STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
September 22, 2026
REGULAR
BUSINESS
25 SUBJECT: CITYWIDE PARKING CODE UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS AND
TEMPORARY OUTDOOR DINING TRANSITION PLAN
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Receive a presentation on the Citywide parking requirements update and the proposed transition plan to replace temporary outdoor dining uses with more permanent outdoor dining uses;
2. Direct staff to prepare an ordinance amending the City’s parking requirements, including parking for outdoor dining uses, and establishing design guidelines for outdoor dining uses;
3. Provide feedback on the draft Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines and direct staff to prepare a resolution establishing the Outdoor Dining Design Guidelines and seek preliminary input from the Planning Commission before returning to the Planning Commission and City Council in the formal adoption process;
4. Direct staff to continue working with business owners seeking to continue their temporary outdoor dining uses by informing business owners to obtain the necessary Temporary Use Permit (“TUP”) and Coastal Development Permit (“CDP”) by January 1, 2027, to allow for an 18-month transition period while the City completes the local adoption process for ordinance amending the City’s parking requirements, including establishment of parking requirements for outdoor dining uses, and establishing design guidelines for outdoor dining uses and the California Coastal Commission considers certification of the associated Local Coastal Plan Amendment (“LCPA”); and
5. Find that the recommended actions are exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15306 of the CEQA Guidelines based on the findings and facts in this staff report.
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
The City Council is considering updates to non-residential parking standards as part of the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update (“CZCU”). In July 2025, the City Council directed staff to prioritize this task under the CZCU, alongside the development of new objective design standards (“ODS”) for single- and twofamily development. The ODS were recently completed and adopted by the City Council on August 4, 2026. With that effort concluded, De Novo Planning Group (“De Novo”), with assistance from Kittelson & Associates, Inc. (“Kittelson”), has now concluded a comprehensive evaluation of existing parking regulations, parking supply and demand, and parking practices in comparable communities, and completed its preliminary findings and recommendations responsive to its scope of work on Task 1.1 (Review of Existing Parking-Related Policies, Codes, and Comparable Cities), Task 1.2 (Estimation of Current Parking Supply and Demand), Task 1.3 (Calculation of Blended Parking Requirement for Non-Residential Uses),
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and Task 1.5 (Other Parking Code Recommendations) are provided as Attachments 1 through 4, respectively (collectively, “Kittleson Reports”). While the Kittleson Reports address a wide variety of
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parking issues throughout the City, they also address how to address parking requirements for restaurants that offer outdoor dining. Accordingly, City staff merged the update in response to the City Council’s direction on November 18, 2025 and June 23, 2026 on the City’s Outdoor Dining and Parklet Program with this report to better address solutions and options for the City’s outdoor dining program. City staff recommends that the City Council adopt recommended code amendments and design guidelines for outdoor dining to address the following forms of outdoor dining: (1) Outdoor Seating: located on private property, including areas formerly dedicated as onsite parking spaces, when the required location and design requirements are met; (2) Promenade: dedicated outdoor dining areas associated with restaurants fronting the new Promenade at Forest Avenue; and (3) Sidewalk Café: outdoor dining spaces located within the sidewalk area of the public right-of-way that are associated with adjacent food or drink establishments.
Kittleson’s Outdoor Dining Parking Recommendations and City staff’s draft Outdoor Dining Guidelines are provided as Attachments 5 and 6, respectively.
DISCUSSION
Overview of the Kittleson Reports
On October 8, 2024, the City Council awarded a contract to De Novo for preparation of the CZCU, a key initiative identified through the City’s 2022 Strategic Planning and Goal Setting Workshop and reaffirmed during the 2024 Annual Planning Workshop. On July 22, 2025, the City Council approved a contract amendment modifying the scope of work to prioritize preparation of updated parking standards. De Novo subcontracted with Kittelson to conduct the parking analysis and develop recommendations for updated parking standards.
Since initiation of the project, De Novo and Kittelson have undertaken a range of project activities including coordination meetings with City staff, background research, site visits, parking occupancy data collection and analysis, and coordination with the CZCU Ad Hoc Committee (the “Ad Hoc Committee”), consisting of Mayor Orgill and Councilmember Whalen.
Kittelson's scope of work focused on evaluating existing parking conditions and regulations within commercial areas outside the boundaries of the Downtown Specific Plan area and developing recommendations for updating non-residential parking standards and related parking code provisions. The analysis was intended to provide the City with a data-driven basis for determining whether existing parking requirements appropriately reflect current parking supply and demand within the study area.
