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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-08-22; Parking Management Plan and Associated Studies Update (District 1); Murphy, JeffCouncil Memo -Parking Management Plan and Associated Studies Update (District 1} August 22, 2024 Page 3 • Utilization of parking and curb space for ridesharing (Uber, Lyft, etc.) and delivery vehicles may support changes to existing curb restrictions. While no definable trends or behaviors are currently identified in the data collected, demand for short-duration parking for services like these will be an important component of a comprehensive PMP. Staff plan to continue to monitor curb space usage and adjust as necessary based on available data. • While the PMP parking strategies remain generally appropriate, staff have identified an opportunity to increase transparency and streamline implementation by adding "parking strategy" and "action item" alphanumeric identifiers and "responsible department" information to the Parking Management Strategies table (Attachment D}. To increase clarity, strategies that have been completed or are no longer valid due to regulatory changes are shown in strikethrough notation. This additional information will allow the community and City Council to more precisely refer to implementation actions and to identify the lead department when questions arise about individual action items. A stand-alone cleanup City Council action item is not necessary to incorporate and/or implement the clarifications discussed above. Rather, staff intends to continue to monitor development activity, legislative trends and parking behavior as documented in future parking surveys to determine when conditions have sufficiently changed to inform new or amended parking strategies or to warrant an update of the PMP itself. With this report out, Task 2 will be concluded. Task 2: Update the Village & Barrio Master Plan Related to Parking Concurrent with the review of the PMP, the team conducted a focused review of the Village & Barrio Master Plan for updates to programs and standards related to parking and other right-of- way uses, such as curb/sidewalk cafes. While the team concluded that a comprehensive update of the PMP was not necessary at this time, there are some changes in the Village & Barrio Master Plan that are warranted. These parking-related changes will be combined with other separately initiated changes to the Village & Barrio Master Plan, consolidated into one package and brought forward to the Planning Commission and City Council for consideration in 2025. Task 3: Update the Existing Parking In-lieu Fee Program Due to the passage of AB 2097 in 2022, programs like in -lieu parking fees can no longer be enforced within one-half mile of the Carlsbad Village Coaster Station. No action is required on the part of the city; AB 2097 is in effect for the relevant properties without subsequent city action. The parking in-lieu fee program, as designed, has collected only a fraction of funds necessary to construct a shared parking structure since its establishment in 1995. As originally envisioned, contributions from numerous participants and the city would be needed to fund construction and maintenance of a parking structure. This fact, combined with the ability of existing parking assets to accommodate demand, continues to support the PM P's recommendation to use the funds for either shared or leased parking opportunities instead of for property acquisition or construction of new parking. Task 3 is the development of options for the city to conclude the existing parking in-lieu fee program and identify options for expenditure of previously collected funds, consistent with Council Memo -Parking Management Plan and Associated Studies Update (District 1) August 22, 2024 Page 4 program objectives and the Mitigation Fee Act. The consultant, staff and City Attorney's Office have conducted historical research, identified case-study precedents and developed preliminary cours,es of action for consideration by the City Council. Staff anticipates presenting the options to the City Council by the end of this fiscal year. Task 5: Update to the Right-of-Way Use Permit Fees Task 5 is the development of options and recommended amendments to the city's existing right- of-way use permit fee program for curb cafes and the development of a new right-of-way use permit fee for sidewalk cafes. The consultant is finalizing the fee analysis and staff anticipates presenting the recommendations to the City Council later this year. Public Engagement On July 9, 2024, Community Development, Economic Development and Police Department staff attended the Carlsbad Village Association's Village Voices meeting at the New Village Arts Center to provide an update on many of the efforts summarized above. Topics discussed included the following: • Future status of the Oak Street Maintenance Yard as a potential location for future parking for Village employees, visitors and/or customers. • Ensuring that any future paid parking program considers financial impacts on minimum- and low-wage employees. • Investigating a "reserved parking" program for employees or customers of Village businesses. • Pursuing an outreach program to educate and promote awareness of existing parking resources in the Village to address the perception of limited parking options. • Learning more from the Carlsbad Village Association when they conclude their analysis on the potential for a future business improvement district or parking district. Community Development, Public Works, Police and Economic Development Department staff will continue to work with stakeholders on these and other ideas as implementation of the various PMP parking strategies progresses. Next Steps The Task 5 Right-of-Way Use Fee analysis is expected to be concluded in late summer/early fall, which will be shared with the Carlsbad Village Association and interested downtown businesses, including the businesses who currently