A Model for Successful Laguna Business

A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is a legal instrument cities use to allocate resources to businesses, like the number of parking spaces a business is allocated for patron and employee parking. Most Laguna businesses view adequate parking as the Holy-grail of business success: too little parking and a business expects to flop.

In 1992 Laguna Coffee Company (LCC) was allocated 4 parking spaces, the business operated with 3 spaces and was short one. In contrast Mozambique has 1-3-6 on and off-site parking spaces! Today in a move to satisfy customer requests, improve ambience, and improve walk-in traffic the Laguna Coffee Company has petitioned the city of Laguna Beach to R-E-M-O-V-E 3 PARKING SPACES.

Why would any Laguna Beach business take such a risk? What does LCC know that others don't? LCC knows that business success means serving PATRONS  not their CARS. The point: city planning departments through years of unbroken tradition operate with a bias for serving cars not walk-in traffic. The Laguna Beach City Council will grant or oppose the new CUP for LCC tonight (AB-15). Laguna Coffee Company on FaceBook. 

UPDATE: The city may grant a business a conditional use permit to allow the reduction in parking where the proposed use is an outdoor cafe' for public seating or cafe patrons use that contributes positively to the pedestrian environment. See the staff report for the agenda bill here.