Kittleson’s work included a review of existing City planning documents and parking regulations,1 an evaluation of parking standards and practices in comparable Southern California and coastal communities, 1 Including but not limited to the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (“TDM”) Report, Laguna Beach Municipal Code Chapter 25.52 (Parking Requirements), and the Downtown Specific Plan. Several of the code amendments recommended in the technical report in response to Task 1.5 (Other Parking Code Recommendations) are based on recommendations contained in the TDM Report, which the City Council adopted on June 13, 2023. The TDM Report is available for download at the following link:
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/home/showpublisheddocument/17604/638411264939600000
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collection and analysis of existing parking supply and demand data, and development of recommended blended parking ratios for non-residential uses. The analysis considered seasonal, weekday, and weekend parking conditions and evaluated parking characteristics within distinct parking districts in the study area, which are depicted in Figure 1. In addition to the recommended non-residential parking ratios, Kittelson evaluated potential updates to other parking code and regulatory provisions, including fractional parking requirements, intensification of use provisions, bicycle parking standards, the methodology for calculating required parking, consideration of ride-hailing services, transportation demand management regulations, and related zoning provisions contained within LBMC Chapters 25.52 and 25.94. Based on this evaluation, Kittelson prepared recommended revisions and redlined code language for the City's consideration in the Kittleson Reports.
The parking districts represent commercially zoned properties along and adjacent to the Coast Highway corridor, including properties that front Glenneyre Street.
Kittleson’s work resulted in a series of technical memoranda and reports documenting the existing conditions, analysis, findings, and recommendations (i.e., the Kittleson Reports). Kittleson’s deliverables
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provide the technical analysis and recommendations necessary to inform the City's consideration of updating parking standards and related parking code amendments. The deliverables are summarized below:
• Task 1.1: Parking Regulations and Comparable Jurisdictions: Review of existing City planning documents, parking regulations, and practices in comparable communities (Attachment 1). • Task 1.2: Parking Supply and Demand: Evaluation of existing public and private parking supply and observed parking occupancy within the study area, including consideration of seasonal and weekday/weekend conditions and both on-street and off-street spaces (Attachment 2). • Task 1.3: Blended Non-Residential Parking Standards: Analysis of existing parking supply and observed demand to develop recommended blended parking ratios for non-residential uses within the study area. The resulting report, including supporting data and calculations(Attachment 3). • Task 1.5: Other Parking Code Recommendations: Evaluation of additional parking code and zoning provisions and preparation of recommended revisions and redlined code language (Attachment 4).
Recommended Code Change: Blended Parking Requirement for Non-Residential Uses As reflected in the analysis under Task 1.3 (Attachment 3), Kittleson identified individual blended parking requirements for each of the six districts as follows:
Based upon this analysis, City staff recommends one of two approaches to establishing a blended parking requirement for non-residential uses.
The first approach would establish a single blended parking requirement for non-residential uses across Districts 1-6, rather than adopting a separate rate for each district. The blended rate would be calculated by averaging the parking ratios derived from the districts evaluated as part of the study. This would result in a uniform blended parking requirement of 2.75 spaces per 1,000 square feet across all six districts.
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The second and alternative approach would establish a single blended parking requirement for Districts 1- 5, which are generally contiguous to one another and Downtown, and a single blended parking requirement for District 6 (South Laguna), which is more geographically separate. Under this approach, staff recommends applying the Downtown Specific Plan blended parking rate to Districts 1-5 and Kittelson’s recommended rate to District 6. This would result in a uniform blended parking requirement of 3 spaces per 1,000 square feet across District 1-5 and a uniform blended parking requirement of 2.25 spaces per 1,000 square feet in District 6.
The table below compares the existing parking requirements in Chapter 25.52 for the most common nonresidential uses (i.e., general retail, professional office, personal service, and food service), the existing parking requirements in the Downtown Specific Plan, and City staff’s two alternative approaches for a blended parking rate based on Kittleson’s analysis:
Comparison Table of Potential Parking Rates and Existing Requirements Source Use, District or Group Parking Requirement
General retail stores, office and other
business, technical service,
administrative or professional offices,
personal service establishments
1 space for each 250 square feet of
gross floor area (i.e., 4 spaces per
1,000 square feet)
LBMC Chapter 25.52
Parking Requirements
Food services including, but not limited
to restaurants, take-out, and full-service;
bakery, ice cream store, juice bar; and
delicatessen
1 space for each 100 square feet of
gross floor area, including outdoor
seating area(s), or 1 space per 3 seats,
whichever is greater (i.e., 10 spaces
per 1,000 square feet)
Downtown Specific Plan Non-residential uses such as office, retail, and food service uses
3 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of
gross floor area
Option 1. Non-residential uses such as
office, retail, personal services, and food
service uses
Combined study area (Districts 1-6) 2.75 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area
Task 1.3 Memorandum
Calculation of Blended
Parking Requirement for
Non-Residential Uses
Option 2. Apply the DSP rate to one
geographic area of the City where
Districts 1-5 are clustered around the DSP
and set a differentiated rate for the
comparatively remote District 6.
