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Planning board approves higher parking minimums for medical offices, new standards for salons
Summary
The board voted to change the medical-office parking ratio from 1 per 250 sq ft to 1 per 200 sq ft and to add a new requirement for barbershops/beauty/nail/tattoo parlors (2 spaces per operator workstation plus 1 per 300 sq ft). The measures passed by voice vote; other parking objectives were referred to the City Commission.
The Fernandina Beach Planning Advisory Board on Nov. 13 approved two targeted changes to the city's parking standards for commercial uses and directed staff to take additional parking topics to a joint meeting with the City Commission.
By motion, the board amended Table 701.04 to: (1) modify the medical office and clinic requirement from one parking space per 250 square feet of gross floor area to one space per 200 square feet (a roughly 20% increase in required parking); and (2) add barbershops, beauty salons, nail salons, skin-care and tattoo parlors with a standard of two spaces per operator workstation plus one space per 300 square feet of gross floor area. A member made the motion, another seconded, and Chair Robins called the voice vote; the motion carried without recorded opposition.
During discussion, members and staff differentiated freestanding medical offices (which the change targets) from mall‑based clinics that make use of shared parking. Staff noted that variances and shared‑parking agreements remain available to address site‑specific needs and that TRC (technical review) comments on pending projects must be resolved by applicants through administrative review.
Public commenters raised concerns about an in‑process mixed‑use proposal (described as 80 condos plus medical offices) that currently shows a deficit in parking. Staff advised that code changes would apply prospectively; projects in the application process remain subject to standards in effect at the time of their application. The board also agreed to forward other parking‑impact objectives (items 3–5 from the staff list) to the City Commission for a joint workshop.
Next steps: staff will update the draft LDC table language, record the change for the commission packet, and add the remaining parking objectives to the joint‑meeting agenda.
