West Hollywood is updating its parking rules to meet new state requirements and better reflect how people use parking today. These changes are required by California law and follow City Council direction to modernize outdated parking regulations.

New state laws required cities to allow unused parking spaces to be shared with nearby homes, businesses, or the public, and to allow property owners to rent parking spaces separately from housing in new residential buildings. These rules ensure people don’t have to pay for parking they don’t use and reduce the amount of parking that must be built.

The City is also removing minimum parking requirements citywide, giving property owners more flexibility to build the amount of parking that best serves their needs. This supports housing affordability, walkability, and climate goals.

In recent years, California has adopted several laws that change how cities are allowed to regulate parking. These laws limit local authority over parking requirements and require cities to update their zoning codes to avoid conflicts with state law. West Hollywood is required to make these updates.

Two of these laws, Assembly Bill (AB) 894 and AB 1317, require cities to allow certain parking practices that were previously restricted, including shared use of underutilized parking and the separate rental of parking spaces in most new residential buildings. These laws apply primarily to new development and do not require changes to existing buildings or neighborhood parking permit programs.

In addition, AB 2097 already prohibits the City from requiring minimum parking requirements in almost all parts of West Hollywood due to the City’s proximity to major transit stops. As a result, many existing parking standards are no longer enforceable. The City is proposing to formally remove minimum parking requirements citywide. If a project provides parking voluntarily, AB 2097 does not invalidate any otherwise applicable requirements regarding the provision of electric vehicle (EV) supply and charging equipment installed in parking spaces or the provision of parking spaces that are accessible to persons with disabilities.

These updates also respond to prior City Council direction and adopted City policies, including the Housing Element and General Plan, which call for reviewing parking regulations to ensure they comply with state law while supporting housing production and accessibility.