Districts 1-5
District 6
3 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of
gross floor area
2.25 spaces for each 1,000 square feet
of gross floor area
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Regardless of the approach, according to Kittelson, a blended parking requirement would have substantial benefits to the City. Compared to the current code-implied requirement3 of 4.8 spaces per 1,000 square feet, the recommended rates of 2.25 to 3.0 spaces per 1,000 square feet reduce the effective non-residential requirement by between 35 and 50 percent. In built-out commercial areas where most parcels cannot add on-site parking, that reduction is what allows an older building to change tenants, for a restaurant to replace a retail space, or for a modest reinvestment to proceed without triggering a parking obligation the site cannot meet. It reduces reliance on in-lieu fees and discretionary relief, replaces a use-by-use calculation with a single predictable number, and treats businesses outside of the Downtown Specific Plan on the same footing as those Downtown.
As stated in Kittelson’s analysis, the recommended rates are all set above the observed demand to provide “headroom” for seasonal peaking and future growth. If the recommended rates are applied to the existing square footage, there is not a parking deficiency. As such, the standard would right-size the requirement without creating a shortfall. Across the study area, the current code would require 4.8 spaces per 1,000 square feet given the actual mix of uses, while the parking actually built is 3.3 spaces per 1,000 square feet.
A shift to a blended parking rate is appropriate based on the consultant’s findings: the code-implied requirement overstates the parking actually built (i.e. the commercial districts should be operating at a significant shortfall with demand exceeding supply). However, Kittelson found that the demand sits well below what has been built.
Kittleson provides several options for how the blended rates may be established, which range from aggregating the parking requirement by setting one overall parking ratio for the entire study area, to various district groupings.4 Staff believes that a single blended rate provides the most straightforward, understandable, and equitable approach to regulating parking requirements. A uniform standard would provide greater predictability for property owners, tenants, and applicants and would avoid situations in which otherwise similar uses are subject to materially different parking requirements based solely on their location within the study area. Establishing different rates by district could create confusion and may result in frustration among property owners and tenants who could perceive that they are being treated inequitably when a comparable use is subject to a lower parking requirement in another district. A single blended rate would also simplify administration and implementation of the City's parking regulations while maintaining consistency with the overall objective of establishing parking requirements that are informed by observed parking supply and demand.
Staff therefore recommends that Kittleson’s findings under Task 1.3 be used to establish a simplified blended parking requirement, with further consideration given to whether District 6 should be subject to a distinct rate.
3 Code-Implied Requirement: The current Laguna Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) use-by-use ratios applied to each classified parcel, summed and divided by total non-residential GFA. This measures what the current standard would require given the actual mix of uses in the study area.
4 Refer to page 10 of the Task 1.3 memorandum, attached as Attachment 3.
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Recommended Code Change: Fractional Parking Requirements, Intensification of Use Calculations, Square Footage/GFA Calculations, On-Site Bicycle Parking Standards, TDM Regulations, Ride Hailing and Passenger Loading, Zoning Constraints, Parking Code Purpose Statement, EV Charging and State Law Alignment, and Compact and Motorcycle Space Ratios The following proposed amendments would update the Laguna Beach Municipal Code (“LBMC”) Chapter
25.52 (Parking Requirements) to create a more flexible, demand-responsive, and multimodal parking framework that reflects the City’s coastal setting, built-out commercial districts, and current transportation and parking policies. The amendments implement recommendations from Kittleson’s code review and the City’s TDM Report, while implementing the blended parking rates addressed in Task 1.3. The proposed amendments include the following:
1. Revise fractional parking calculations.
LBMC Section 25.52.012(D) currently requires fractional parking calculations to be rounded up, which can disproportionately affect Laguna Beach’s small commercial properties. Under the current standard, even a small fractional requirement (e.g., 0.1 space) results in a full additional parking space, creating challenges for minor expansions and changes of use on constrained sites. The Code also applies different rounding methods to individual properties and jointly managed commercial complexes.
