Desk Item
PREPARED BY: MONICA RENN
Economic Vitality Manager
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Reviewed by: N/A Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Finance
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N:\SHARE\COUNCIL REPORTS\2016\10-04-16\08 Seats to Parking\Desk Item.docx 10/4/2016 4:05 PM JP
MEETING DATE: 10/04/16
ITEM NO: 8
DESK ITEM
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: October 4, 2016
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ADOPT AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF
LOS GATOS AMENDING SECTION 29.10.150 OF CHAPTER 29 OF THE
LOS GATOS TOWN CODE TO REVISE THE REQUIRED PARKING
REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS.
REMARKS:
Staff has prepared a presentation for this evening’s Town Council meeting that breaks down and
further simplifies the information provided in staff report. Attachment 7 included the slides
prepared for staff’s presentation. Additional verbal remarks will be included during the
presentation to further explain some of the complexities being considered.
Attachments (previously received with October 4, 2016 Staff Report):
1. Staff report prepared for the January 13, 2016 Planning Commission meeting
2. Verbatim minutes from the January 13, 2016 Planning Commission meeting
3. Staff report prepared for the March 16, 2016 Planning Commission meeting
4. Verbatim minutes from the March 16, 2016 Planning Commission meeting
5. Expanded chart of seating calculations as requested by the Planning Commission at its
March 16, 2016 meeting
6. Draft ordinance to Section 29.10.150 with amendments reflecting the removal of seats
allowed per parking decoupling of seats and parking.
Attachment received with this Desk Item:
7. Presentation materials for the Town Council meeting
Town Council Meeting
October 4, 2016
PARKING REQUIREMENTS & SEATING
CAPACITIES FOR RESTAURANTS
In October 2015 the Council identified an interest in making the
regulation process for businesses more streamlined and less
expensive.
Seating capacities in restaurants was identified as one area for
consideration.
Council discussed decoupling seats in December 2015 and made a
motion to present options and amended Ordinance language to the
Planning Commission.
Planning Commission met in January and March to discuss.
The Commission recommended decoupling seats and using square
footage to determine seats, and increasing parking requirements for
restaurants.
Commercial buildings provide parking spaces based on square
footage.
Retail requirements are:
Downtown: 1 parking space per 300 square feet
Outside of Downtown: 1 parking space per 235 square feet.
When a business applies for a CUP to become a restaurant, the
maximum number of seats is calculated based on the number
of parking spaces assigned to the proposed location.
Those businesses located in the former PAD may have
purchased additional credits, allowing additional seats.
1,800 SF Commercial Space - Considers gross square footage of
the entire space to calculate parking requirements and seats
Downtown
1,800 SF 300 SF/space = 6 parking spaces
Restaurant without a separate bar
4 seats per parking space x 6 parking spaces = 24 seats
Restaurant with a separate bar
3 seats per parking space x 6 parking spaces = 18 seats
Outside of Downtown
1,800 SF 235 SF/space = 7.7 parking spaces
Restaurant: 3 seats per parking space x 7.7 parking spaces = 23 seats
Decouple parking and seats
Use 150 SF to calculate parking requirements for restaurants
Consider the range of square footages discussed during the
Planning Commission meetings to calculate seats, including
40 SF and 22 SF
Square footage calculation should not exceed fire occupancy
1,800 SF Restaurant Space
PLANNING COMMISSION’S RECCOMENDATION
Town -Wide
1,800 SF 150 SF/parking space = 12 parking spaces
Outside of Downtown
1,800 SF 235 SF/parking space = 7.7 parking spaces
Downtown
1,800 SF 300 SF/parking space = 6 parking spaces
CURRENT PARKING REQUIRMENTS
1,800 SF Commercial
Space with 1,000 SF
of Dining Area
•Considers the gross square footage of 1,800 SF to calculate parking requirements
and 1,000 SF of dining room square footage to calculate seats.
•Regardless of Town provisions, the Fire Department determines maximum fire
occupancy for every business.
•If maximum fire occupancy exceeds a specific threshold, an annual permit is
required by the fire department which includes regular inspections.
1000 40 = 25 seats
1000 22 = 45 seats
1000 15 = 67 seats
Should the Town decouple seat capacities and parking
requirements ?
Should the Town amend the parking requirements for
restaurants?
How should the Town regulate restaurant seats?
Seats based on parking spaces 1,000 1,800 2,300 3,000
4 seats per 1 space: C-2 calculation w/o separate bar 13 24 31 40
3 seats per 1 space: C-2 with separate bar 10 18 23 30
3 seats per 1 space - Outside of downtown 13 23 29 38
Seats based on square footage of the dining area 1,000 1,800 2,300 3,000
Fire Code occupancy- about 1 seat per 15 sq. ft. 67 120 153 200
1 seat per 22 sq. ft. 45 82 105 136
1 seat per 25 sq. ft. 40 72 92 120
1 seat per 35 sq. ft. 29 51 66 86
1 seat per 40 sq. ft. 25 45 58 75
1 seat per 50 sq. ft. 20 36 46 60
1 seat per 75 sq. ft. 13 24 31 40
1 seat per 100 sq. ft. 10 18 23 30
1 seat per 150 sq. ft. 7 12 15 20
Parking space calculations based on square footage 1,000 1,800 2,300 3,000
Downtown: 1 space per 300 sq. ft. 3.33 6 7.67 10
Outside of Downtown: 1 space per 235 sq. ft. 4.26 7.66 9.79 12.77
1 space per 150 sq. ft. 6.67 12 15.33 20