City Approves Tandem Parking for New North Altadena Drive Medical Office Building

A city hearing officer approved on Wednesday a minor conditional use permit (CUP) that would allow the construction of a tandem parking in conjunction with a new 7,750 square-foot two story medical office building at the southeast corner of the intersection of North Altadena Drive and North Sierra Madre Boulevard. 

The project site is a 15,281 square foot rectangular-shaped corner lot, located at 250 North Altadena Drive.

In its report, staff from the Planning and Community Development Department said the subject site is designated Low Commercial in the Land Use Element of the General Plan. 

This designation is characterized by a limited range of retail and service uses. The site is designed to foster pedestrian use, serve the needs of adjacent neighborhoods and maintain compatibility with residential uses in the immediate area. 

Staff said the proposed medical office building is consistent with the land use designation because it will provide services to residents and employees of the area. 

The proposal for tandem parking meanwhile, is consistent with General Plan Land Use Element Policy 19.3, which encourages the use of parking management tools such as tandem parkings to reduce the amount of land devoted to frequently vacant parking lots. 

Hearing Officer Paul Novak approved the minor CUP, authorizing 12 parking spaces of the total 31 nonresidential parking spaces provided for the proposed medical building, to be provided in tandem configuration. The approval is subject to the conditions recommended by staff.

According to the adopted conditions for approval listed in the staff report, all tandem spaces will be restricted to employee use only to reduce any concern regarding circulation. By limiting the tandem spaces to employee use only, high parking turnover and vehicle congestion are not anticipated, as per staff report.

An office attendant should be on duty and available at all times the parking facility is available for use. All parking spaces and aisle widths shall also comply with the City’s Zoning Code, according to the adopted list of conditions.  

With the recommended conditions, staff said “the tandem parking would not be a detriment to those working on the property or those residing in nearby properties.”