operate either a curb cafe and/or sidewalk cafe. This discussion will focus primarily on fee amounts, calculation methodology and comparison of Carlsbad fees to other coastal cities in the region. After gathering their feedback, the results will be shared with the City Council later this calendar year. Task 3 Parking In-Lieu Fee options will be shared with the City Council by the end of this fiscal year. The Community Development Department has completed the selection of a consultant to conduct the 2024 Village, Barrio and Beach Area parking survey and the fieldwork will be completed before Council Memo -Parking Management Plan and Associated Studies Update (District 1) August 22, 2024 Page 5 Labor Day weekend. While the long-term goal is for parking surveys to be conducted every other year, the switch will be dependent on City Council and California Coastal Commission approval of the associated text amendments to the Village & Barrio Master Plan. Until that time, parking survey funding requests will be included annually as part ofthe Community Development Department budget. The Community Development, Public Works, Economic Development and Police Departments will continue to implement the PMP and monitor trends for opportunities to further refine the PMP. Staff will also continue to monitor state legislation for parking-related requirements and opportunities and report to the City Council as appropriate. Attachment: A. Council Memorandum dated February 16, 2023, on file with City Clerk's Office (https://records.carlsbadca.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=6394477&dbid=0&r epo=CityofCarlsbad ) B. Council Memorandum dated January 4, 2024, on file with City Clerk's Office (https://records.carlsbadca.gov/Weblink/DocView.aspx?id=7200113&dbid=0&r epo=CityofCarlsbad) C. Informational Bulletin 18-131 D. Parking Management Strategies Table, Revised cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager Cindie McMahon, City Attorney Allegra Frost, Senior Assistant City Attorney Tom Frank, City Engineer/Transportation Director Mike Strong, Assistant Director Eric Lardy, City Planner Nathan Schmidt, Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager Lt. Alonso DeVelasco, Police John Kim, City Traffic Engineer Matt Sanford, Economic Development Manager Curtis Jackson, Real Estate Manager Robert Efird, Principal Planner Shelley Glennon, Associate Planner Community Development Department | 1635 Faraday Ave. | Carlsbad, CA 92008 | www.carlsbadca.gov AB 2097 PARKING REQUIREMENTS IB-131 This bulletin provides an overview of the restrictions imposed by the state legislature under AB 2097 on the city’s ability to require minimum parking standards on certain private development projects. BACKGROUND Most cities, including Carlsbad, have historically required that new residential and commercial development provide onsite parking spaces to sufficiently accommodate occupants and customers and reduce impacts to neighboring land uses. The commonly applied parking standard is formula based, where the minimum number of required parking spaces is dependent upon the size and type of use being built. For example, Carlsbad requires one parking space for every 100 square feet of restaurant space, two parking spaces for each apartment unit with two or more bedrooms, and so on. Based largely on a body of academic research regarding the potential impacts minimum parking ratios have on car ownership, vehicle miles traveled, and use of public transit, the state legislature passed AB 2097, which added Government Code §65863.2, that effectively eliminates parking requirements in new residential and commercial developments when located within a half-mile of a major transit stop. According to the Assembly Floor Analysis on AB 2097, the study found that in buildings with no on-site parking, only 38% of households owned a car, but in buildings with at least one parking space per unit, the study found that more than 81% of households owned automobiles. As such, by eliminating parking minimums in new development, the state legislature figures that fewer households will rely on the automobile for transportation. Developers could still voluntarily provide onsite parking (and many likely will), but the number of parking spaces provided will be based on builder preference and market demand, not by city-established minimum parking standards. The state legislature’s intent with this action, which is effective January 1, 2023, is that it will help drive down construction costs, reduce vehicle traffic, increase public transit ridership, and promote walkable and bikeable communities so people can get around without a car, which will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change. NEW STATE LIMITS ON PARKING AREAS AFFECTED Pursuant to Government Code §65863.2(a), a city cannot impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirements on a residential, commercial, or other development project (except for hotels, motels, short- term rentals, or other transient lodging --- city parking standards still apply to those) if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit. The state defines public transit as a “major transit stop,” containing any one of the following: •Fixed rail station •Bus rapid transit stop •high-quality transit corridor included in a regional transportation plan •Intersection of two or more major bus routes were buses stop every 15 minutes or less during peak commute periods Documents Referenced Carlsbad Village Station Eligible Parcels; Map Poinsettia Station Eligible Parcels; Map Carlsbad Housing (Element) Plan; IB-137 2021-2029 Housing Element; Plan Carlsbad Parking Standards; §21.44 EV Charging Station Requirements; §18.22 EV Charging Permit Streamlining; IB-165 Density Bonus; IB-112 Supportive Housing Defined; §21.04.355.1 Transitional Housing Defined; §21.04.362 CA Coastal Commission Memo; Policy Attachment C {city of Carlsbad Informational Bulletin Page 2 of 3 IB-131_AB 2097 Parking Limits (Feb. 2024) The