Westfield Offers Free Parking in Response to Complaints

Westfield Corp. has suspended its paid meter parking at the Village at Westfield Topanga shopping mall in Woodland Hills due to problems with the meters’ software, company officials said in a statement. The developer has received ample complaints from shoppers and tenants regarding the mall’s parking situation. A congested parking structure and broken meters often lead those complaints, as reported by the Daily News. Westfield said in a statement that repairs have been ordered, and the meters will be re-implemented once the problems have been addressed. A timeline was not given. “We have had challenges with the pay stations malfunctioning as well as with visibility of their locations. As such, we have deactivated the metered parking from the 90 minute surface lots until we can remedy the issues and make the experience more convenient and seamless for our shoppers,” Westfield said in a statement. The meter suspensions come just two months after the opening of the 550,000-square-foot outdoor mall, which connects the Westfield Topanga and Westfield Promenade indoor malls. The paid parking meters, complimentary until further notice, cover the mall’s open lots; parking within the structure, which can accommodate up to 1,600 vehicles, is free only for the first hour. “The intention with the short-term parking is to accommodate customers who elect to park in close proximity for a brief in-and-out visit of 90 minutes or less,” the company said in a statement.