RANCHO SANTA FE — Parking in Rancho Santa Fe is often difficult. The village was developed at a time when little or no off-street parking was required, making it a very pedestrian-oriented commercial center. The unique aesthetic character that makes the village so appealing, however, also resulted in an endemic parking shortage, which the Association recognizes.

To help tackle some of these problems, the Association’s Planning Committee recently conducted a Village Parking Survey. Associate Planner Elizabeth Avalon presented its findings to the board of directors recently. “We find that the more things change, the more they stay the same,” Avalon said.

Similar parking studies by the Association have been conducted since 1990 to discover whether parking patterns have changed and also to determine the effectiveness of existing timed parking programs along Paseo Delicias and Via de Santa Fe.

“This was an extended 14-street study,” Avalon said. “We wanted to consider any changes that may improve parking availability in the village.”

The daily vacancy rate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. was 22 percent. This was in line with the vacancy rates for studies conducted since 1990, which were also 22 percent, and an improvement from the 2004 and 2006 studies, when vacancies were at a low of 16 and 20 percent, respectively.

During peak hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., vacancies are at 13 percent, which meets the requirements for effective parking supply and is very close to the 1990 to 2008 average of 12 percent.

All-day parkers tend to be employees rather than customers. Therefore, vehicles parked all day in prime spaces reduce the availability of convenient parking for customers visiting businesses in the village. Although time-limited parking zones have helped improve turnover on Paseo Delicias, all-day parkers are now placing a greater burden on periphery streets within the study area. Some residents living near the village have taken it upon themselves to paint curbs near their houses green in an attempt to prevent employees from parking near their residences for long stretches of time.

Avalon and the Planning Committee proposed the removal of all unofficial green curbs in the Rancho Santa Fe Village. Also proposed was the removal of the one-hour timed parking from the west side of Via de Santa Fe between Paseo Delicias and La Flecha. The committee also recommended the addition of a two-hour timed parking zone on the north side of El Tordo between Avenida de Acacias and the curb in front of the building located at 6030 El Tordo.

The recommendations, however, were met with resistance. “Before we change the one-hour parking, we should notify the merchants and shop owners,” said Steve Shillington, board director. “This will affect the viability of their businesses. We only voted on this last year. What do they have to say about this?”

One such merchant is Tim Cusac, owner of Caffe Positano and the Sandwich Shoppe in the village. “I wasn’t aware of the survey, but I’m always grateful for the Association to keep me in the loop,” Cusac said. “We have similar views on small businesses in the village — not just for the sake of business but a broader objective to make the village a better place.”

The parking recommendations were put on hold until merchants and others could be notified of potential changes. The Planning Committee will take their remarks under consideration.