Attachment 3TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: March 16, 2016
PREPARED BY:
APPLICATION NO:
LOCATION:
APPLICANT:
APPLICATION
SUMMARY:
RECOMMENDATION:
CEQA:
FINDINGS:
ACTION:
EXHIBITS:
BACKGROUND:
Monica Renn, Economic Vitality Manager
mrenn ?Iosi&atosca.gov
Town Code Amendment Application A-15-005
Town Wide
Town of Los Gatos
ITEM NO: 2
Consider adoption of amendments to Section 29.10.150 of Chapter 29
(Zoning Regulations) of the Town Code to revise the parking
requirements for restaurants.
Forward to Town Council with a recommendation for adoption.
It has been determined that there is no possibility that this project will
have a significant impact on the environment; therefore, the project is
not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act [Section
15061 (b)(3)].
The Planning Commission must make a finding that the Code
amendments are consistent with the General Plan if the
recommendation is for adoption.
Recommendation to Town Council.
Previously received with January 13, 2016 Staff Report:
1. December 15, 2015 Town Council Meeting Verbatim Minutes
2. December 15, 2015 Town Council Staff Report
3. December 15, 2015 Town Council Addendum Report
4. Draft Town Code Amendments
Previously received with January 13, 2016 Desk Item:
5. Public Comment
6. Public Comment received regarding October 6, 2015 Town
Council Meeting
The Planning Commission began discussing this topic at their January 13, 2016 meeting.
Following their discussion the item was continued to a special meeting on March 16, 2016 with
direction to have staff provide additional information.
Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 2
Restaurant Parking Ordinance /A-15-005
March 16, 2016
The Council has asked the Planning Commission for a recommendation on the following:
1. Should the Town Code be amended to unlink seating from parking requirements for
restaurants?
2. If so, what metric should the Town use to regulate seating capacities in restaurants?
a. Seats based on square footage;
b. Seats based on Fire Code occupancy; or
c. Some other metric.
DISCUSSION:
At their January 13, 2016 meeting the Commission requested that staff provide greater public
notification that this item was being discussed and provide information regarding existing
restaurants in Town. These requests are discussed below.
Additional Outreach
Staff reached out to the Los Gatos Weekly and requested that they provide coverage on this
topic. An announcement was included in the March 4, 2016 edition of the Weekly Times.
Additionally, staff will post information on other media outlets including What's New,
Faccbook, and Next Door to provide additional notification to the community.
Information on Other Restaurant Spaces
Staff had hoped to compile a number of samples as requested by the Planning Commission.
Unfortunately, staff resources and challenges with Laserfiche data proved to be more challenging
than expected and has not been provided with this report. Staff will try to compile data samples
to provide to the Planning Commission prior to the meeting.
Traffic Impacts
Traffic concerns were raised at the Commission's last meeting. Staff has evaluated potential
traffic impacts that may be associated with allowing the potential for some restaurants to increase
their seating. After evaluating ITE data for restaurants staff has determined that modifying the
Code to allow a calculation for seats based on square footage will not create any additional traffic
impact if the ratio is one seat per 40 square feet or greater.
Calculation Options
Seating calculation methods most widely used in the State of California include maximum Fire
Code occupancy, seats per parking space, seats per square footage, or some combination of the
three. Many jurisdictions that use a method other than maximum Fire Code occupancy have
different seating allowances for their Downtown establishments and other commercial zones.
Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 3
Restaurant Parking Ordinance IA-15-005
March 16, 2016
Separating parking requirements from seats would not change the number of parking spaces
buildings are required to maintain to meet the square footage calculations governed by Section
29.10.150. For those properties located within the former Parking Assessment Districts that
purchased extra spaces within the district, they would still maintain their full parking inventory.
The only difference is that seats would be regulated by Fire and Building Code or some other
metric such as square footage.
