Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CODE UPDATE
Task 1.5 – Outdoor Dinning
Project #30640 | Prepared by Kittelson & Associates
Q1 - Among peer cities, do any exempt outdoor dining from the calculation or provide alternatives to encourage outdoor dining/sidewalk café uses, i.e. pedestrian oriented environment, bicycle stalls, etc.? City / Area Restaurant Parking
Requirement
Specific Outdoor Dining
Parking Requirement
Exemption / Reduced Rate Other Tools
Laguna Beach
(Outside DSP)
1 space per 100 SF GFA or 1
space per 3 seats, whichever
is greater. Outdoor
dining/service areas are
considered in parking
calculations.
Outdoor dining is included in
the parking calculation.
Sidewalk cafés may receive a
parking reduction of up to 5
spaces.
Parking reductions may be
approved for projects that
promote walking, bicycling,
transit, ridesharing, vanpools,
or similar transportation
options.
Laguna Beach
(DSP)
DSP blended parking
framework applies.
No outdoor dining-specific
provision identified.
None identified. None identified.
Dana Point
(Outside Harbor)
Restaurants: 1 space per 100
SF GFA. Fast Food: 1 space
per 50 SF GFA. Take-Out: 1
space per 250 SF GFA.
Outdoor dining areas with 16
seats or fewer require no
additional parking. Outdoor
dining areas with more than
16 seats require 1 space per
Yes. Outdoor dining ≤16
seats is exempt from
additional parking.
None identified.
750 The City Drive, Suite 410
Orange, CA 92868
P 714.468.1997
175
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 2 of 7
City / Area Restaurant Parking
Requirement
Specific Outdoor Dining
Parking Requirement
Exemption / Reduced Rate Other Tools
150 SF of the entire outdoor
dining area.
Dana Point
(Harbor)
Restaurants: 1 space per 100
SF up to 4,000 SF and 1
space per 80 SF above 4,000
SF.
Outdoor dining is included in
restaurant square footage
and parking demand
calculations.
None identified. Shared parking and parking
management strategies.
Carlsbad
(Outside Village
& Barrio)
Restaurants <4,000 SF: 1
space per 100 SF.
Restaurants ≥4,000 SF: 40
spaces + 1 space per 50 SF
above 4,000 SF.
No outdoor-dining-specific
parking provision identified.
None identified. Shared parking, parking
modifications, and parking
districts.
Carlsbad
(Village & Barrio)
Village & Barrio parking
standards apply. Outdoor
Dining on Private Property is
a defined use category.
No additional parking
required when the outdoor
dining area is equal to or less
than the indoor dining area.
Outdoor area exceeding the
indoor dining area requires 1
space per 170 SF.
Yes. Partial outdoor dining
exemption.
Curb cafés are permitted and
regulated. The City maintains
curb café and sidewalk café
programs. Parking reductions
may also be considered
through TDM measures,
shuttle programs, and
rideshare programs.
176
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 3 of 7
City / Area Restaurant Parking
Requirement
Specific Outdoor Dining
Parking Requirement
Exemption / Reduced Rate Other Tools
Newport Beach
(Outside PM-1)
Food Service: 1 space per
100 SF. Fast Food: 1 space
per 50 SF. Fast-Casual (≤20
seats): 1 space per 250 SF,
including outdoor dining
areas.
Outdoor dining area: 1 space
per 150 SF. Fast Food
outdoor dining area: 1 space
per 100 SF.
Yes. Outdoor dining is
parked at a lower rate than
indoor dining.
Up to 5% parking reduction
through bicycle parking and
up to 10% reduction through
shared-mobility facilities.
Newport Beach
(PM-1)
Most new or intensified nonresidential uses do not
require additional off-street
parking.
No outdoor dining-specific
provision identified.
No outdoor dining-specific
exemption identified;
however, most commercial
intensification does not
trigger additional parking.
Shared parking, public use of
private parking, bicycle
facilities, ferry access,
trolley/shuttle service, and
rideshare accommodations.
The overlay was established
to support a pedestrianoriented environment.
Del Mar
(Outside Beach
Commercial)
1 space per 200 SF up to
5,000 SF and 1 space per 90
SF above 5,000 SF.
No additional parking
required when the outdoor
seating area is equal to or
less than the indoor seating
area. Excess outdoor area
requires 1 space per 200 SF.
Yes. Partial outdoor dining
exemption.
