Morro Bay’s long-discussed paid parking program is now in effect, with fees implemented March 1 at the launch ramp parking lot at the end of the Embarcadero near Tidelands Park.
The new fees apply only to that lot; parking at the smaller lot near Tidelands Park remains free, Mayor Carla Wixom told New Times in an email.
“This is a pilot project, nothing set in stone,” she said during a Jan. 27 Morro Bay City Council meeting.
The program applies to 55 single-stall spaces and costs $5 plus a $0.35 transaction fee for a 24-hour period. Payment is available by kiosk, text, or through the Park Smarter mobile app.
The City Council approved the change in January following recommendations from the Harbor Advisory Board as part of a broader effort to improve parking availability, reduce misuse, and generate revenue for harbor maintenance.
“Paid parking at the launch ramp will increase space availability and reduce parking impacts from patrons who can park in other areas for free,” Harbor Vitality Director Chris Munson said in a Jan. 21 staff report. “These include boating passengers who drive separately, boat owners parking more than one car, and day users who don’t have a preference regarding where they park.”
Munson noted that the lot can get overcrowded during peak times.
“During summer months, weekends, and special events, the single stalls are impacted heavily by extra vehicles attending boats, paddle craft, and park users,” Munson wrote.
The city has also shifted to a license plate-based system intended to simplify payment and enforcement.
“There will be no printouts to display,” Munson said. “Harbor Patrol will be able to look up the license plates on a mobile phone to see if a parking pass was purchased.”
Annual passes are available as physical stickers that can be displayed in vehicle windshields.
“The paid program at the launch ramp will provide a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t and can be used to create a future paid parking program at the Rock parking lot,” Munson said. “Once expanded, improvements such as vehicle plate readers and additional machines can be explored.”
Community members have expressed frustration with the new payment requirement.
“Just drove down there, … saw a man park in front of the bathroom, use the facility, and then leave after,” Morro Bay resident Sally M. wrote in a March 10 Nextdoor comment. “He did not pay. There should be short-term parking for free in front of the bathroom for goodness sake!”
She added that she often goes to the lot to photograph birds and doesn’t want to pay $5 for 10 minutes of her time.
Another resident suggested free parking passes be made available for Morro Bay residents.
“The city attorney has stated that it could not be limited to Morro Bay residents only because of established legal precedent, but a reduced annual pass rate for everyone is an option,” Munson said. “At the current rate of $175, someone would need to use it more than 35 times a year to be cost effective.”
Being caught not paying for a pass will result in a $60 fine, according to council documents. ∆
This article appears in Spring Arts Annual 2026.