HomeMy WebLinkAboutSS2/SS3 - Outdoor Dining and Parking - CorrespondenceReceived After Agenda Printed
January 26, 2021
Study Session
46r(O'-RECEIVER
NEWPORT
On The Road to Recovery
January 25, 2021
Mayor Avery and City Council:
Re: SS2. Review of Restaurant Parking and Outdoor Dining Requirements & SS3.
Review of Commercial Parking Needs
The Recover Newport group continues to discuss what the City can do to safely restore
the economic and community health of the City of Newport Beach which has been
damaged as a result of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
We noticed that the January 26, 2021 Study Session Agenda has the following two items
on it:
SS2. Review of Restaurant Parking and Outdoor Dining Requirements
Discussion on restaurant parking requirements and ways to modify the requirement to
assist in converting temporary outdoor dining to a permanent use.
SS3. Review of Commercial Parking Needs
Discussion on addressing the parking needs of commercial uses by utilizing different
methodologies such activity nodes, parking overlays, curb management plans, and
reviewing the City's parking standards.
Recover Newport supports the City Council pursuing these issues. Attached is a
recommendation letter we put forth in June of last year. We recommend serious
consideration of these suggestions as you move forward.
The Recover Newport team appreciates the City Council's willingness to entertain our
thoughts on matters to assist in the Recovery of Newport Beach and is available
individually and collectively to answer any questions you may have regarding the
suggestions made herein.
Respectfully,
Edward Selich Steve Rosansky Mike Henn
Rush Hill Keith Curry
Nancy Gardner Don Webb
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RECOVER
NEWPORT
On The Road to Recovery
June 25, 2020
Mayor O'Neill and City Council:
Recover Newport is a group of former Mayors and City Council members who are invested
in safely restoring the economic and community health of the City of Newport Beach which
has been damaged as a result of the novel COVID-19 pandemic. This group has been
observing public health and policy related responses at the State and County level,
focusing on the actions that would directly affect community sustainability and resilience in
Newport Beach. As a result of our efforts, we would offer the following observations.
We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts taken to date by the City Council,
including adopting a budget reflective of our community vision, even in times of
budgetary constraints. We appreciate the leadership shown through all the Stage 1
and Stage 2 compliance measures. We are encouraged by the open
communication and fact -based messaging from the Mayor and other
Councilmembers.
And there is more to achieve before Newport Beach fully recovers.
2. To that end, Recover Newport suggests the City engage in a Department Head
review of the Municipal Code to ease restrictions on definitions and regulations that
may adversely affect residents and businesses as a result of the pandemic. These
may include:
A. Expedited review of all plans and permit applications for matters related to the
pandemic regulations
B. Fee waivers for all fees for matters related to the pandemic regulations
C. Relaxation of use restrictions on public rights of way to encourage business
activity for a time period related to restoration of pre -pandemic business activity
levels, not COVID case levels
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D. Red curb parking rescission where safe (e.g., no sight distance or speed
differential issues) to allow for greater use of drop off and pick up for businesses
in Newport Beach
E. Re-examine the finite number of special event permits and relaxation of public
area use for private purposes to encourage restaurant and business resumption
3. Recover Newport recommends a review of the parking regulations within the
Municipal Code and consideration of designating certain areas within the City as
Activity Nodes. These Activity Nodes may include the Newport Pier area, Marine
Avenue commercial area, Mariners Mile, and portions of Corona del Mar. Activity
Nodes would not have parking requirements by land use type but would generate
parking as a whole area. Total parking demand would be observed and
documented and set at that maximum number of parking spaces given the current
mix of uses. This type of parking consideration was used for the Balboa Village
area. It could also be used in the Cannery Village area with the reuse and
expansion of the public parking lot for patrons and visitors of the Peninsula.
4. Other parking recommendations include:
A. Simplify the parking requirement for food service uses / restaurants. Many cities
determine parking requirements for restaurants based upon gross floor area
alone (typically in the 10/1,000 sf range) and allow for better up -front planning by
developers. The current requirements are complicated and appear written
exclusively from a tenant improvement perspective. Many of the items listed are
impossible to know when a core & shell project is brought in for review prior to
lease agreements. The result of this process is either a project under parked
and limited on food service uses, or a project over parked with excess unused
parking and construction resources wasted.
B. Allow for a `middle -ground' between a large full-service restaurant and take-out
service. Trends in modern food service establishments are moving to smaller
footprints with faster turn -over rates, a fast -casual approach where a large
percentage of orders are to go, even prior to Covid-19 protocols being
implemented. Parking requirements for these uses are falling in the 5/1,000
range typically.
C. Residential parking requirements are higher than similar coastal cities. Newport
Beach has no provision for units with 1 -bedroom or less, requiring 2/unit
regardless of size and may become a hardship to development. Long Beach for
instance has a broader scale of residential parking requirements, with 1/unit for
studios, 1.5/unit for 1 bedroom units, 2/2 bedroom + units with guest parking
calculated at 0.25/unit.
D. Allow for parking overlay districts in parking impacted zones (the peninsula) that
provide a broader analysis of available public parking in determining parking
requirements for new business.
