Encinitas Municipal Code § 3.2 Parking

Parking strategies for the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan area are important for maintaining customer convenience in commercial use areas and avoiding overflow into residential neighborhoods. While an adequate number of spaces is the desired result, parking strategies must work within the parameters of the Specific Plan to be effective.

Requiring off-street parking is the usual method for providing adequate parking for land uses. With this strategy, development is required to provide parking on each development site per specified parking ratios. In most cases this is effective, and for most of the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan area, off-street parking requirements are adequate to satisfy the need. However, some areas of the North 101 Corridor do not have adequate off-street parking. Small lot sizes, existing development patterns and previous development standards did not adequately provide for parking. Applying only the off-street parking strategy in the commercial corridor does not recognize the inability of many of the sites to meet this standard and could stifle economic development.

In order to provide adequate parking and maximize the benefits of the specific plan, special parking strategies have been developed for certain zones. Any Specific Plan zone not specifically addressed shall meet the citywide parking standards of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code.

A. Residential Zones (N-R3, N-R8, N-R11, N-R15, N-R20, and N-R25)

It is expected that development sites in the residential zones can accommodate off-street parking. The application of the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code is adequate for each residential zoning designation, and there is no need for additional special parking strategies in these zones. Modified parking ratios as described under Section 3.2.3.C. below shall apply.

B. Commercial and Mixed-Use Zones (N-VSC, N-L-VSC, N-CM-1, N-CM-2, N-CM-3, N-CRM-1 and N-CRM-2 Zones)

The Commercial and Mixed-Use Zones will incorporate several strategies to provide parking. Existing circumstances for properties in these zones dictate that parking must be addressed in ways other than just off-street parking requirements. Specialized parking strategies are provided to meet parking needs while maintaining district design and character. The intent is to apply a combination of these strategies, as applicable, to the total parking requirement for each individual development use.

1. The first strategy is a redefined set of parking ratios for commercial and office uses. The commercial parking ratios in the citywide zoning code are based on the expectations of contemporary development on relatively large lots with large building occupancies available. However, the common pattern in the North Highway 101 Corridor Specific Plan area is small lot sizes and related small building occupancies.

2. The second strategy is to allow on-street parking which is immediately adjacent to a development site to count toward the parking requirement for uses on that site. Usually, parking requirements must be satisfied exclusively by off-street (on-site) parking. However, in the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan area, the pattern of development is largely established and reliable predictions of future build-out traffic levels are provided. On-street parking on North Highway 101, Vulcan Avenue and side streets, once provided according to the provisions of this Plan, will not be removed. This provides a reliable resource of parking which, even if time-restricted, should be available for customer use.

3. The third strategy is an incentive for the remodeling and reuse of existing buildings. Citywide standards currently allow existing buildings a parking "break" in that, when an addition is proposed to an existing building, if the development site will not allow the full parking requirement to be provided, the parking requirement must be met only for the floor area of the new addition rather than the whole building. Upon a change of use, however, if the new use has a higher parking ratio requirement than the previous use, citywide standards require the full parking requirement for the new use to be provided. This specific plan allows existing buildings the same parking break as in the current citywide standards, but expands it to apply to any change of use, irrespective of the parking ratio requirement. This applies only insofar as the development site is restricted so as to preclude the provision of additional parking. To the maximum extent possible, based on development standards under the specific plan, the maximum number of parking spaces must be provided up to the number required by the parking ratios. This parking strategy is intended as an economic development strategy.

4. The fourth parking strategy is an incentive for affordable housing. The mixed-use zones allow a limited amount of residential development in conjunction with commercial use. The parking required for these mixed-use units is a maximum of two spaces per dwelling. This specific plan allows a parking reduction for units which are guaranteed affordable to low or very-low income households, as defined under the City's Housing Element, of one space per unit. Note that all parking for residential units in mixed-use developments must be provided off-street (on-site).

5. The final parking strategy for the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan involves the opportunity to develop public parking bays on the east side of North Highway 101, using available railroad right-of-way. The streetscape plan for North Highway 101 includes plans for a linear park and multi-modal recreational path between the railroad tracks and street paving for the highway. The intent is to design the linear park and multi-modal recreational path in a manner that accommodates parallel parking bays, immediately before or after intersections where safe pedestrian crossings of North Highway 101 already exist or are planned. This includes the intersections of North Highway 101 at La Costa Avenue, Grandview Street, Leucadia Boulevard, and Marcheta Street. These parking bays are seen as a general public parking resource, with no particular need for time restriction at this time. This parking increases general public accessibility to the corridor, but should not be allowed to be counted toward the parking requirements of specific developments. Should the City adopt an In-lieu Fee Parking Program, such parking may be allowed to be counted toward the parking requirements of specific developments.

