Agenda Item: 10(g)
Prepared By: Mary P. Holden, Planning Manager
Business: Discussion - Parking Requirements
Department: Community Affairs/Growth Management
Subject:
Title
DISCUSSION - Regarding Parking Requirements for Existing Commercial Space - Mary P. Holden, Planning Manager, Community Affairs/Growth Management
Body
BACKGROUND:
Staff spends a lot of time on commercial land use (CLU) verification (business licenses) for businesses going into existing commercial spaces. In order to receive a CLU there needs to be enough parking for the existing businesses along with the proposed business going into the space and the site is compliant with the approved site development plan (SDP). The owner of the property needs to provide a current, approved SDP and a list of business uses, square footage of the space/number of seats if a restaurant, which is known as a parking matrix. Upon receipt of the information, it is reviewed for compliance. The bulk of time spent by Staff is helping the property owner find an approved SDP, followed by review of the SDP for compliance with our codes or the codes at the time of approval. When a site is not compliant with the codes, we work with the owner/applicant to bring it into compliance. If the site cannot be brought into compliance, then the space remains vacant.
The primary stumbling block for business locating on the island is achieving the parking within existing commercial spaces. While parking availability is much discussed, Staff would like to place the responsibility of providing enough parking on the owners of the properties and the businesses. This would accomplish a few things such as free up much needed Staff time to focus on other projects; not have vacant lease space; and put the responsibility on the owner and not the City.
To that end, we have attached a marked-up draft of the section of code that could be amended that would eliminate the requirement for parking when going into existing commercial spa...
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