A proposed urgency ordinance about parking for restaurants and bars located in shopping centers tops the upcoming meeting of the Westminster City Council this Wednesday.
The council will be asked to adopt the ordinance setting parking requirements for such situatons.
According to a staff report written by Art Bashmakian, planning manager for Westminster, in some medium to smaller centers (under 50,0
00 square feet), the “overconcentration of restaurants can lead to insufficient parking spaces for all uses in a retail shopping centers.”
For years, the city required that a 50,000-square foot center with 15,000-square feet of restaurant space would need 260 spaces. However, based on a new parking study, that requirement was lowered to 217 spaces on 2011, which planners have since decided was not sufficient.
If the urgency ordinance is passed (it needs four votes), it will change the requirement to 257 spaces. The ordinance would take effect immediately and be in effect for 45 days. After that time, the council has the power to extend it.
The council meets at 7 p.m. at 8200 Westminster Blvd.