The proposed amendment would establish a consistent round-at-0.50 standard, under which fractions below 0.50 are disregarded and fractions of 0.50 or greater are rounded up. This approach is consistent with practices in the coastal cities of Dana Point and Del Mar and with the recommendation in the City’s TDM Report. Applying the same standard to jointly managed properties would also eliminate the current inconsistency in rounding methodology.
2. Simplify parking requirements for changes and intensifications of use.
LBMC Section 25.52.004(E) currently requires additional parking when a property changes to a more parking-intensive use, adds floor area, or undergoes certain redevelopment, with the requirement calculated using a series of credits, including existing spaces, prior incentives, in-lieu parking certificates, and a 1958 baseline credit. This framework is complex to administer, particularly because the 1958 credit requires documentation of historical building conditions and parking requirements, and it can create uncertainty for older properties with limited or no on-site parking.
The proposed amendment would replace this credit-based system with a simpler incremental parking approach, requiring parking only for the net increase in parking demand between the prior and proposed use, based on the applicable parking standards. This approach would eliminate the existing credit calculations and provide a clearer path for changes of use and modest intensifications without requiring existing parking deficiencies to be corrected. The approach is consistent with Del Mar’s LCP-certified framework and the recommendation in the 2023 TDM Report.
3. Revise the parking calculation area for commercial uses.
LBMC Section 25.52.012(C) currently calculates parking for most floor-area-based commercial uses using gross floor area (“GFA”), which generally includes operational and non-customer-facing
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areas such as kitchens, restrooms, storage, and back-of-house offices. For restaurants, outdoor dining areas are also included. This approach does not distinguish between areas that generate customer parking demand and areas that primarily support business operations, potentially increasing parking requirements for small, constrained commercial properties.
The proposed amendment would establish a net public area methodology for eating and drinking establishments, excluding kitchens, restrooms, back-of-house offices, and storage from the parking calculation while continuing to count outdoor dining areas. Common areas in multi-tenant buildings would also be excluded from the calculation. This approach is consistent with practices in the cities of Newport Beach and Del Mar and responds to the City’s TDM Report’s recommendation to evaluate exclusions for non-demand-generating areas.
4. Establish mandatory bicycle parking standards.
LBMC Chapter 25.52 currently provides no mandatory bicycle parking requirement for nonresidential development; bicycle facilities may be required at the City’s discretion, and bicycle spaces may substitute for a limited number of required automobile spaces. Existing standards also lack detailed requirements for facility type, security, weather protection, placement, and signage. In addition, the current 2-foot-by-6-foot space dimension may not adequately accommodate larger ebikes and cargo bikes.
The proposed amendment would establish minimum short-term and long-term bicycle parking standards for qualifying non-residential projects, with requirements for secure and covered facilities, appropriate dimensions, location, and signage. The standards would be coordinated with CALGreen 2025 requirements, which became effective January 1, 2026, while providing consistent local requirements for projects that may fall below state thresholds. The City would also evaluate dedicated e-bike parking standards, including space dimensions, rack capacity, and charging infrastructure. The amendment implements the TDM Report recommendation to establish long-term bicycle parking standards and is consistent with approaches used by the cities of Newport Beach and Del Mar.
5. Modernize Transportation Demand Management (“TDM”) requirements.
LBMC Chapter 25.94 (Transportation Demand Management) was adopted in 1991 and was last substantially amended in 2002. Its current applicability threshold of 250 employees is relatively high and limits the ordinance’s application, where commercial uses within the city are predominantly small-scale. The existing requirements also focus primarily on commuting employees and do not reflect more recent approaches to vehicle miles traveled (“VMT”) reduction, multimodal transportation, and other demand management strategies.
The proposed amendment would replace the employee headcount threshold with a trip-generationbased screening threshold, using average daily employee trips (“ADET”) as a model, and establish a flexible menu of TDM measures that can be tailored to project type and scale. The Code would also establish a formal pathway for parking reductions tied to verified TDM commitments, replacing reliance on the current discretionary incentives process. Implementation could be supported by administrative guidance that allows the City to keep TDM measures current without frequent Code
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amendments. The existing requirement to provide monthly transit passes for employees who regularly commute by transit would be retained. These changes implement the TDM Report recommendations and are informed by more current TDM frameworks in cities such as Carlsbad, Newport Beach, and Del Mar.