Shared parking permits, offsite parking permits, in-lieu fees, parking management
plans, bicycle parking, and
alternative transportation
substitutions.
177
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 4 of 7
City / Area Restaurant Parking
Requirement
Specific Outdoor Dining
Parking Requirement
Exemption / Reduced Rate Other Tools
Del Mar
(Beach
Commercial)
1 space per 90 SF up to 4,000
SF and 1 space per 45 SF
above 4,000 SF, including all
outdoor dining area.
All outdoor dining area is
included in the restaurant
parking calculation.
None identified. Shared parking permits, offsite parking permits, in-lieu fees, parking management
plans, bicycle parking, and
alternative transportation
substitutions.
178
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 5 of 7
Q2 - Any code recommendations in light of AB 1217/AB 592 – to adopt an ordinance that provides relief from parking restrictions for expanded outdoor dining areas to reduce the number of required parking spaces for existing uses by the number of spaces that the local jurisdiction determines are needed to accommodate an expanded outdoor dining area AB 1217 and AB 592 provided parking relief for outdoor dining expansions that were created in response to COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining.
The legislation allows flexibility when outdoor dining areas affect required parking. However, the legislation does not establish parking requirements for all future outdoor dining areas and does not require cities to exempt outdoor dining from parking requirements.
Approach Example
Exempt outdoor dining up to a certain
threshold
Dana Point exempts outdoor dining areas with 16 seats or fewer from additional parking requirements.
Outdoor dining areas with more than 16 seats require 1 space per 150 SF of outdoor dining area.
Exempt outdoor dining up to the size of
the indoor dining area
Del Mar (outside the Beach Commercial Zone) and Carlsbad Village & Barrio do not require additional parking when the outdoor dining area is equal to or less than the indoor dining area.
Apply a lower parking rate to outdoor
dining
Newport Beach requires 1 space per 150 SF for outdoor dining compared to 1 space per 100 SF for indoor food service.
Provide parking reductions through
alternative transportation measures
Newport Beach allows parking reductions through bicycle parking and shared mobility facilities. Del Mar allows alternative transportation and bicycle parking substitutions as part of its parking framework.
It should be noted that Laguna Beach allows parking reductions for sidewalk cafés and projects that promote walking, bicycling, transit, ridesharing, and similar transportation options
As identified through this peer city review, several coastal cities have adopted some form of parking flexibility for outdoor dining. The examples reviewed generally do not eliminate parking requirements entirely. Instead, they either one or more of the following:
◼ Exempt a portion of outdoor dining from additional parking requirements; 179
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 6 of 7
◼ Apply a lower parking rate to outdoor dining than indoor dining; or, ◼ Provide flexibility through bicycle parking, shared mobility, transportation demand management measures, or sidewalk café programs.
If Laguna Beach wishes to consider changes consistent with the intent of AB 1217 and AB 592, peer city examples suggest that a limited exemption, a reduced outdoor dining parking rate, or parking reductions tied to bicycle parking and other transportation measures may be potential options. Any future code changes should also consider coastal access and the City's broader parking management objectives. 180
August 26, 2026 City of Laguna Beach Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Task 1.1 – Comment-Response Matrix
Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Page: 7 of 7
Q3 - Are there any coastal cities that have adopted outdoor dining ordinances with revised parking incentives? Yes. Several coastal cities reviewed as part of this study have adopted parking provisions that provide some form of relief or flexibility for outdoor dining.
City Outdoor Dining Incentive
Del Mar Outside the Beach Commercial Zone, no additional parking is required when the outdoor dining area is equal to or less than the indoor dining area. Only the outdoor area exceeding the indoor dining area must provide parking at a rate of 1 space per 200 SF.
Carlsbad
(Village &
Barrio)
No additional parking is required when the outdoor dining area is equal to or less than the indoor dining area. Only the outdoor area exceeding the indoor dining area must provide parking at a rate of 1 space per 170 SF.
Dana Point Outdoor dining areas with 16 seats or fewer do not require additional parking. Outdoor dining areas with more than 16 seats require 1 parking space per 150 SF of outdoor dining area.
Newport
Beach
Outdoor dining areas are parked at a lower rate than indoor dining areas. Food service uses require 1 space per 100 SF, while outdoor dining areas require 1 space per 150 SF. Newport Beach also adopted bicycle parking and shared mobility parking reductions.
181