City Council Agenda Report
TO: Mayor Clauzel and Members of the City Council
FROM: Ken Irwin, City Manager
BY: Bryan Stice, Community Development Director
MEETING DATE: May 2, 2023
ITEM NO: 8.1
SUBJECT: Approve First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance No. 868 Reading by Title Only, Waiving Further Reading, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Patterson, Amending chapters 18.76 (parking and loading) of title 18 of the Patterson Municipal Code to modify parking requirements.
RECOMMENDATION
Motion to Approve First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance No. 868 Reading by Title Only, Waiving Further Reading, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Patterson, Amending chapters 18.76 (parking and loading) of title 18 of the Patterson Municipal Code to modify parking requirements.
BACKGROUND
The City of Patterson often amends the Municipal Zoning Code as may be needed from time to time. City staff will typically prepare draft code language based upon new/outdated legislation, or in an effort to update provisions within it.
ANALYSIS
Staff has determined the need to consider and possibly amend/update two subsections of Chapter
18.76 (“Parking and Loading”) of the City of Patterson Zoning Code.
1. Amendment to Section 18.76.030 (“Off-Street Parking Requirements”) Staff received a request for the City of Patterson to modernize their parking standards in support of more automated / robotic manufacturing systems and land uses. The City’s current standard for manufacturing uses is one (1) space per 500 square feet of building area.
A recent survey of cities within the surrounding Patterson region revealed more lenient standards for manufacturing uses as compared to that standard of the City of Patterson (above). See Attachment 1 “Table of Required Number of Parking Spaces for Manufacturing Uses” at the end of this staff report.
Based upon this survey, and the request from the public to modernize the City’s standard, staff believes that a new standard of 1 (one) off-street parking space per 1000 square feet of floor area is more fitting and congruent with technologic and robotic (hence, less human labor intensive) advancements in manufacturing. There are no anticipated negative effects associated with the proposed new parking standard.
2. Strike Section 18.76.060 (“Clean Air Vehicle Parking Requirements”) and Section 18.76.070 (“Electric Vehicle Charging”)
The City of Patterson Zoning Code contains parking requirements for Clean Air Vehicles and for Electric Vehicle Charging. These requirements are generated by Title 24 (CALGreen) of the California Building Code, and Section 406.7 of the California Building Code, respectively.
As a result, and with the inclusion of these standards within the City’s Zoning Code, there is an unnecessary and duplicative review process involving both the City Building Division and the City Planning Division. This creates internal inefficiency and needless City bureaucracy.
Additionally, as the State updates and modifies their Building Code standards from time to time, as has been the case since the City included these standards within the Zoning Code, the City’s Code becomes outdated and inaccurate.
Approval of this Ordinance would minimize duplicating City staff efforts, prevent needless Zoning Code updates, and reduce the potential for administrative errors. Additionally, there are no anticipated negative effects associated with the proposed new parking standard.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION
During their public hearing held on April 13, 2023, the Planning Commission voted 4-0 to recommend City Council approval of the proposed Municipal Zoning Code amendments as drafted within the attached draft Ordinance. There were no objections received throughout the public noticing and hearing process.
ATTACHMENTS:
EXHIBIT A
ORDINANCE No. 868