Parking Exemptions Near Transit (AB-2097)

The bill aims to decrease development cost by eliminating a key obstacle for new developments – parking. By reducing the oversupply of automobile parking, there is the expectation that the use of alternative transportation will increase, thereby reducing traffic, greenhouse emissions, and air pollution.

To assess whether a parcel is eligible to qualify under AB-2097, consult the Transit and Land Use StoryMap online at Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Regional Data Platform.

On the Regional Data Platform’s home page, you can click the Transit and Land Use Tab which will open a StoryMap. The definitions are included there, and the maps are interactive.

All classifications of land uses (both residential and nonresidential) will benefit from the prohibition of mandatory parking minimums – except event centers and projects that include a hotel, motel, or other transient lodging (e.g., short term rentals) are excluded by state law.

Yes. For the City’s Coastal Zone, AB-2097 affects parcels within a half-mile of the train station, including all of the Funk Zone and the West Beach neighborhoods. This law would not affect the requirement for a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) for a “change in the density or intensity of use."

Yes. AB-2097 does not prohibit off-street parking from being built if that is desirable. All new parking spaces must comply with the City’s Access & Parking Design Standards and any other design or development standards applicable to parking. If parking is provided, a certain percentage of parking spaces must be made accessible to persons with disabilities and provided as Electric Vehicle (EV) spaces per the California Building Code.

Yes – but only in very limited situations. AB-2097 gives the City the right to impose parking minimums if there is a “substantially negative impact” to certain projects. AB-2097 does not preclude the City from requiring bicycle parking, which must be provided per the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, on-site loading areas may be required if there is a safety or circulation concern.

The potential impacts of this new legislation on traffic and parking have yet to be understood. Parking demand in the mapped area is anticipated to be lower than the rest of the City because existing services and employment are already in walking, biking, and transit proximity. Residents should be aware that new development will not qualify for the Residential Parking Program.