Planning commission denies full parking exception for 35 East Center Street; staff, applicants to pursue fee-in-lieu option

The Moab Planning Commission voted unanimously March 13 to deny a full parking special-exception request for a proposed restaurant and retail change of use at 35 East Center Street, saying the request risked creating an undesirable precedent for downtown parking approvals. Commissioners directed staff and the applicants to pursue a fee-in-lieu option and return for a public hearing.

Commissioners said they had sympathy for the applicants but emphasized consistency with past decisions and the administrative rules governing parking exceptions. The motion to deny referenced Planning Resolution 05-2025 and passed by an unanalyzed voice vote after a short discussion and public comments from the applicant team.

Staff described the technical and policy context behind the denial. City planning staff said the current code caps payment-in-lieu at 30 percent and that the city has relied on exceptions and fee-in-lieu payments to manage parking in a built-out downtown. “The…