City Council Minutes 1998 11 17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Davidson called for City Attomey introduction. Sam Light, City Attorney, read by title only, Ordinance No. 1287, Series 1998 - An Ordinance Establishing a Parking Improvement Fee to Assist in Meeting Parking Needs in Downtown Louisville, and Amending Chapter 17.20 of the Louisville Municipal Code and the Louisville Commercial Development Design Standards and Guidelines to Require that all Development Except Retail and Restaurant Development within Downtown Louisville Meet Specific Off-Street Parking Requirements or, In Lieu Thereof, Pay a Parking Improvement Fee. Davidson called for staff presentation. Paul Wood, Planning Director, stated that during the September 1 st regularly scheduled meeting, City Council discussed a potential downtown parking impact fee. During the September 29 worksession, Council directed Staff to draft an Ordinance that would enable the City to establish a parking improvement fee (impact fee) for funding new parking downtown. The fee would be required when on-site parking is not provided and would be collected when structures downtown are expanded. The Downtown Business Association has been working extensively to suggest a parking plan that many of its members would support. One of the suggestions offered by the DBA is to establish an impact fee on new construction. Separate parking permit plans have also been offered by two members of Council that include time limits and enforcement provisions. At first reading, Council directed the following changes or additions to the Ordinance: set the improvement fee at $5,000 per space; exempt restaurant and retail development from providing on-site parking or paying a fee in lieu of providing on-site parking; require restaurant and retail development to provide parking for employees; and that the definition of floor area that shall be used for calculating the number of parking spaces required shall be based on the definition in the parking code (the definition that provides for the most exemptions to the calculation of floor area). During the City Council work session on November 10, informal discussion took place on Staff's two-fold concerns regarding the definition of floor area. Based on these discussions, Council indicated that a definition of floor area that did not provide as many exemptions may be appropriate. As a result, two versions of this Ordinance are before Council tonight. One version is the proposed Ordinance that went before Planning Commission and would establish the parking code definition of floor area while the other version would establish the zoning code definition. Since this Ordinance would amend the zoning code, as required, Planning Commission held a public hearing following first reading by Council on November 10 and recommended approval with one recommendation for Council consideration. Planning Commission recommended that a minor exemption be provided from the parking requirements and parking improvement fee for small additions to existing buildings. 3