title
CC - ACTION ITEM: Adoption of an Ordinance Approving a City-Initiated Zoning Code Amendment, Amending Title 17: Zoning Code of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) as it Relates to Minimum Required Off-Street Parking, Automated Parking/Parking Stackers, Bicycle Parking, and Loading (Project).
body
Meeting Date: October 24, 2022
Contact Person/Dept: Gabriela Silva, Associate Planner;
Andrea Fleck, Planning Technician;
Erika Ramirez, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5736 / (310) 253-5737 / (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No []
Commission Name: Planning Commission Date: August 24, 2022
Public Notification: (Published) in Culver City News (09/22/2022); (Posted) City website (09/22/2022); (Email) Public Notifications - City Council (09/22/2022), Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/19/2022)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (10/19/2022)
______________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt an Ordinance approving Zoning Code Amendment P2022-0234-ZCA, amending Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC), Title 17: Zoning Code, relating to off-street parking, bicycle parking and loading, and adopting an exemption pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15061(b)(3).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
At the City Council meeting of October 10, 2022, the City Council by a vote of 3 to 2 introduced the proposed Ordinance approving Zoning Code Amendment P2022-0234-ZCA, amending various portions of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC), Title 17 - Zoning (Zoning Code), including, but not limited to, Chapter 17.320 - Off-street Parking and Loading, Section 17.220.035 - Commercial Downtown (CD) District Requirements, and Chapter 17.610 - Non-conforming Uses, Structures, and Parcels, in order to eliminate minimum required parking and revise standards for automated parking/parking stackers, bicycle parking, and loading. The proposed Ordinance is now presented for adoption by the City Council.
Over the past few years, the City has been advancing several sustainability, mobility and transportation strategies related to off-street parking, including revisions to the Zoning Code reflective of changes in mobility trends and technology advancements. In addition, City parking policies have evolved toward requiring less parking, concentrating parking at key public areas, sharing parking among uses and in general downsizing the parking footprint in new development in favor of encouraging alternative modes of transit.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed Zoning Code Amendment (P2022-0234-ZCA) is considered exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), Common Sense Exemption, because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the Project to amend the Zoning Code will have a significant effect on the environment. The Project, by itself, does not result in any physical changes in the environment because it will only amend the Zoning Code to eliminate the requirement for a minimum amount of off-street parking but continues to allow the provision of such parking and provides for more robust and appropriate bicycle parking and loading requirements. In addition, the Zoning Code Amendment allows for administrative review of parking stackers and automated parking while still requiring the same technical studies and analysis as the current Zoning Code requirements. As such, the Project does not result in changes to existing land use, density, or an intensification of development beyond what the Zoning Code currently allows.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
The proposed Zoning Code Amendment serves to advance various City goals and objectives relating to mobility, sustainability, and housing affordability. The elimination of minimum parking requirements will not preclude projects/sites from providing parking but will allow for parking to be provided at lesser rates than current requirements as may be better suited for a given project. Similarly, administrative review of automated parking and parking stackers will streamline the process to facilitate parking that is more space efficient. Updated bicycle parking requirements will work to facilitate bicycle use and encourage it as a viable alternative transit mode. The proposed revisions to loading requirements serve to improve accommodating loading needs on-site and minimize ad hoc use of the public right-of-way for loading activities. The Amendment will benefit the general public interest, safety, convenience and welfare of the City, and serve to improve parking management, encourage bicycle use as a transit alternative, and better plan for the needs of future development.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the proposed ordinance approving the subject Zoning Code Amendment.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed City Council Ordinance (including Exhibit A: Proposed Zoning Code Text Changes in “strikethrough/underline” format)
MOTION
That the City Council:
Adopt the Ordinance approving Zoning Code Amendment P2022-0234-ZCA, amending Title 17: Zoning Code, relating to off-street parking, bicycle parking and loading, and adopting an exemption pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15061(b)(3).