HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 3 PARKING ISSUES 01-19-87 RE PO RTS
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DATI/i: January 19, 1987
TO:
WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY HANAGER .
FROM: DEPARTHENT OF COHFIUNITY DEVELOPF1ENT
SUBJECT: PARKING ISSUES
RECOI~ENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
Instruct staff to initiate amendments to the Municipal Code to define R&D
uses and establish parking standards for such uses; increase the amount of
permitted compact parking spaces, the minimum dimensions for such spaces,
and decrease the minimum driveway aisle width; provide opportunities for
joint use of parking when approved by the Planning Commission.
e
Instruct staff to utilize minimum project size and employee thresholds in
requiring parking and transportation system management strategies as a
condition of approval on new projects.
BACKGROUND:
In recent months the City Council has expressed concern about three separate
parking issues impacting new development in Tustin.
1. Research and Development (R&D) parking standards versus office parking
standards.
2. Mid-size parking stalls versus compact size parking stalls.
3. Parking management strategies such as flex plan to offset traffic increases
and parking needs.
Each of the above issues with recommendations is discussed separately below.
1. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) PARKING STANDARDS VERSUS OFFICE STANDARDS:
Within the last decade there has been a marked increase in the number of
Research and Development firms in Orange County. An R&D firm has been typically
defined, as a use which engages in the research, analysis, design, development
and/or testing of aerospace, chemical, pharmaceutical, electronics or other very
specialized manufacturing products. Examples of R&D firms in Tustin include
Nordon Systems, Silicon Systems, Aerojet Ordnance Co. However, as the term R&D
has most recently been applied, R&D uses need not specialize or be devoted
solely to research or development. Many new speculative industrial buildings
are designed and marketed as R&D projects.
With the exception of the East Tustin Specific Plan, the Tustin Municipal Code
does not separately distinguish parking standards for R&D uses. Instead the
following current parking standards are used:
William Huston
Parking Issues
page two
Office standards: One (1) space for each 2~0 gross floor area allocated
for office uses.
Manufacturing, research and assembly: One (1) space for every 500 gross
floor area allocated for manufacturing, research and/or assembly uses, but
in no event less than two (2) parking spaces for each three (3) employees.
If there is more than one (1) shift, the number of employees on the largest
shift is used in determining parking requirements.
Storage and warehouse: One (1) space for each 1,000 of gross floor area
for the first 20,000 square feet of area allocated for storage and/or
warehouse use;.one (1) space for each 2,000 for'the second 20,000; one (1)
space for each 4,000 feet in excess of the initial 40,000 feet, but in no
event less than two (2) parking spaces for each (3) employees shall be
provided.
Although based on the above standards, R&D uses are only required to provide two
(2) parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area or two (2) spaces
for each three (3) employees, the majority of new speculative industrial
buildings constructed recently in Tustin {i.e. Resco Deve)opment, Scantron
Corp., Point 4 Data Corp.) have provided between three to four parking spaces
per 1,O00 square feet of floor .area. This is no surprise particularly since
recent transportation and traffic experts have indicated that the ~parking needs
for R&D types of projects arel very similar in nature to the needs of a general
office complex {please see Exhibits A & B). Recognizing the risk of providing
too little parking for a labor intensive project, .most lenders are also now
requiring new R&D projects to provide four parking 'spaces per 1,000 square
feet. However, typically R&D users are only slightly more labor intensive than
traditional industrial 'uses as identified in Exhibit B.
· Presently, staff spends valuable time checking plans to ensure that a Project
complies with th~ City's current parking requirements {i.e. industrial vs.
office square footage). After a certificate of occupancy is issued for a
project, modifications to the interior of' building can be illegally made and
would only be caught if there were routine inspections by the department. Those
modifications can include increases in office square footage and direct impacts
on traffic.
According to the City's Traffic Engineer parking demanded for R&D uses would be
the same as general office uses (see Exhibit B). However, general office
generates 2 to 3 times as many trips as R&D and industrial uses. The real issue
then between R&D uses and office uses is not parking but traffic. The traffic
volumes generated by an R&D user would be only slightly higher than a standard
industrial use. Therefore from a land use,economic and aesthetic point of view
staff would prefer to have new R&D facilities rather than empty industrial
warehouses provided that the present policy of not allowing more than 50~ office
area is maintained.
Cornrnun~ty D~voloprneni Dcpa~rnoni
William Huston
Parking Issues
page three
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff would recommend amendment of Municipal Code to define R&D uses and require
four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area for such uses.
2. MID SIZE PARKING STALLS VERSUS COMPACT SIZE PARKING STALLS
In the past decade there has been a dramatic shift from the large standard car
to the smaller compact car. Standard cars are now smaller which is a response
to foreign car sales and U.S. Government regulations which required that all
American auto manufacturers achieve average mileage 'of 27.5 miles per gallon by
1985.
