Paid parking resumes in Monterey as businesses reopen.

One perk of pandemic times is coming to an end in Monterey as of today, June 1: free parking.

Meters, kiosks and the city's garages are back in operation. City parking officers have been issuing courtesy notices instead of tickets since last Wednesday in lots and commercial on-street parking areas, but that's coming to an end. Tomorrow those notices will be replaced by tickets—higher priced ones, at that, since fines were set to increase June 1.

The week the county's shelter-in-place order and the state's stay-at-home order were implemented in March, cities and counties all over California suspended parking enforcement in part to keep workers safe from contracting Covid-19.

With everyone ordered to stay at home, the thinking was there would be fewer people using parking except for essential services. Now that businesses are reopening the need to free up spots to keep the flow of customers coming throughout the day means that enforcement is back as well.

"While public health remains the primary concern, we are carefully reopening our parking division to support the local economic recovery of our city and businesses," said Parking Superintendent Cristie Steffy in a press release.

Temporary suspension of residential neighborhood enforcement remains in effect until shelter-in-place orders are lifted.

In addition, parking fees are going up as of today after Monterey City Council approved the city's administrative citation and parking violation fine schedule on March 3. For example, parking in a red zone was a $100 fine previously, that’s increasing to $125. Fees for violating parking meters are also increasing, from $35 to $48. 

City parking officials are encouraging people who are able to upload the city’s ParkMobile parking app to pay fees for no contact with meters or kiosks.

Carmel also resumed its parking enforcement of timed parking spots on Saturday, with a goal of freeing up spaces for businesses relying on customers.

“This is increasingly important due to a number of spaces being used for outdoor dining purposes,” City Administrator Chip Rerig’s Friday newsletter said.