Are restaurants eating up too much parking space?
Two issues related to restaurants and entertainment will top the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting of the Westminster City Council.
The council will consider extending an urgency ordinance that increased the parking requirements for restaurants and nightclubs in a retail shopping center. The changes were made because of concerns that the patrons of some eateries were occupying so many spaces in a center that it discouraged patrons of other businesses nearby.
Reacting to complaints from retailers that their customers couldn’t find a place to park in some shopping centers, the council voted to change the rules. For example, a 50,000 square foot center with 15,000-square feet of restaurant space only needed 217 parking spaces. The urgency ordinance changed that to 257 spaces.
First approved in October, the ordinance can be extended if four council members support it.
Also, the council will take up the appeal of the planning commission’s approval of live entertainment (including karaoke) at the Pho Dem restaurant, 10161 Bolsa Ave.
The council meets at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 8200 Westminster Blvd, Westminster.
