SR-10-B (7)
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Santa HO:i1l.ca, Ca11.fornia, February 24, 1978
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and Clty CounCll
Clty Staff
Recommended Change in Restaurant Parklng
lOB
MAR 1 4 1978
Introductlon
ThlS report transmits the Plannlng Commisslon's recommendatlon
that the present parklng requlrement for restaurants be changed
to requlre one space per flve seats rather than one space per
300 sq. ft. of floor area.
Background
In 1977 the Plannlng Commlsslon submltted a recommendatlon to
the Clty Councll that the parklng requlrernent for restaurants
be changed from the present one space per 300 sq. ft. to one
space per flve seats. Under the present Ordlnance restaurants
have the same parklng requlrements as retall stores and offlce
allowlng any commerclal buildlng to convert to a restaurant
wlthout providing addltlonal parklng regardless of the lncreased
demand WhlCh may be generated. For thlS reason, the Plannlng
COffiIDlsslon had urged the adoptlon of a more reallstlc requlre-
ment.
Actlon on the Commlsslonls recommendatlon was deferred by the
City Councll out of concern for the effect lt ffilght have on
small "store front restaurants" where lncreased parklng was
lmpossible.
JoB
MAR 1 4 1978
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Mayor and Clty Councll
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February 24, 1978
The matter was returned to the Plannlng Commlsslon where attempts
were made to develop a ''slldlng scale" or other requlrement with-
out success, the varlOUS alternatives all contalning the same
dlfflcultles ln appllcation. Dependlng upon the type and style
of operation, eatlng establlshments generate elther hlgh or low
parklng demands not always dlrectly related to Slze or floor
area. Whlle "store front" restaurants generally cater to cllentele
wlthln the lmmedlate area, this does not unlversally hold true
and sltuatlons eXlst where hlgh trafflc generatlon can be anticl-
pated. The Plannlng Commlssion is therefore convlnced that a
parklng requlrement based on seatlng capacity 1S the most equita-
ble and reasonable and belleves lt lS better zoning practlce to
establish this standard and let those sltuations not able to meet
the requlrement seek rellef through the Varlance procedure where-
by they would have an opportunlty to prove thelr case.
Alternatives
Sectlon 9149 of the Munlclpal Code provldes that the City Councll
may enact all or any portion of the recommendatlons of the Plan-
n1ng Commlsslon. The Councll may, therefore, act favorably upon
the recommendation by dlrecting the Clty Attorney to prepare the
necessary amendment or may reject the Cornmisslon1s recornmendatlon
by falllng to take such actlon.
Recornmendatlon
It 1S respectfully recommended that the Clty Councll act favor-
ably upon the Planning Commisslon's recommendatlon by dlrectlng
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Mayor and C~ty Counc~l
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February 24, 1978
the City Attorney to prepare an ordlnance 1ncorporat1ng the
proposed amendment and return it for further cons~derat1on 1n
the usual course of procedure.
Prepared by: James Lunsford
JL:bt
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FINDINGS AND REcom1ENDATIONS OF THE
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF SANTA MONICA ON A PROPOSED AMEND-
MENT RELATING TO RESTAURANT PARKING.
WHEREAS the City Planning Comm1ssion of the C1ty of Santa Monlca
has prevlously considered and held a Public Hearing on a proposed
amendment to the Santa !'l.on1ca t-1unlc1pal Code relat1ng to requlred
parking for restaurants; and,
WHEREAS the Santa Monlca C1ty Council has requested that the Plan-
ning Commisslon reevaluate its recommendation wlth a Vlew toward
establ1sh1ng a parklng requirement for restaurants WhlCh would
accommodate smaller "store-front" restaurants while requ1rlng
adequate parking for larger eating places; and,
WHEREAS the Planning Commisslon has reconsldered alternatlves to
the previous recommendation, the Commission hereby flnds as fol-
lows:
1. A parking requlrement for restaurants of one space
per five seats 1S a more realistlc and practical require-
ment than the present one space per 300 sq. ft. of floor
area.
2. Under the present requirement any commercial bUllding
may be converted from a retall or office use to a restau-
rant without providlng addltional off-street park1ng ir-
respectlve of any lncreased parklng demand generated.
3. Evaluation of poss1ble alternatives to provlde relief
for small "store-front!! or "ne1ghborhood-type" restaurants
has not eliclted a workable formula Wh1Ch could reallstlcally
be applled by reason of there be1ng no conslstent relation-
Sh1p between seat numbers and traff1C generation. One
restaurant, although small-size, may attract automobile
traffic from the entire Bay Area whereas a slmilar slzed
~nst1tutlon may serve drop-ln cllentele from the irnmed1ate
nelghborhood only.
4. Good zoning practice appears to dictate the establlsh-
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