Watsonville city officials have ended a short-lived paid parking pilot along Aviation Way after pushback from local businesses, removing meters just days after the program launched.
The 30-day pilot, which began earlier this week along the busy commercial strip at 45 Aviation Way, was intended to test whether paid parking could improve turnover and availability. The program charged $1 to $2 per hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and was scheduled to run through May 27.
But business owners reported a drop in customers and raised concerns that the fees would discourage visitors from stopping at the cluster of restaurants and shops, including Honeylux Coffee, Beer Mule and Slice Project.
In a statement released after the program was halted, City Manager Tamara Vides said the pilot achieved its purpose by quickly generating feedback.
“This pilot program is doing exactly what it’s intended to do. It’s giving us immediate, real-world feedback from the people who use these areas every day,” Vides said. “We heard our community clearly, and we are responding.”
The city said it observed some early improvements in parking use and turnover in both Aviation Way and downtown Watsonville, where meters remain in place. Officials will continue evaluating the downtown portion of the pilot while exploring alternative solutions for Aviation Way.
The Aviation Way test had drawn sharp criticism during this week’s City Council meeting, where business owners said the meters were already affecting foot traffic.
Brando Sencion, co-owner of Slice Project, previously told the council his business saw a “huge dip” in customers almost immediately after the meters were installed. He also said he had to pay to park while making deliveries to his own shop.
Shawd DeWitt, co-owner of Beer Mule, warned the added cost could drive customers elsewhere and force businesses to absorb new expenses, such as subsidizing employee parking.
Some council members also expressed concern about the rollout. Councilman Jimmy Dutra called the Aviation Way corridor “one of our successful areas” and said he did not want to “put a wrench in it,” while Councilman Eduardo Montesino said he had received complaints from residents and questioned the need for meters in that location.
Following the city’s decision to remove the meters, Sencion said business owners felt heard.
“We are really grateful to the city for listening and taking action so quickly,” he said in the press release. “We left the meeting feeling heard and optimistic about better solutions moving forward.”
City officials said the brief Aviation Way pilot still provided useful insights and helped open dialogue with the business community as they consider future parking strategies. Any long-term changes would require City Council approval.
