HomeMy WebLinkAbout101-Staff Report.pdf
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: January 7, 2009 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: Community Development CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: John F. Livingstone, AICP DIRECTOR: John F. Livingstone, AICP
SUBJECT: Review of Parking Code Section 15-35.020(k) which relaxed parking requirements in
the Village from March 1, 2006 to February 28, 2009
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review report and direct Staff accordingly on the following options:
1. Allow the code section to expire and remain in the code
2. Allow the code section to expire and amend the code to remove the section
3. Amend the City Code to extend the time period and/or modify the existing section
REPORT SUMMARY:
In January 2006 the City Council approved an ordinance temporarily relaxing parking
requirements in the Village until February 28, 2009. The ordinance provided that projects in the
Village developed before February 28, 2009 would not be required to provide parking. A copy
of the code section adopted by the ordinance is included as Attachment 1. Staff requests that the
City Council discuss that ordinance and provide direction based on one of the options listed
above.
DISCUSSION:
Since the inception of the relaxed parking standards there have been ten projects eligible for the
benefit (see attachment #4). Of these projects five have been built and or implemented, one is in
the building plan check process, and four are still outstanding.
A Village parking study was conducted in July 2002 (see attachment #2) that showed parking
demand highest during lunch and dinner hours and that Parking lots 1, 2 and 4 were used the
most. However, during all times, additional parking capacity existed in the Village. Based on
this it was felt that modifying parking standards might create new business activity in the Village
and assist with filling in any vacant store fronts.
In 2008 a new Parking Study was conducted by Fehr and Peers (Attachment #3) that shows
parking is still available at peak times in the parking districts. Parking districts #2 and #4 are
near capacity during the evening peak hours between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm and parking district
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Page 2 of 2
#1 is at 80% and parking district #3 is at 50% during the peak hours in those districts between
3:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The first option stated above which allows the existing ordinance to expire and remain in the
code would have no fiscal impact. It is not necessary to remove the applicable code section
because its terms make clear that it no longer applies. The second option would result in a more
streamlined code by removing the outdated reference and would require a minor amount of staff
time to process the code amendment ordinance. The third option (to extend the ordinance
beyond its current expiration date) would require environmental review, and public hearings
with the Planning Commission and City Council.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
Discussed above.
FOLLOW UP ACTION:
If the third option is selected staff will commence work to extend the ordinance immediately.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
This meeting was noticed in the Saratoga News and individual notices were sent to both business
and property owners in the Village along Big Basin Way.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Current Parking Ordinance Section 15-35.020 (k)
2. 2002 Village Parking Study by Fehr & Peers
3. 2008 Village Parking Study by Fehr & Peers (includes map of parking district)
4. Parking surplus table