31C - CUP - 2800 N MAIN STREET UNIT 3100

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Variance No. 2014 -05 August 25, 2014 Page 5 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 7.0 and 5.75 spaces per 1,000 square feet for weekday and weekend rates, respectively, was established for health clubs. This standard was derived by analyzing the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) parking generation factors as well as reviewing the parking demand of similar large -scale regional shopping malls. These include Westfield sites in Culver City, San Diego (La Jolla), and Arcadia, as well as The Outlets at Orange and the Brea Mall, all of which contain full - service health clubs with the exception of Brea Mall. Based on this analysis, MainPlace mall's peak parking demand of 3,212 spaces would occur during the weekday peak at 1:00 p.m. and 4,852 spaces during the weekend peak hour at 4:00 p.m. Moreover, the study reflects the health club's separate peaks, which would occur at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and at 5:00 p.m. on weekends. The parking study took into account the restriping of the parking stalls, as well as those that will be likely removed in front of the main entrance to the anchor building as part of a separate project. Both of these peak demands will be less than the 4,940 spaces available on the site after the restriping, leaving parking surpluses that will range from 88 to over 1,700 spaces (Exhibit 7). Since 2000, the City has considered similar requests for parking variances for health clubs at four different facilities in Santa Ana: Bally Total Fitness (now LA Fitness) at 3701 South Plaza Drive, LA Fitness at 1501 North Tustin Avenue, Gold's Gym at 1945 East 17�h Street, and, most recently, Planet Fitness at 2725 North Bristol Street. Parking variances at these locations were approved with reductions in parking of approximately 30, 31, 51, and 50 percent, respectively. Moreover, the parking analysis prepared for 24 Hour Fitness indicates that project surplus amounts of parking will be similar in proportion to or exceed the aforementioned health club project sites for which parking analyses were also prepared. In analyzing the 24 Hour 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 regional mall site on North Main Street that is surrounded by commercial uses and transportation corridors. Due to its location, there is no feasible option for providing the additional parking that the Santa Ana Municipal Code requires 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 during the fall- winter holiday shopping season. 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 commercial uses. 31 C -7