Item 4 - Staff Report.Shared Parking
PREPARED BY: ERIN WALTERS/AZHAR KHAN
Associate Planner/Assistant Planner
Reviewed by: Economic Vitality Manager, Planning Manager and Community Development Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
MEETING DATE: 01/23/2019 ITEM NO: 4
DATE: JANUARY 17, 2019 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: JOEL PAULSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SUBJECT: TOWN CODE AMENDMENT APPLICATION A-18-002. PROJECT LOCATION:
TOWN WIDE. APPLICANT: TOWN OF LOS GATOS. CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 29 (ZONING REGULATIONS) OF THE TOWN CODE REGARDING SHARED PARKING.
RECOMMENDATION:
Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for approval of the amendments to Chapter 29
(Zoning Regulations) of the Town Code regarding shared parking.
CEQA:
The project is Categorically Exempt pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the Implementation
of the California Environmental Quality Act, Section 15061(b)(3), in that it can be seen with
certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed amendments to the Town Code will have
a significant effect on the environment.
FINDINGS:
As required, pursuant to the adopted Guidelines for the Implementation of the California
Environmental Quality Act, this project is Exempt, Section 15061(b)(3); and
That the amendments to Chapter 29 of the Town Code are consistent with the General Plan.
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BACKGROUND:
On February 15, 2018, the Town Council Policy Committee considered economic vitality
initiatives to streamline application processes for Town businesses. Members of the Town’s
business community attended the meeting. One of the topics discussed was shared parking
and how to make the process more streamlined and affordable for businesses.
The Town Code currently requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for alternating use of off-
street parking spaces (shared parking) in the RC, HR, R-1, RD, R-M, O, C-1, C-2, CH, LM, and CM
zones.
The Policy Committee discussed the matter and directed staff to bring forward a code
amendment to the Planning Commission and the Town Council to create an incentive for
shared parking by no longer requiring a CUP and allowing shared parking through a ministerial
permit process. Exhibit 2 contains the Policy Committee minutes for the February 15, 2018
meeting.
DISCUSSION:
A. Existing Town Code
The Town Code currently describes alternating uses (shared parking) as parking spaces
where some uses generate parking demand during the hours when the remaining uses are
closed. The Town Code currently requires alternating uses to be reviewed and approved
through the CUP process.
B. Proposed Town Code Amendments
The proposed amendments as shown in Exhibit 3 would:
• Replace the term ‘alternating uses’ with the term ‘shared parking’; and
• Allow the Community Development Director to approve shared parking through the
approval of a Shared Parking Permit; and
• Remove the CUP requirement for alternating uses from the Table of Conditional
Uses.
C. The Intent of Proposed Amendments
The intent of the proposed amendments is to streamline the review process and create an
incentive for shared parking by no longer requiring a CUP.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
D. Alternating Uses and Shared Parking
The term shared parking is not used or defined in the Town Code. The Town Code uses the
term alternating uses to describe both alternating use of parking and shared parking.
Staff recommends replacing the term alternating use with the term shared parking, which
is a commonly used term.
The Town Code [Section 29.10.145 (e)] allows alternating use of parking where some uses
generate parking demands primarily during hours when the remaining uses are closed.
This could be on the same property or on different properties.
E. Fees and Process
A CUP application requires a fee of $7,124.67 and the average processing time is between
two and four months. A discretionary CUP application requires public noticing, a public
hearing, and an appeal process.
A ministerial Shared Parking Permit, in contrast, would require a deposit of $1,000.00 to
cover time and materials and the required submittal information and documents, which
could be processed in less time than a CUP.
F. Local Jurisdictions
Most of the local jurisdictions surveyed (as shown in the table on the following page)
process shared parking through a CUP process or include the request with a discretionary
development application. The Cities of Campbell and Sunnyvale provide a ministerial
permit process for shared parking.
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DISCUSSION (continued):
G. Existing Alternating Use Conditional Use Permits
The Town has approximately 12 approved Conditional Use Permits for Alternating Uses.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
No public comments have been received as of the writing of this report.
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
SHARED PARKING PROCESS
City Ministerial
Permit Process
Fees Additional information
Campbell Yes $991.00 Tenant-by-tenant Parking
Modification Permit required
Los Gatos No $7,124.67 CUP required
Milpitas No $3,000.00 CUP required with a ‘Reciprocal
Parking Agreement’
Mountain View No $3,858.00 CUP required
Palo Alto No
N/A Parking Adjustment required as
part of a mixed use development
application
Santa Clara No $5,108.00 CUP required
Saratoga No $4,400.00 CUP required
Sunnyvale Yes $152.50 Miscellaneous Permit required
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CONCLUSION:
A. Recommendation
Based on the direction of the Town Council Policy Committee, staff recommends that the
Planning Commission review the information included in the staff report, and forward a
recommendation to the Town Council for approval. The Commission should also include
any comments or recommended changes to the draft Ordinance and the Table of
Conditional Uses in taking the following actions:
1. Make the finding 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)] (Exhibit 1);
2. Make the required finding that the amendments to the Town Code (Zoning Regulations)
regarding Shared Parking are consistent with the General Plan (Exhibit 1); and
3. Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for approval of the proposed
amendments to Chapter 29 of the Town Code regarding shared parking.
B. Alternatives
Alternatively, the Commission can:
1. Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for approval of the amendments to
Chapter 29 of the Town Code with modifications; or
2. Forward a recommendation to the Town Council for denial of the proposed
amendments to Chapter 29 of the Town Code; or
3. Continue the matter to a date certain with specific direction.
EXHIBITS:
1. Required Findings (one page)
2. Town Council Policy Committee Minutes, February 15, 2018, (three pages)
3. Draft Amendments to Chapter 29 of the Town Code (two pages)