(Title Amended by Ord. No. 184,246, Eff. 6/4/16.)
A. Establishment of Districts. The procedures to establish a Modified Parking Requirement (MPR) District shall be as set forth in Sec. 13B.1.4. (Zone Change) of Chapter 1A
of this Code. With the exception of the Adaptive Reuse Incentives Areas Specific Plan and the South Central Alcohol Sales Specific Plan, no MPR District shall be established in an area governed by a specific plan established before or after the effective date of this ordinance. Each ordinance creating an MPR District shall establish one or more of the strategies listed in Subsection D. for the District area. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,712, Eff. 1/23/23, Oper. 1/22/24; Ord. No. 187,930, Eff. 7/7/23.)
B. Size and Boundaries. An MPR District shall encompass a minimum of two entire block faces (as defined in Section 13.09 B.3. of this Code) or a minimum of five acres in area. The boundaries of the MPR District shall be set by ordinance.
C. Findings. In making the report required by Sec. 13B.1.4. (Zone Change) of Chapter 1A
of this Code, the City Planning Commission shall also report to the Council on whether the District, and the strategies included in the District, are appropriate considering such factors as local transit service and dependency, automobile usage, traffic, available parking, and the goals, policies, and objectives set forth in the applicable community plan. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,712, Eff. 1/23/23, Oper. 1/22/24; Ord. No. 187,930, Eff. 7/7/23.)
D. Modified Parking Requirement (MPR) District Strategies. Any ordinance creating an MPR District shall adopt one or more of the seven strategies listed in this subsection for the MPR District area.
1. Change of Use Parking Standards. The required number of parking spaces for any permitted use in the District shall be the same as the number of spaces that exist on the lot on the date the ordinance creating the District becomes effective.
2. Off-site Parking. The parking spaces required by Section 12.21 A.4. of this Code shall be provided either on the same lot as the use for which they are intended to serve or 1,500 feet therefrom. If parking spaces are provided off-site, they must be guaranteed through a recorded covenant agreement that reserves the spaces exclusively for the use in question. Distance is to be measured along any street, alley, public walk, or private easement that allows public pedestrian travel from the parking area to the use it is to serve.
3. Parking Reduction Approval. A Zoning Administrator may approve reduced parking requirements for individual projects pursuant to Section 12.24 X.30. of this Code.
4. Decreased Parking Requirements. An MPR District may establish parking requirements that are less restrictive than those set forth in Section 12.21 A.4. of this Code. The ordinance creating the District shall identify each use that is granted modified parking requirements, along with each use’s new parking requirement. Otherwise, the number of required parking spaces shall be governed by Section 12.21 A.4. Before adopting any ordinance creating an MPR District that includes Decreased Parking Requirements, the City Council must find that:
a. The parking reduction, taking into account impacts such as parking overflow and increased traffic congestion and potential benefits such as enhanced mobility and neighborhood vitality, will not adversely affect the surrounding neighborhood; and
b. There exists a combination of parking management programs, transportation alternatives, or other infrastructure improvements, and commercial building access programs that negate the need for increased parking requirements; and
c. Flexible transportation approaches and parking management programs are more consistent with the area’s air quality goals, community character and general plan than an increased number of required parking spaces.
5. Increased Parking Requirements. An MPR District may establish parking requirements that are more restrictive than those required in Paragraph 12.21 A.4. of this Code. The ordinance creating the District shall identify each use that is assigned increased parking requirements, along with each use’s new parking requirement. Otherwise, the number of required spaces shall be governed by Section 12.21 A.4. Before adopting any ordinance creating an MPR District that includes Increased Parking Requirements, the City Council must find that:
a. There is a lack of transit service in the area; or
b. There is a high potential for spillover parking impacts on adjacent residential areas; or
c. There is a low probability that parking management programs, transportation demand management programs, or public parking facilities will be available or effective in the area.
6. Commercial Parking Credits. An MPR District may authorize parking requirements to be satisfied through the creation of a parking credit program. The number of available parking credits shall be established by a survey that identifies the number of underutilized public parking spaces available within the District at various times of the day. The ordinance creating the District shall list the number of credits available in the area, and the number of credits required to support a specific use for various times of the day.
7. Maximum Parking Requirements. An MPR District may establish maximum parking requirements. The ordinance creating the District shall set forth each use for which maximum parking requirements apply, as well as the specific parking limits for that use. Otherwise, the parking requirements set forth in Section 12.21 A.4. shall apply.
E. Applicability of Modified Parking Strategies to Residential Uses. This Section shall apply to lots where the zoning regulations permit multi-residential uses as follows:
1. An MPR District shall not authorize any of the strategies listed above, except for the strategies described in subsections D.5. and D.6., for any lot that contained a residential use subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, or that contained any Restricted Affordable units, as defined in Section 12.22 A.25.(b) of the Code, within the five years preceding the adoption of the MPR District. Required parking on such properties, however, may be reduced pursuant to Section 12.22 A.25. of the Code, or pursuant to any other applicable affordable housing incentive program.
2. Minimum parking requirements for multi-residential uses in an MPR district shall be less restrictive for projects that qualify for a density bonus under Section 12.22 A.25. of the Code.