6. Establish passenger loading standards for larger commercial projects.
LBMC Section 25.94.010(D) currently allows the City to require rideshare vehicle loading areas at its discretion but does not establish a mandatory standard or address the growing use of app-based ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft. The TDM Report recognizes designated ride-hailing drop-off areas as an existing City strategy, while peer communities such as Dana Point have established mandatory loading requirements for larger projects.
The proposed amendment would convert the existing discretionary provision to a mandatory passenger loading standard for commercial projects above a defined size threshold, using Dana Point’s requirements7 as a reference. The amendment would address passenger loading activity associated with ride-hailing and other shared mobility services without attempting to regulate those services themselves, which are regulated at the state level. A parking credit for ride hailing proximity or provision of on-site passenger loading spaces is not recommended at this time, because available data does not provide a sufficiently reliable basis for quantifying a corresponding reduction in parking demand. The City could revisit such a credit as local and regional data on ride-hailing activity and parking demand become available.
7. Increase flexibility for constrained and nonconforming commercial properties.
Laguna Beach already provides multiple mechanisms to address parking constraints, including inlieu parking certificates, common and joint-use parking, shared parking, valet parking, off-site parking, and certain incentive-based reductions. However, several code provisions may limit the effectiveness of these tools for constrained commercial properties and adaptive reuse. The City should therefore evaluate targeted amendments to LBMC Sections 25.52.004(E)(2), 25.52.006(G), and 25.52.008 to expand the small-enlargement exemption for projects below major-remodel thresholds8, revise driveway-slope standards to better facilitate subterranean parking on constrained lots, and establish an accessory-use exemption modeled on peer-city approaches such as Del Mar’s.9 The latter could allow a qualifying subordinate use to occupy a defined portion of an existing building without triggering a new parking calculation, provided the use is in the same or lower 7 Dana Point’s TDM chapter requires rideshare loading areas at a rate of 5 stalls per 100 required parking spaces. 8 The small-enlargement carve-out under LBMC Section 25.52.004(E)(2) limits relief to additions of no more than 10 percent of floor area and not exceeding 500 square feet. 9 Del Mar expressly prohibits variances; all relief must come from tools within the parking chapter itself. Del Mar’s internal toolkit includes shared parking permits allowing up to 66 percent of required spaces to be shared, off-site parking permits within 500 feet, an in-lieu fee program in the Central Commercial Zone covering up to 75 percent of required spaces, alternative vehicle spaces up to 15 percent of required auto spaces, and an accessory use exemption for uses occupying 25 percent or less of the primary use floor area in the same or lower parking intensity category.
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parking-intensity category. If a citywide blended parking framework is adopted for the same commercial areas, the need for a separate accessory-use exemption may not be warranted.
The City should also determine whether the expired innovative parking solutions provision should be reinstated through a Local Coastal Program Amendment (“LCPA”), removed, or replaced by the proposed TDM-based parking reduction framework. The “innovative parking solutions” provision in LBMC Section 25.52.006(G) expired in May 2026 following the five-year period established through the 2021 Local Coastal Program (“LCP”) certification. If qualifying projects were approved and supporting studies demonstrate effectiveness, the City should consider an LCPA to reinstate the provision; if not, it should be removed through the LCP amendment process. Alternatively, the provision could be replaced with the proposed TDM-based parking reduction framework. Staff recommends replacement with a new TDM framework. These targeted changes would complement the City's existing parking flexibility tools while addressing specific barriers to reinvestment on constrained commercial properties.
8. Update the parking chapter’s purpose statement.
LBMC Section 25.52.002 currently focuses narrowly on ensuring adequate off-street parking supply and does not reflect the City's evolving approach to parking in a built-out coastal community. The TDM Report recommended updating the provision to recognize current travel patterns, technologies, and policy objectives. Peer coastal cities provide broader examples: Newport Beach addresses coastal access, while Del Mar incorporates multimodal transportation, climate goals, and neighborhood compatibility; Dana Point emphasizes safety and circulation.
Consistent with the recommendations in Tasks 1.3 and 1.5, LBMC Section 25.52.002 should be revised to recognize parking demand management, multimodal access, safety, the City's coastal setting, and consistency with the General Plan and Local Coastal Program. A broader purpose statement would provide policy direction for applying existing and proposed flexibility tools, including shared parking, in-lieu parking, and TDM-based reductions, and better communicate the City's parking objectives to applicants, staff, and the Coastal Commission.
9. Clarify treatment of electric vehicle parking.
LBMC Chapter 25.52 does not currently address EV-capable, EV-ready, or EV-installed parking spaces, even though evolving state requirements under CALGreen and related legislation already apply to new construction and certain alterations. While these requirements are implemented through state building regulations and should not be duplicated in the Zoning Code, the City's parking code does not clarify how EV spaces interact with required parking, compact spaces, or accessible parking requirements. This creates uncertainty for applicants and staff as state standards continue to evolve.
