Thanks to a bit of flexibility on parking from the city, the south end of Pacific Coast Highway will soon welcome a new neighborhood coffeeshop.
The City Council last week approved a parking plan for Hi-Fi Espresso, slated for 227 PCH, upholding an earlier decision to impose less onerous parking requirements but reversing a requirement that the business designate eight of its 12 parking spaces as “shared.”
With the recommendation of staff and the urging of the owners of both the new coffeeshop and the property, council members unanimously approved the modified parking plan, with some indicating that the requiring extensive amounts of parking for businesses was hindering development, particularly those along the highway.
“We focus all of this energy on parking, and no attention is given to walkable uses,” said Councilmember Carolyn Petty. “The reason there is no development there is there’s no place to put a parking garage.”
Although the new location will serve some food, it expects that most customers will quickly circulate in and out through the day. Relying on this, the council upheld the Planning Commission’s determination that Hi-Fi should be classified as a “snack shop” rather than a restaurant, which would have imposed stiffer parking requirements. This means that it will be able to maintain its existing number of parking spaces. (The location previously served as a real estate office and a beauty salon.)
But the commission had recommended making some of the parking spaces shared, rather than assigned, out of concern that assigned parking spaces sometimes sit empty. Staff noted that this becomes more significant when employees and customers, in a search for parking, occupy nearby residential spaces.
But at least some residents in the area were eager to see the plan approved. Hannah Dominic, who lives and works nearby, said she was excited by the prospect of having a close source of coffee.
“I’d love to be able to walk to a local coffee shop. I drive to Starbucks way too much,” Dominic said.
