Planners to tackle parking and Laguna Canyon zoning

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission on Wednesday will revisit downtown parking and Laguna Canyon zoning.

Analyzing parking trends is one of the city’s tasks, as it revises the downtown specific plan, a planning document that outlines guidelines for development while recognizing the role of parking and transportation.

Commissioners first discussed the parking issue in March, but raised more questions and requested city staff return with more information.

One of the key questions commissioners will address will be whether the city should adopt a blanket requirement about how many parking spaces businesses must provide.

The city hired IBI Group, a planning and design firm, to tally the number of private and parking spaces within a 115-acre survey area and monitor their hourly use during weekdays and weekends last August and September.

There are 3,365 spaces — 1,691 private and 1,674 public, according to IBI’s report.

Based on the number of public and private parking spaces used during peak periods, IBI suggested that all non-residential sites such as restaurants and retailers, provide 2.92 spaces for every 1,000 square feet, far fewer spaces than existing requirements.

The Laguna Canyon discussion will center on recommendations from urban planning firm MIG, which the city hired to address land use in the area.

One of MIG’s tasks is to define standards for terms such as rustic, rural and small-scale.

The city has concerns with multiple suggestions from MIG, including the maximum number of units per acre for artist work/live projects, according to a city staff report.

MIG recommends four units per acre based on current residential standards in the area and the community’s desire to preserve rural character, the staff report said.

The city, however, says the standard is “more restrictive” than density standards allowed for single-family residences, the report said.

Wednesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall at 505 Forest Ave.

Staff reports for both items are available on the city’s website at lagunabeachcity.net. Click on the Planning Commission agenda.

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Twitter: @AldertonBryce