The Planning & Zoning Board approved a parking variance Oct. 29 that allows a dance studio to operate at Bay 223 West 27th Street with three on-site parking spaces and two on-street credits where the code requires 11 spaces for the proposed use. The board approved the request conditioned on a recorded declaration restricting studio operations to Bay 223, formalizing a shared-parking agreement with the adjacent industrial property at 221 W. 27th St, and satisfying the city's tree/landscape mitigation requirement (either by planting a tree on site or by paying the mitigation fee).

Applicant Michael Carballosa described a shared-parking arrangement that complements industrial-hour parking (6 a.m.-2 p.m.) with studio hours in the evening (5 p.m.-8 p.m.). Carballosa asked whether the board could reduce an ADA stall dimension from 12 to 11 feet to avoid losing a parking space to a required tree; staff said the board does not have authority to change federally established ADA requirements and offered the mitigation-fee option instead.

"All I'm asking for is to reduce it from 12 to 11," the applicant said about the ADA-space width; staff replied the board cannot waive ADA dimensions but can accept a mitigation payment if the applicant elects not to plant the required tree on site.

Staff recommended approval with conditions: a notarized recorded declaration restricting the studio to Bay 223, a recorded shared-parking agreement with property at 221 West 27th Street, and tree mitigation (planting on site or payment). The board approved the variance with those conditions and encouraged the applicant to maintain communication with neighbors and city staff as work continues.

(Approved action: parking variance with conditions including recorded shared-parking agreement and tree mitigation payment option.)