A recent meeting with Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors (LACODBH) prompted the need to put together some helpful reminders concerning parking needs and Lifeguard assignments at Los Angeles County Beaches and Marina Del Rey:
- Arrangements for Los Angeles County parking lots must be made with Modern Parking, Inc. (MPI) 2-3 days prior to the first film date/load-in to the parking lot. After Film/L.A. verifies availability and no double bookings, contact MPI at 310.821.1081.
- Payment arrangements must be made with MPI directly at least one (1) business day prior (and before 4 ‘o clock PM) for parking lot(s) use.
- For 20 spaces or less, Film companies may pay upon entry, without prior arrangements, but this does not allow in and out privileges to the lots. Only normal sized vehicles are allowed. No large sized trucks. Must comply with posted signs and times.
- The parking information given to FilmL.A. must match the information on the parking contract with MPI. Information that does not match will delay the finalization of the MPI parking contract.
- Los Angeles County parking lots are not automatically staffed with parking attendants. For production requests, LACODBH will require a parking attendant to manage the kiosk and hand out distinct parking receipts. Receipts will be marked either for “production” or for the “public” who use the parking lot. The parking attendant is not exclusively for production use only.
- Zuma Beach Parking lot #12 at Trancas: The chain located at lot #12 is to address safety issues on Pacific Coast Highway. For production parking use, a parking attendant and a traffic officer will be required.
Effective September 2015, lot #12 will be unavailable intermittently due to construction. Availability is contingent on construction schedule. - On a pilot basis, LACODBH is willing to allow production to take up to 80% of the spaces during winter months, and up to 50% of the spaces during peak season, at the Dockweiler, Will Rogers and Zuma parking lots. With the exception of the Venice lots where only 25% of the lot is authorized, all remaining lots will allow production to take up to 65% of the spaces during winter months and 50% of the spaces during peak season.
- Lifeguards and LACODBH Maintenance Division require a 24-hour notice for hiring purposes. The Lifeguards require a 4-hour minimum hire and 24-hour notice for cancellations. A County Lifeguard is required for any filming that occurs on a beach, dock or parking lot after hours (2200- 0600 hours). There is an 8-hour minimum for all after hours filming. Lifeguard fees quoted upon assignment are estimated. In most cases an Ocean Lifeguard Specialist (OLS) is hired, but the assignment is based on availability; it could be a lesser or a higher ranking Lifeguard that is assigned. This impacts the rate per hour that production is charged.
- The use of Lifeguard Towers will only be allowed if the towers are not staffed with Lifeguard Personnel. Towers may not be used in any way that would harm the image of Los Angeles County or its Lifeguards and cannot be identifiable as a Los Angeles County Lifeguard Tower.
- For a list of Specific Beach Conditions and General Parking Guidelines, please visit Area Requirements.
Should you have questions about filming at L.A. County Beaches, or for answers to general production related questions, please feel free to contact FilmL.A. at 213.977.8600.