Planning Department Considering Stronger Bike Parking Ordinance

At this week’s meeting of the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Planning Department’s Rye Baerg outlined some proposed changes to the city’s bike parking ordinance for new developments that should go public this Spring.

Currently, the City only requires bicycle parking for commercial and industrial buildings over 10,000 square foot at a rate.  For most commercial uses this results in one space being provided per 25,000 square feet.  For many cyclists, this requirement leads to chaining a bicycle to the closest parking meter while out and locking it on the balcony or backyard at home.

The City Planning Department is drafting an ordinance  which, if approved by the Planning Commission, City Council and Mayor’s Office, would change how developments create parking for bicycles.  Their proposal would raise the minimum parking requirement, require both short and long-term parking, and create standards for design, signage, lighting and access.  In addition, the requirement would also apply to residential developments, not just commercial and industrial.

At this point, cautious optimism is called for.  Planning is hesitant to release any hard numbers until running the ordinance by other departments, including Building and Safety and the LADOT.  Of course, either of those departments could also water down the ordinance or even kill it altogether.

If it survives inter-departmental review, the ordinance will be available for public comment in March as part of a CEQA review.  Planning will hold public hearings, and the ordinance would be heard by the Planning Commission, Planning and Land Use Committee of the City Council and Full Council.  In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions or concerns about the proposed ordinance, leave them in the comments section and I’ll pass them on to staff at City Planning.