CEQA DETERMINATION:
The project is exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines under the
General Rule [Section 15061 (b) (3)] because it can be seen with certainty that the proposed
Town Code amendments will have no significant negative effect on the environment.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
A. Conclusion
Staff has provided some limited additional information in this report for the Commission's
continued discussion on this matter.
The Planning Commission raised concerns regarding stairs recommendation of using Fire Code
to determine seating for restaurants at the last meeting. Staff recommends the Commission
continue their discussion of other potential options for regulating seating for restaurants.
The following questions may help the Commission focus their continued discussion of this
matter.
1. Should the Town Code be amended to unlink seating from parking requirements for
restaurants?
2. If so, what metric should the Town use to regulate seating capacities in restaurants?
a. Seats based on square footage;
b. Seats based on Fire Code occupancy; or
c. Some other metric.
B. Recommendation
For the reasons discussed in this report and the report that was previously received, staff
recommends that the Planning Commission continue their discussion and forward the draft Town
Code amendments to the Town Council with a recommendation for adoption.
The Commission should also include any comments or recommended changes to the draft Town
Code amendments in taking the following actions:
1. Find that there is no possibility that this project will have a significant impact on the
environment; therefore the project is not subject to the California Environmental Quality
Act [Section 15061 (b) (3).].
Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 4
Restaurant Parking Ordinance /A-15-005
March 16, 2016
2. Make the required finding that the Town Code (Zoning Regulations) Amendments are
consistent with the General Plan; and
3. Forward a recommendation to Town Council for adoption of the amendments to the
Town Code (Exhibit 4).
ALTERNATIVES:
Altematively, the Planning Commission may:
1. Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for adoption of the Town Code
amendments with modifications; or
2. Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for denial of the Town Code
amendments.
prepared by:
Monica Renn
Economic Vitality Manager
proved by:
Joel Paulson, AICP
Interim Community Development Director
N:`,DEV\PC REPORTS12016Aestaurant Prking Ord Special Meeting 3-16-16 [A-I5-005).docx
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: March 16, 2016
PREPARED BY: Monica Renn, Economic Vitality Manager
mrenncaIosgatosca.gov
APPLICATION NO: Town Code Amendment Application A- 5-005
LOCATION: Town Wide
APPLICANT: Town of Los Gatos
ITEM NO: 2
DESK ITEM
APPLICATION
SUMMARY: Consider adoption of amendments to Section 29.10.150 of Chapter 29
(Zoning Regulations) of the Town Code to revise the parking
requirements for restaurants.
RECOMMENDATION: Forward to Town Council with a recommendation for adoption.
CEQA:
FINDINGS:
It has been determined that there is no possibility that this project will
have a significant impact on the environment; therefore, the project is
not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act [Section
15061 (b)(3)].
The Planning Commission must make a finding that the Code
amendments are consistent with the General Plan if the
recommendation is for adoption.
ACTION: Recommendation to Town Council.
EXHIBITS:
Previously received with January 13, 2016 Staff Report:
I . December 15, 2015 Town Council Meeting Verbatim Minutes
2. December 15, 2015 Town Council Staff Report
3. December 15, 2015 Town Council Addendum Report
4. Draft Town Code Amendments
Previously received with January 13, 2016 Desk Item:
5. Public Comment
6. Public Comment received regarding October 6, 2015 Town
Council Meeting
Received with this Desk Item:
7. Sample Data for Ten Existing Restaurants (one page)
Planning Commission Staff Report - Page 2
Restaurant Parking Ordinance /A-15-005
March 16, 2016
REMARKS:
The attached table (Exhibit 7) contains data regarding ten existing restaurants. The first five
samples are for restaurants outside of Downtown and the last five are from Downtown. Staff
will be available to answer questions regarding this information at tonight's meeting.
Pr pared by:
Monica Renn
Economic Vitality Manager
approved by:
4oel Paulson, AICP
Community Development Director
N:\DEV\PC REPORTS12016\Restaurant Parking Ord Special Meeting 3-16-16Desk.docx
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