”

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Spencer Brandt / Daily Nexus

Lackey said the information from the survey revealed most beach-goers are local residents who walk to the beach and do not use parking.

“Surprising, the data we got was certainly favorable and the majority of the users either walked or lived within the community,” Lackey said. “A very small percentage came out of the community and parked there.”

According to Lackey, since the program is time-sensitive, receiving up-to-date information is key to its success.

“Based on the timing, you would want to have any additional information that is current. There should be some statistical results,” Lackey said.

Jonathan Abboud, Santa Barbara City College trustee and UCSB alumnus, said students can help gather spatial data for the department by asking I.V. residents if they have cars.

“I know we have discussed using students to help,” Abboud said. “It would get answers to many of our questions and be effective in gathering all of the data.”

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