Among the peer cities, Del Mar provides the most applicable model, integrating state EV requirements into its parking regulations and allowing qualifying clean-air vehicle spaces to count toward required parking. Carlsbad addresses EV requirements primarily through its building code,
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while Newport Beach and Dana Point do not incorporate comparable provisions into their parking chapters.
Kittleson recommends amending LBMC Sections 25.52.008 and 25.52.012 to clarify that EVcapable, EV-ready, and EV-installed spaces count toward required parking minimums and may satisfy compact and accessible parking requirements when otherwise compliant with applicable state and local standards. The amendments should cross-reference applicable state requirements rather than duplicate CALGreen provisions, providing clear local direction while preserving consistency with evolving state regulations.
10. Evaluate compact, motorcycle, bicycle, and alternative vehicle parking standards.
LBMC Chapter 25.52 currently permits up to 50 percent of parking spaces in parking areas or garages with six or more spaces to be compact spaces. Compact spaces must be 8 feet by 15 feet, compared with 8 feet 4 inches by 18 feet for standard nonresidential spaces and 8 feet 8 inches by 18 feet for residential covered spaces. The Code also permits required automobile parking to be substituted with bicycle and motorcycle spaces at ratios of eight bicycle spaces or two motorcycle spaces per one automobile space, with combined substitutions limited to 10 percent of required parking.
The 50 percent compact-space allowance set forth in LBMC Chapter 25.52 has not been reevaluated since the parking regulations were amended in 2011 despite significant growth in vehicle sizes and the prevalence of trucks and SUVs in the Southern California fleet. A study of the current vehicle fleet in Laguna Beach's commercial areas is therefore recommended to determine whether the allowance remains appropriate. Any potential adjustment should be addressed through a separate study and could also evaluate the addition of a clean-air vehicle space category, consistent with the City of Del Mar's framework, to complement the City's EV-related parking recommendations.
The City's 50 percent allowance is the most permissive among the peer jurisdictions reviewed. The City of Newport Beach prohibits new compact spaces, while the City of Carlsbad limits compact spaces to 25 percent for non-residential uses and 45 percent for residential visitor parking. Del Mar permits 8-foot-by-15-foot compact spaces within a broader alternative-vehicle framework, including micro-car spaces. The City of Dana Point does not specify a compact-space percentage in the provisions reviewed. Laguna Beach also does not currently include clean-air vehicle or microcar categories.
The bicycle substitution ratio of eight bicycle spaces per automobile space is more restrictive than the peer standard identified in Newport Beach (three bicycle spaces per one automobile space reduction). The City should evaluate whether to tighten the ratio or retain it with a cap consistent with CALGreen thresholds. The existing motorcycle substitution ratio of two motorcycle spaces per automobile space should be retained pending additional data, as no reviewed peer jurisdiction establishes a comparable standard.
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As part of the bicycle parking update, the existing bicycle and motorcycle substitution provisions in LBMC Section 25.52.012(E) would be relocated to LBMC Section 25.52.006(F), with revised LBMC Section 25.52.012(E) consolidating alternative-vehicle substitution provisions, including any new clean-air vehicle category.
Finally, terminology throughout Chapter 25.52 should be standardized by replacing references to “parking space” and “parking stall,” when referring specifically to automobiles, with “auto parking space.” A corresponding definition should be added to LBMC Section 25.08 clarifying that an auto parking space accommodates cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans, but excludes motorcycles and bicycles.
This terminology change is intended as a code-wide clarification with no substantive policy change and can be incorporated into the same LCP amendment.
The table below summarizes all ten elements addressed in the Task 1.5 memorandum, the recommended action for each, and the LBMC sections affected.
Summary Table of Parking Code Recommendations
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Recommended Code Change: Outdoor Dining Parking Recommendations Existing restaurants with temporary outdoor dining are limited in their ability to convert areas into permanent dining due to the City’s parking requirements. The City’s Municipal Code allows parking reductions for sidewalk cafes and projects that promote walking, bicycling, transit, ridesharing and similar transportation options. However, these parking incentives are limited, and opportunities to provide additional on-site parking, off-site parking at a nearby commercial property, or valet parking are scarce. For purposes of calculating onsite parking, outdoor dining is considered part of the gross floor area and is subject to the same parking ratio required for food services. Pursuant to Laguna Beach Municipal Code Section
25.52.012(G), food services require one (1) parking space for each 100 square feet of gross floor area, including outdoor seating areas. In the Downtown, the Downtown Specific Plan requires a blended rate of 3 stalls per 1,000 square feet for outdoor dining area.