Although most persons refer to cars as either "standard" or "compact" the auto
industry actually classifies them into nine categories based upon the gross
floor area occupied by the exterior of the car. Because of the complexity of
these categories, a small car (compact) is defined as an automobile which does
not exceed 15 feet in length or six feet in width. Although, subject to local
variation, current estimates indicate an on-the-road ratio of over 50~ small
cars to large cars in Southern California at this time.
'In response to this trend .towar8 smaller vehicles, most jurisdictions during the
last decade have amended their parking requirements to provide for smaller
parking spaces or "compact spaces". Current adopted development standards for
parking in Tustin require a 9 x 20 foot space and a 27 foot parking aisle for
standard parking. Accommodation for compact parking' is currently up to the
discretion of the Director.
In the past it has been the po]icy of the Community Development Department to
allow compact size'spaces only in controlled situations such as:
1. Large industrial projects which lControl their employee parking - examples:
Steelcase, Basic Four, and Pac Bell.'
Large office buildings which Control their employee parking - example:
Fireman's Fund. Staff strongly discourages the use of compact size stalls
in public parking lot'situations such as shopping centers.
The minimum size of compact spaces is 7 1/2' x 19' provided that not more than
20~ of the required parking spaces are designated for compact use. It is also
required that 1 1/2 compact car spaFes be provided for each required regular
parking space.
Staff members have viewed the City's current compact parking dimensions as
inadequate (too narrow, and too long). Many small car owners also do not wish to
park in small car spaces because they don't want thei'r cars damaged by doors
being opened in tight spaces. The relatively high cost of many of the more
popular imports may account for this attitude. Conversely, people always want
to park as close as they can to their given destination, regardless of the size
of their car.
Comrnuniiy Deveiopmen~ Depa~rnen~
William Huston
Parking Issues
page four
A survey of
The City of
size of 9'x
Orange County cities revealed no predominate approach (Exhibit Cl.
Fountain Valley, however has gone to one standardized parking space
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Since there are still considerable numbers of intermediate and large cars on the
road, staff would not recommend providing for only one, mid-size parking space
standard for commercial and industrial uses.
However, it would seem appropriate to modify the City's development standards to
increase the total parking spaces in a project which may be reserved for small
or compact spaces to a maximum of 40~ of the total required parking in excess of
20' spaces. In addition, it is recommended that the minimum dimensions of a
compact space be modified to g' x 16.5' with no additional overhang credit.
This would reduce current problems encountered with the narrowness of the City's
current compact space dimensions and provide a minimum of 18" on each side of a
6' wide small car as an allowance for opening and closing doors.
It is also recommended that the minimum driveway aisle dimension on 90° parking
be reduced from 27' to 25' as is the standard in most cities.
3. PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Many communities are currently utilizing parking m~nagement and transportation
systems management {TSM) strategies to cut down on 'the increase in traffic
generated by new development, to concentrate on the demand side of parking
rather than the .supply, and for the development community as an effort to
minimize the high costs associated with developing parking facilities and
especially structured parking.
While the Orange County Transportation Commission is currently working on the
initial stages of a Traffic Reduction Incentive Program {TRIP), there are a
number of parking and transportation management strategies that the City could
voluntarily encourage in an effort to offset parking needs of specific projects
and to mitigate traffic increases.
Ae
Flex Employee Schedules
The use of a flex employee schedule allows maximization of land use. and a
reduction in peak hour traffi.c demands. The flex schedule is used when a
labor intensive use is proposed fbr a site and works as follows:
Employee work schedules are not all the same. The hours for certain
departments or within certain departments are varied so that employees
are leaving and arriving at different times during the day.
Community DeVelopment Department
William Huston
Parking Issues
page fi ve
Be
2. Land use is maximized in that parking requirements are based upon the
largest working shift. If a flex plan is used, parking demand
increases (the lot is used over 24 hours rather than 8) and the
parking area becomes smaller allowing the developer more space for
landscaping or building'area.
3. The focus of the flex schedule can be upon decreasing peak hour
traffic flow. If a labor intensive use is proposed or existing, flex
schedules can be used so that employees arrive and depart at odd times
of the day.
Peak hour traffic flows have been identified as 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. By using a flex schedule, the impact of a labor
intensive use can be reduced by reducing departure/arrival of employees
during these periods.
Jutney and Transit Use Strategies
A number of strategies are possible by which persons might be enticed out
of their single occupancy auto.
Where a sufficient nbmber of bus riders can be assured, the developer
or employer could negotiate .with the transit district to commit a
conventional transit.bus to a special route that will serve those
riders.
