A.    The regulations contained herein are deemed necessary to increase safety and lessen congestion in the public streets, to adequately provide for parking needs associated with the development of land and increased automobile usage, and to set standards for the requirements of off-street parking according to the amount of traffic generated by each use. The minimum required off-street parking spaces for each particular use as specified in this chapter as it presently exists or as it may be amended is the standard.

    B.    In the event an owner or developer feels he cannot meet the minimum standard for off-street parking, he may request consultation with the City Council, whereupon he shall provide the City Council with all information, maps, charts, diagrams or other material necessary to adequately explain his position and to answer questions raised by the Council. Following consultation, the City Council will either require the minimum off-street parking standard to be met or will require and authorize the acceptance of an in-lieu parking fee to take the place of each parking space not provided by the owner or developer. The determination of how many, if any, parking spaces will be authorized for an in-lieu parking fee shall be solely at the discretion of the City Council.

    C.    The amount of the in-lieu parking fee shall be calculated by multiplying the number of spaces approved by the City Council for in-lieu payment times the unit cost of each parking space so approved. The unit cost per space shall be established by motion of the City Council. It is intended that the unit cost shall approximate the cost of providing a parking space in the same vicinity of the development and consequently the Council may distinguish unit cost difference within the various parts of the parking district. All in-lieu parking fees shall be contributed to the parking district fund and shall be used for the purpose of providing and maintaining public parking facilities as provided in Section 16.26.080. (PZSC § 03-12-009)