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On October 9, 2025, the Governor signed AB 592 to supersede AB 1217 and make permanent several key provisions intended to preserve operational flexibility for food and alcoholic beverage businesses following the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill permanently removes the expiration date for the waiver of private parking provisions. Furthermore, the bill makes permanent the existing provision that allows local jurisdictions to reduce required parking spaces to accommodate expanded outdoor dining areas. To further evaluate local parking needs, staff requested that Kittleson provide an analysis and recommendations for outdoor dining parking requirements (Attachment 5).
Kittleson has identified various approaches from peer cities regarding outdoor dining parking requirements.
Specifically, parking recommendations for the City Council’s consideration include:
Exemption from parking requirements for outdoor dining up to 16 seats (Dana Point) Exemption from parking requirements when the outdoor dining area is equal to or less than the size of the indoor dining area (Del Mar and Carlsbad)
Application of a lower parking rate to outdoor dining (reduced from 1 space/100 SF to 1/150 SF) (Newport Beach)
These coastal cities have adopted parking provisions that provide relief or flexibility for outdoor dining, which would require zoning text amendments to the City’s Municipal Code. It is recommended that the City Council consider new outdoor dining parking requirements which may be included in the CZCU since nearly all locations with TUPs and participating in the City’s Outdoor Dining Program are sites that are already constrained and unable to provide additional onsite parking, have exhausted all other options, or do not qualify for existing parking incentives.
Based on existing conditions and site limitations, the exemption from parking requirements when the outdoor dining area is equal to or less than the size of the indoor dining area is the recommended option that resolves constraints associated with transitioning existing temporary to permanent outdoor dining.
In addition, staff recommends establishing a maximum for the parking exemption and limit the intensification of use to an objective development standard that is equal to the sidewalk cafe parking incentive that is already codified in the City’s Municipal Code. It is recommended that the proposed outdoor dining parking exemption be limited to a maximum outdoor dining area of 500 square feet, which would be equivalent to the existing parking incentive for sidewalk cafes for up to a maximum of five parking spaces calculated at a rate of 1 stall per 100 square feet.13 For establishments with less than 500 square feet of indoor dining area, the more restrictive outdoor area equal to the indoor seating area shall apply. Any outdoor dining area in excess of 500 square feet shall be subject to the applicable parking standards for food services. In cases where a business proposes both outdoor dining on private property and a sidewalk café within public right-of-way, the total parking exemption may not exceed a maximum of five parking spaces. 13 Although staff acknowledges that this report also recommends adoption of a blended parking rate that would apply to food and beverage uses and other non-residential uses, staff does not recommend increasing the 500-square-foot cap for the parking requirement exemption to track with a future parking requirement.
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September 22, 2026
Temporary Outdoor Dining Transition Plan
The local adoption of the amended parking regulations and the subsequent California Coastal Commission process to amend the City’s certified LCP are expected to take at least 18 months to complete. It is recommended that the City Council direct staff to work with business owners seeking to continue their temporary outdoor dining uses to process the necessary TUP and CDP applications by no later than January 1, 2027. Under the City’s Municipal Code, the remaining Temporary Use Permits issued under the Outdoor Dining and Parklet Program to individual businesses are set to expire in January 2027. City staff will continue working with the businesses with the goal of presenting the TUP and CDP applications to the Planning Commission for consideration before the end of the year. These approvals could initially be issued for an 18-month period while the City completes the local adoption process for the parking code updates and submits the associated LCPA for certification. If certification is not obtained before the interim approvals expire, new TUP and CDP applications will be required to consider an extended duration.
For outdoor dining areas proposed within the Forest Avenue Promenade, City staff is working with restaurant owners to enter into interim agreements beginning on October 1, 2026. It is anticipated that staff will return to the City Council with a long-term license program for the Promenade at a future meeting, with a target date of November 2026. The program will include specific requirements and best practices related to fees, operations, maintenance, and space allocation, as well as conditions for special events. Each restaurant will be required to submit a CUP application, which will be processed concurrently with the same goal of presenting the CUP applications for Planning Commission consideration before the end of the year.
Outdoor Dining Guidelines
City staff has developed permanent outdoor dining guidelines for transitioning temporary outdoor dining spaces, which were allowed to replace indoor capacity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to permanent dining areas with established design standards.