Orange County Transit District (OCTD) provides services for
implementing car pools. These are handled directly between OCTD and
the employer. Once the car pool study is finished, participation is
voluntary unless required by the employer.
Ce
Private or company provided buses or vans have become more popular in
recent years. This type of service is provided by an employer who.
provides a vehicle at their expense or who lets the employees chip in
for gasoline and maintenance. The vans or other similar vehicles, are
grouped into areas and the employees from the group share the van as
transportation to and from work. This type of alternative is mostly
used when a large company is involved. The vehicle cost may be too
expensive for smaller companies and employee participation~is usually
gathered from a large group.
Busing via public transportation is completely voluntary on the part
of the participant. However, employees can be encouraged to use buses
if access is simplified. Simplifying techniques include: providing
bus route schedules and maps for employees, group discounts or free
bus passes, and locating bus stops near to the work place. The latter
technique may be difficult to obtain but if provisions are made during
the design phase of the project, OCTD may be able to accommodate the
employer.'
iii Cornrnuni~y D~velopmcnt Dcpartmen~
~tlltam Huston
Parking Issues
page stx
Shared or Joint Use Parking
Many cities allow consideration in their paFking requirements for shared or
joint use parking. Joint use of parking recognizes that some land uses are
complimentary so that parking provided by one use may be available for
another use at certain periods over a 24 hour period such as .evenings and
weekends. Mixed use projects containing a good balance of compatible
individual uses can offer the opportunity for a substantial lowering of the
parking supply. Candidate land uses which mag show a potential for joint
parking usage include:
general offices
retail shopping
movie theatres
restaurants
recreational facilities and cultural centers.
RECOMMENDEO ACTION:
As a 'step toward implementing parking and transportation systems management
strategies, staff would recommend establishment of the following minimum project
size and/or employee couQt t~resholds as a guideline mechanism for imposing
conditions on future development projects.
Retail - Projects over 50,000 square feet require analysis and recommendation of
transit use strategies, explore joint use parking op~o~tunites.
Office - Projects.50,O00 square feet or over 100 employees require analysis and
recommendation on use of flex employee schedules, transit use strategies,
explore joint use parking opportunities.
Industrial - Projects over 50,000 o~ over 100 employees' require analysis and
recommendation on use of flex employee schedules, transit use strategies.
Hotels/Cinemas - Over [00 rooms, 100 seats or 50,000 square feet require
analysis and recommendation on use of transit strategies (such as placement of
bus stops) and explore joint use parking opportunities.
Staff would also recommend amendment of the 'Municipal Code to allow for
consideration of a reduction in the number of required spaces for a use where a
sharing or joint use of spaces can be shown by independent study and where said
joint use is authorized by the Planning Commission..
C~RISTIN~ SHI'NGLETON, :
Director of Community Development
CS:MAC:do '
Community Devoiopmont Depar~men~
EXHIBIT A
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PARKING STANDARDS
CITY
Irvine
Cypress
Buena Park
Costa Mesa
Anaheim
Garden Grove
PARKING SPACES
1
2.25 for-lst 20,000
no standard for R&D
3
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.25
(when office fs over 30%
then 4 for offices)
SQUARE FEET
250
5OO
1,000
1,000 1-3 stories
1,000 4-9 stories
1,000 10+ stories
1,O00
Communi~/ Developmen~ Department
EXHIBIT B
PARKING DEMAND AND TRIPS GENERATED
BY HYPOTHETICAL 100,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURES
LAND USE:
HypJthetical
Building area:
Parking Required
to accommodate
use (per 1000 sq.ft.)
Total trips
generated-by
use (per 1000
square feet)
Total trips for
typical project
R&D INDUSTRIAL
100,000 sq.ft.
100,000 sq.ft.
OFFICE
100,000 sq.ft.
4 2.5 4 *
6.05 5.46 12.5
605 546 1250
Peak trips
· (per 1000 sq.ft.)
7:00 - g:o0 a.m.
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
in .70 .85 :1.95
out .19 .15 .37
in .17 .32 .36
out .62 .63 1.84
Source: Jerry Crabtll, Consulting Traffic Engineer
* Figure for low rise (1-3 stomy users) only. Ratio decreases with additional
stories.
Community Development Department
CITY
Anaheim
Irvine
Cypress
Buena Park
Costa Mesa
Garden Grove
EXHIBIT C
COMPACT CAR REQUIREMENTS
SIZE
x 15
X 1.6
1/2 x 15
l/2 x 15
7Xl5
1/2 x 15
PERCENT
25%
50%
40%
30%
40%
35%
~ Communi~/ D~velopment Departmem /