city does not have any high-quality transit corridors per SANDAG’s 2021 Regional Transportation Plan. And North County Transit District’s Breeze bus system, does not meet the bus stop requirements and therefore does not qualify. Currently, there are only two locations in the city that meet the definition of public transit --- Carlsbad Village Station and Poinsettia Station. Maps have been provided showing those parcels that are subject to §65863.2. See “Documents Referenced” above. In cases where only a portion of the project site is located within one-half mile of a major transit stop, the following standards must be met in order to be eligible. • At least 75% of the total project site is located within one-half mile of a major transit stop; and • At least 90% of the proposed residential units, or 100 units or more, whichever is less, are located one-half mile of a major transit stop. Projects failing to meet these requirements do not qualify for the allowances under §65863.2 and must meet current city parking standards. EV CHARGING & ADA PARKING Irrespective of proximity to public transit, state law allows the city to continue to apply minimum parking standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as well as required parking spaces accessible to persons with disabilities (ADA). • For EV stations, the required number of EV parking spaces for residential projects is provided in Table 4.106.4.3.1 of Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC) §18.21.040. For nonresidential projects, EV parking space requirements are provided in Table 5.106.5.3.3 of CMC §18.21.050. The parking requirement is based on the total number of actual parking spaces that would have otherwise applied to the development if the state code section did not exist. Refer to IB-165 for an overview of the city’s streamlining provisions and alternative standards for EV charging stations. • For ADA parking, the city applies the standards set forth in Chapter 1109A (multifamily) and Chapter 11B (commercial) of Title 24, Volume 1 of the 2023 CA Building Code. Like EV spaces, the total number of ADA spaces is based on the total number of actual parking spaces that would have otherwise applied to the development. EXEMPTIONS The city may apply its minimum parking standards to a proposed project if it makes written findings that failure to impose parking standards will result in one of the following to occur. • Hinders the city’s ability to meet its share of low- and very low-income housing. Refer to IB-137 for more on the city’s Housing Element and Regional Housing Needs Assessment requirements. • Hinders the city’s ability to meet any special housing needs for elderly or persons with disability. Refer to the city’s 2021-2029 Housing Element for more information. • The proposed “housing development project” will negatively impact existing residential or commercial parking that is located within one-half mile of the project. The state defines a “housing development project” as either: o A 100% residential development; or o Mixed-use development where at least 2/3 of the project is designed for residential use; or IB-131_AB 2097 Parking Limits (Feb. 2024) Page 3 of 3 o Project includes transitional housing or supportive housing. The city exemption determination must be supported by a preponderance of the evidence in the record showing that not imposing or enforcing minimum parking standards would have a substantially negative impact on the above referenced development. The exemption finding must be made by the city within 30 days following receipt of a completed application. EXCEPTIONS TO THE EXEMPTIONS Government Code §65863.2(c) provides a list of specific project types that are not subject to the above exemption provisions. In other words, the city cannot impose minimum parking standards on the following housing development projects, irrespective of whether the above discussed exemption findings can be made. • The housing development project contains fewer than 20 housing units. • The housing development project dedicates a minimum of 20% of the total housing units to very low-, low-, or moderate-income households, students, elderly, or persons with disabilities. • The housing development project is subject to parking reductions based on the provisions of any other applicable law. As an example, the proposed development is a density bonus project, which offers reduced parking standards for development projects. Please refer to IB-112 for more on density bonus law. PARKING SPACES PROVIDED VOLUNTARILY When a project voluntarily provides parking, the city is limited to only imposing the following parking requirements: • The city may require that the voluntary parking spaces meet established minimum location and design standards. • If a project voluntarily provides parking spaces, the city can require that the spaces be available to the public. • If a project voluntarily provides parking spaces, the city can require that a parking fee be charged to residents or customers for use. Conversely, the city cannot require that the voluntarily provided parking spaces be offered to the residents or customers free of charge. PROPERTIES IN THE COASTAL ZONE Development in the Coastal Zone requires a Costal Development Permit consistent with Carlsbad Municipal Code (CMC) Chapter 21.201. Following adoption of AB 2097, the California Coastal Commission released on June 30, 2023 a memorandum discussing how the Commission and local governments can impose other types of conditions in these areas to ensure projects and Local Coastal Programs (LCPs) are consistent with the public access and recreation policies of the Coastal Act (Chapter 3) and certified LCPs. These other types of conditions may assist the city in making the necessary findings to approve required Coastal Development Permits (§21.201.080(C)). YOUR OPTIONS FOR SERVICE Questions pertaining to this state law, please contact the Planning Division at 442-339-2600 or via email at Planning@CarlsbadCA.gov.