K
M
E. Modernize the City's parking requirements by considering evolving/changing
forms of transportation. This could include bicycle parking replacement (For
example, the City of Los Angeles allows 1 space to be replaced by 4 bicycle
parking stalls, a common mode of transport on the peninsula), Ride -sharing &
Uber/Lyft hailing services (more and more common with a younger demographic
in visiting food & drinking establishments). The City could establish a ride -
hailing zones on specific streets or along corridors. If successful the change can
result in increased foot traffic without having to place an automobile somewhere.
F. Establish TOD (transportation -oriented district) zone overlays in partnership with
OCTA bus/shuttle services. Businesses/developments within a defined radius of
transit stops could benefit with reduced parking ratios / credits.
G. In older areas of town, where on street parking is directly adjacent to commercial
uses, give credit for those parking spaces in developing revised parking
standards.
H. Review general office and medical office parking requirements to reflect density
of use changes required by the State.
I. Consider revising the Municipal Code to allow valet parking drop off on public
rights of way for individual business or joint business use.
Finally, just as the City has extensive plans for emergency preparedness, we
suggest that there be additional planning for post -emergency situations, having
in place plans that address a variety of situations businesses may face which
can be quickly augmented as needed. This could include having the CERT
team provide guidance to local businesses for emergency/post-emergency
response, financial response packages and others.
The Recover Newport team appreciates the City Council's willingness to
entertain our thoughts on matters to assist in the Recovery of Newport Beach
and are available individually and collectively to answer any questions on the
suggestions included herein.
Respectfully,
Edward Selich
Steve Rosansky
Keith Curry
Mike Henn
Don Webb
Tony Petros
Nancy Gardner
Rush Hill
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5
Received After Agenda Printed
January 26, 2021
Mulvey, Jennifer Study Session
From: City Clerk's Office
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 202110:14 AM
To: Mulvey, Jennifer; Rieff, Kim
Subject: FW: Resident Parking Permit - Finley Tract
From: Tresa Rowe
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2021 10:14:21 AM (UTC -08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
To: City Clerk's Office
Subject: Resident Parking Permit - Finley Tract
[EXTERNAL EMAIL] DO NOT CLICK links or attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Council and Coastal Commission:
Please do not recommend a resident parking permit or 2 hour limit for the Finley Tract. It will unfairly burden the
respectful people who live and vacation in this small triangle of homes. It's time to explore other parking solutions for
this area. I own a home on 35th Street and have some suggestions.
To give you a visual, the apartment next door to me has 8-10 girls living in one residence (with visiting boyfriends.) That's
16 cars when they're all home ... in our 3 -block area! The house next door to them has junk (old doors, mattresses)
packed into the garage, side yards, and alley. I don't know how many people live there - I think it's a triplex. Construction
is being done on both corners of my block, and someone recently parked a large storage container on our side street for
over a week.
Given all of this, I still have an easy time finding street parking on winter week days. Indicating that we don't need
permits if we clean up our own neighborhood issues and provide some sort of off-site parking on busy days. Being in the
Safety Enhancement Zone, Finley folks already endure more city restrictions than other Newport residents. We
shouldn't have to buy permits or constantly move cars because of increased business or outside parking pressure. The
burden should be shared. Those of us with short-term rentals already follow many new restrictions (including max
occupancy). Parking permits will add more rules to the very long checklist each guest agrees to. At some point they will
stop reading, need a contract lawyer, or simply choose to vacation in a different beach town.
The following points outline possible solutions.
Reasons for parking pressure in Finley area (as I see it every day):
• Surrounding business employees and shoppers park in Finley to avoid fees.
• Many residents have full garages - beach/bay lifestyle toys, laundry room, storage, work and shop use.
• Rental apartments are over capacity - too many renters in one unit. Often single people who each have 1-2 cars.
• Summer beach parking is a problem. But more public parking is needed for the whole peninsula - not just for
Finley.
Hardship on Finlev residents:
My home has a long-term tenant upstairs with 1 car and her own garage for it. The downstairs unit is a part-time short
term rental and our family beach house (with another separate garage.) Whether rented or being used by owners, my
home accounts for 2-5 cars in the area and we park as many as possible on property.
• How will parking permits be shared amongst us and our airbnb guests?
• Will some of us be forced to move our cars every 2 hours? So a neighbor's boyfriend can get a spot and then
move his car every 2 hours also? Opening up a spot for Nobu's busboy ... who will have to leave work and search
for parking several times during his shift? This inconveniences everyone and satisfies nobody.
Suggested solutions:
• The no-brainer solution for all of this would be an overflow lot. Take the pressure off Finley area by offering
more business, beach and visitor parking in our area. It seems there is an abundance of adjacent parking
available (often empty!) Maybe commission part of Lido House or bank lots when those businesses are not full?
Or consider an area on the other side of the bridge? Make THAT a permit or ticket machine lot for employees,
non-resident guests, construction trucks, etc.
• Post "no employee parking"... or "resident parking only" signs in Finley Tract.
• Use app -based technology to control parking - each resident gets a certain amount of hours per month using a
code. For whatever vehicle they choose.
• Issue warnings/citations to homes with full garages (no room for a car). An inspector can easily spot these
garages by driving through the alleys on Saturday.
• Have the building/permitting department require construction trucks to park on property or in overflow lot.
• Lean a little harder on local slumlords to restrict how many tenants live in one apartment.
Thank you,
Tresa Holloway