C. Public/Semi-Public Zone

It is expected that development sites in this zone can accommodate off-street parking. The application of the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code is adequate and there is no need for additional special parking strategies in this zone.

D. Ecological Resource/Open Space/Parks-Historic Park Zone (N-HP)

Due to the small size of the Historic Park, no on-site parking exists, nor is planned. Detailed improvement plans for future street improvements surrounding the park shall be consistent with the Streetscape Concepts in Chapter 4 of this Specific Plan and shall address the need for on-street parking.

E. Transportation Corridor Zone (TC)

This zone will generally not have any uses which generate the need for parking. However, proposed parking bays on the east side of North Highway 101 are intended to make use of available, railroad right-of-way.

A. Purpose and Intent

The provisions set forth in this section are intended to provide for adequate and convenient vehicle parking. The parking requirements set forth herein shall be considered the minimum necessary for specific land uses allowed, within the zones created under this specific plan.

The intent of these provisions is to ensure:

It shall be the responsibility of land owners, developers, and/or operators to provide and maintain adequate parking meeting the minimum requirements set forth herein.

B. General Provisions

1. Unless otherwise specified herein, the provisions, requirements and standards of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code shall apply to all properties in the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan area. In case of conflict between the provisions set forth herein and the provisions of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code, the provisions set forth herein shall apply.

2. All required parking shall be off-street, on the same site as the land use it serves, unless otherwise provided by these regulations.

3. A public alley may be used as part of the required width of back-out and maneuvering aisle space for on-site parking which is immediately adjacent to said alley.

4. Off-street parking for a use may be provided on an immediately adjacent development site, by discretionary design review, provided that access from the use to said parking is unimpeded; said parking is not counted toward the required parking of any other land use; and said parking is reserved for the use by a recorded, irrevocable easement to which the City is a party.

5. Joint-use of parking shared between uses may be approved, as provided by Section 30.54.050 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code.

C. Schedule of Required Parking

1. The number of required vehicle parking spaces for any land use or combination of uses shall be as set forth in Table 3-1 of the Specific Plan, except as otherwise provided in this Section. For land uses not specifically covered in Table 3-1, the requirements of Chapter 30.54 of Title 30 of the Encinitas Municipal Code shall apply.

2. Housing Affordable to Low and Very-Low Income Households: Residential units in mixed-use projects which are guaranteed to be affordable to low and very-low income households as defined in the City of Encinitas Housing Element, shall provide one off-street parking space per dwelling unit.

3. Commercial and Mixed-Use Zones: The following parking provisions shall only apply to non-residential uses within commercial or mixed-use zones. These provisions apply only insofar as the available area on a development site is restricted, before any new construction, so as to preclude the provision of the required number of parking spaces. In all cases, to the maximum extent possible based on current development standards, the maximum number of parking spaces shall be provided, up to the number required by the schedule of required parking.

a. The number of on-street parking spaces which are immediately adjacent to a development site, or the number which will be adjacent after completion of all planned street improvements, which ever is fewer, may be counted toward the required number of parking spaces for non-residential uses on that site. On-street parking on Melrose Avenue and La Veta Avenue shall not be counted towards meeting minimum commercial parking requirements.

b. For additions to or increases of gross floor area of existing buildings, or new development proposed to replace existing buildings on the site, the number of required parking spaces is the fewer of either: the total number required for the development site for the combination of uses per the ratios specified in Table 3-1; or the number of existing parking spaces on the development site before new development, plus additional spaces as required by the ratios specified in Table 3-1 for the proposed addition or increase in gross floor area.

c. For any change of use in an existing building, not related to an addition to or increase of gross building floor area, the number of required parking spaces is the fewer of either; the total number required for the development site for the combination of uses per the ratios specified in Table 3-1; or the maximum number that the development site together with its share of adjacent on-street parking can yield under current parking and site development standards.

Table 3-1 Required Parking Ratios