The proposed Outdoor Dining Guidelines are intended to provide permanent options for outdoor dining that serve as attractive, durable, well-maintained, and well-integrated outdoor spaces that support the City’s businesses, pedestrians, public realm, and coastal character. The Outdoor Dining Guidelines are also intended to establish consistent operational standards that can be equitably applied citywide.
The Outdoor Dining Guidelines (Attachment 6) categorize authorized outdoor dining uses into three distinct types:
Outdoor Seating: located on private property, including areas formerly dedicated as onsite parking spaces, when the required location and design requirements are met Promenade: dedicated outdoor dining areas associated with restaurants fronting the new Promenade at Forest Avenue
Sidewalk Café: outdoor dining spaces located within the sidewalk area of the public right-of-way that are associated with adjacent food or drink establishments Each option is defined by its required permit and approval processes, proposed location, design criteria, maintenance requirements, and operational standards. The Outdoor Dining Guidelines are intended to
CITYWIDE PARKING CODE UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TEMPORARY
OUTDOOR DINING TRANSITION PLAN
September 22, 2026
provide a framework for permanent outdoor dining that supports the City’s design goals while continuing to allow for al fresco dining experiences that activate the City’s public and private outdoor spaces. If adopted, the Outdoor Dining Guidelines would be applied to the respective permits and agreements required by the City, depending on the scope and location of the outdoor dining proposal for each business. It is important to note that the permit and approval process may vary depending on the type of permanent outdoor dining option proposed and site’s location, which may require a Conditional Use Permit, Coastal Development Permit, Encroachment Permit, License Agreement, and/or Building Permit.
To develop these Outdoor Dining Guidelines, City staff met onsite with various restaurant owners and conducted several site visits to evaluate existing conditions, challenges, and limitations associated with permanent outdoor dining. Staff also contacted the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to coordinate licensing and enforcement conditions contained within the Outdoor Dining Guidelines. Staff proposes that the Planning Commission work with City staff to further develop the draft Guidelines, which will include reference imagery, graphics, and a kit of parts that depict the City’s design expectations for permanent outdoor dining areas. Upon Planning Commission recommendation of the draft Guidelines, staff will return to the Council for consideration of the Outdoor Dining Guidelines at a later date. City staff expect that the ordinance with the parking code amendments will reference the City Council’s adoption of the Outdoor Dining Guidelines by City Council resolution.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
The recommended action has no financial impact to the budget.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES
The evaluation and development of updated parking standards is consistent with the City Council’s strategic goals and priorities related to implementation of the CZCU, efficient use of existing resources, and maintaining the unique character of Laguna Beach. The parking standards effort supports the City Council’s direction to modernize the City’s development regulations while establishing clear, predictable, and equitable parking requirements that reflect current parking supply and demand. The effort also advances priorities related to improving government efficiency, simplifying development standards, and providing greater clarity and consistency for property owners, tenants, and applicants. The use of current parking data and consideration of comparable communities further supports the City Council’s commitment to informed decision-making and thoughtful long-range planning. The proposed Outdoor Dining Guidelines are in keeping with the 2026 City Council Key Priority 19, Outdoor Dining Program, which is intended to replace the interim outdoor dining program started in 2020.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The recommended action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15306 (Class 6 – Information Collection) because it consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The City Council’s action is limited to receiving a status update, providing policy direction regarding the future processing of a Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Local Coastal Program Amendment, and providing policy direction regarding the continued development of proposed outdoor dining guidelines which the City Council would adopt by
CITYWIDE PARKING CODE UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TEMPORARY
OUTDOOR DINING TRANSITION PLAN
September 22, 2026
resolution at a later date. The City Council will not approve or adopt any of these items at this meeting.
Each item will return for consideration and any required CEQA review as part of a subsequent public process
ATTACHMENTS
1. Task 1.1 – Review of Existing Parking-Related Policies, Codes, and Comparable Cities.
2. Task 1.2 – Estimation of Current Parking Supply and Demand
3. Task 1.3 – Calculation of Blended Parking Requirement for Non-Residential Uses
4. Task 1.5 – Other Parking Code Recommendations
5. Outdoor Dining Parking Recommendations (Kittelson)
6. Draft Outdoor Dining Guidelines
Submitted By: Matthew Schneider Approved: .David A Kiff Matthew Schneider, Director of
Community Development
Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Wendy Jung, Principal Planner
Belinda Deines, Principal Planner
Anthony Viera, Deputy Director of Community
Development
Jane Abzug, Assistant City Attorney