Submitted by John Tato
Anyone who regularly drives, bikes, or walks through Coronado has experienced the same problem: vehicles parked so close to intersections that they block the view of approaching traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians. Drivers often must edge into an intersection before they can see whether another vehicle is coming, while pedestrians, especially children, can remain hidden until they step into the street.
California law generally prohibits parking within 20 feet of the approach side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection [Editor’s note: this is due to Assembly Bill 413, the “daylighting law”]. Because virtually every intersection has legal crosswalks, whether they are marked or not, this law applies at most street corners in Coronado. The purpose is simple: maintain clear sight lines so motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians can see one another before entering the intersection. Yet violations are common throughout the city, and enforcement appears to be infrequent. The city should make aggressive enforcement of this important safety law a priority. Ensuring public safety is not a popularity contest.
At the same time, Coronado should address one of the underlying causes of neighborhood parking shortages. Many homes have garages and driveways designed to accommodate vehicles, yet garages are often used primarily for storage, ad hoc gyms, and workshops forcing additional vehicles onto already crowded streets.
Several California cities have adopted ordinances requiring that the off-street parking spaces required by zoning remain available and usable for vehicle parking. Coronado should adopt a similar ordinance to ensure that garages and other required parking spaces continue to serve the purpose for which they were approved.
The city council should also reconsider its current code enforcement policy. Today, Coronado’s Code Enforcement Division generally responds only to written complaints. While that approach conserves resources, it places the burden of enforcement almost entirely on residents and allows many violations affecting public safety to go unaddressed.
Instead, the Council should authorize proactive enforcement. Code enforcement officers should identify apparent violations while performing their normal duties, just as police officers routinely observe and enforce traffic laws during patrol. Any inspections beyond what is visible from public areas should, of course, continue to comply with California law and constitutional protections. A proactive approach would improve compliance while reducing the need for neighbors to report one another.
These two initiatives complement each other. Ensuring that required off-street parking remains available would reduce demand for scarce curb parking. At the same time, aggressive enforcement of the 20-foot intersection parking restriction would improve visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, reducing the risk of collisions and injuries.
This is not merely a parking issue. It is a public safety issue. Better sight lines at intersections save lives, and making full use of existing off-street parking reduces congestion without constructing a single new parking space.
Coronado has long taken pride in protecting its neighborhoods and quality of life. By adopting a strong off-street parking ordinance, changing its code enforcement policy to permit proactive enforcement, and vigorously enforcing existing intersection parking restrictions, the city council can make our streets safer while improving the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
John Tato
