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b. Call up of discretionary reviews opens up an entire construction application to revision. i. Solution: Reviews could be limited to the specific subject or area of the discretionary review and not open up entire project to changes. ii. Solution: Modify codes so only the subject of the discretionary review can be considered when projects are reviewed or appealed. c. Design standards may not be specific enough to avoid confusion, lengthy process delays and challenges to approvals. i. Solution: Revisit the design standards, with input and collaboration from architects and community developers. d. Pasadena's vacancy rate for office and retail space is rising. For the first time in decades it has reached double digits. Pasadena should consider taking steps to facilitate leasing. The average size tenant in Pasadena is a small business of less than 5,000 square feet. The building department permit threshold for "over-the- counter" reviews are too low for Tenant Improvements. The current requirement threshold, at only 3,000 square feet, adds costs and time to occupy with little to be gained by the City in return. i. Solution: Modify codes to allow over the counter reviews up to 15,000 square feet if there is no use change. Increasing the threshold to 15,000 square feet, maintains the City's ability to monitor and permit appropriate growth. This change would keep costs for potential office tenants competitive with neighboring communities. 4. Challenge: Parking regulations discourage restaurant and entertainment uses in commercial areas where potential customers are clustered. While nearby office space parking is empty, typical restaurant space requires 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet of space. i. Solution: Consider mechanisms (overlay zones) that allow for sharing of parking by compatible uses in appropriate areas. ii. Solution: Consider common use of parking by different time of day users. iii. Solution: Allow parking to be shared by uses without a legal covenant between the parking facility owner and the business user. b. Trip reduction ordinances (TRO's) require landlords to provide van pool and car pool parking spaces that sit idle despite everyone's best efforts to promote their use. Trip Reduction Ordinance provisions have no flexibility. i. Solution: Work with building operators to create programs that meet the goals of the TRO yet allow flexibility so that parking is not wasted. 13