Foothill Extension riders eager to find morning parking around the Azusa Downtown Station will have to look elsewhere with the adoption of time-restricted parking zones.
The adoption of the time-restricted parking zones at the May 2 meeting allows for three-hour parking limits within the two zones for non-residents, while residents will eventually be able to apply for unrestricted permits.
Boundaries for Zone I run from Eleventh Street to the north, Foothill Boulevard to the south, Soldano Avenue to the east and Angeleno Avenue to the west.
Boundaries for Zone II run from Foothill Boulevard to the north, sixth Street to the south, Soldano Avenue to the east and Angeleno Avenue to the west.
Parking restrictions will last Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The city will issue warnings to Gold Line riders during a 60-day grace period while new signage is created and installed and while staff develops and implements the permit program.
Azusa found it necessary to adopt parking restrictions after a multitude of residents complained about Gold Line riders parking in their neighborhoods, making it difficult to park in front of their own homes.
Downtown businesses, which offer limited parking, were also being affected, said Azusa City Engineer and City Planner Daniel Bobadilla.
Azusa staff and staff with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been working on details to possibly lease out some of the 145 spaces within the Azusa Downtown Station to Gold Line that are reserved for city employees to alleviate the parking issues, said Azusa City Manager Troy Butzlaff.
Azusa may also offer their city yard at Tenth Street and Vernon Avenue and at a remote site near Citrus Crossing for Gold Line riders, Butzlaff said.
Azusa Council member Edward Alvarez said he was approached by residents asking why neighborhoods around the Citrus/APU Station were not being considered yet. Butzlaff said the city and Metro want to work out the details of the possible leasing program and remote parking sites before implementing additional permit parking.
The Azusa Downtown structure also has 200 parking spaces reserved for Foothill Transit which most go unoccupied, according to Alvarez.
The city may reach out to Foothill Transit to discuss possibly leasing out some of their spaces too.
