31C - VARIANCE - 2725 N BRISTOL ST

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Variance No. 2013-11 September 23, 2013 Page 4 To analyze whether the existing parking on the site could accommodate the use, and therefore substantiate the variance request, the applicant hired the traffic engineering firm of Linscott, Law & Greenspan Engineers (LLC) to provide an alternative parking standard for the health club and to prepare a shared parking analysis for the site. The parking study, using procedures developed by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) for shared parking, analyzed impacts on large shopping center parking lots that are shared by multiple land uses such as Floral Park Promenade. The study also surveyed other municipalities and the actual parking demand for health clubs in an effort to provide a realistic parking demand for Planet Fitness. The parking study was intended to provide an analysis of the demand for parking based on the different activity patterns of the center. In addition, it was intended to review the City's parking requirement for health clubs and propose an alternative standard based on other generation factors and actual health club usage. Based on this analysis, a ratio of 5.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet was established for health clubs. This standard was derived by analyzing the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) parking generation factors as well as reviewing the parking demand of similar health clubs, including those in Santa Ana such as Bally Total Fitness, LA Fitness, and Gold's Gym. These gyms, although larger, contain similar floor area allocations for physical and non-physical activity areas of 60 and 40 percent, respectively. Based on this analysis, a peak parking demand of 344 spaces would occur during the weekday peak at 6:00 p.m. and 256 spaces during the weekend peak hour at 12:00 noon. The parking study took into account the five spaces that will likely be removed due to fire access lane requirements and assumed an on-site total of 366 spaces. Both of these peak demands will be less than the 366 spaces available on the site, leaving parking surpluses that will range from 22 to 110 spaces (Exhibit 6). Since 2000, the City has considered similar requests for parking variances for health clubs at three different facilities in Santa Ana: Bally Total Fitness (now LA Fitness) at 3701 South Plaza Drive, LA Fitness at 1501 North Tustin Avenue, and, most recently, Gold's Gym at 1945 East 17th Street. Parking variances at these locations were approved with reductions in parking of approximately 30, 31, and 51 percent, respectively. Moreover, the parking analysis prepared for Planet Fitness indicates that project surplus amounts of parking will be similar in proportion to the aforementioned health club project sites for which parking analyses were also prepared. In analyzing the Planet Fitness variance request, staff believes that the following findings of fact warrant approval of the variance: The project site has a special circumstance related to its location and surroundings. The proposed use will be located within a built out development site on North Bristol Street that is surrounded by commercial and residential uses. Due to its location, there is no feasible option for providing additional parking for the health club. The number of on-site parking spaces will be sufficient as identified in the parking analysis for the project, which has determined that a surplus of parking spaces will be provided for the project, even during times of peak demand. As a result, the parking variance will allow the applicant the ability to use the property in a manner that is consistent with similar surrounding congirel yes