Council Recap: Updated parking standards for shopping centers

Published on January 14, 2026

At their Tuesday evening meeting, the Lakewood City Council voted (4-1) to introduce an ordinance that would update the City’s parking requirements for regional shopping centers and “neighborhood shopping centers” within 100 feet of a regional shopping center. 

The proposed changes are intended to modernize longstanding Municipal Code standards and better align parking requirements with current parking demand, as well as lay the groundwork for the master planning of future development of the mall.  

Modernizing Parking Requirements

Lakewood’s existing parking standards for shopping centers were established decades ago and were based on parking patterns that have since evolved. A recent parking demand study examined actual parking usage at Lakewood Center Mall and nearby commercial properties and found that parking demand today is significantly lower than required under current standards.

Based on this analysis, the proposed ordinance would:

• Reduce required parking ratios for regional shopping centers to align with contemporary industry standards and observed parking utilization;
• Adjust parking requirements for neighborhood shopping centers located within close proximity to a regional center to ensure adequate parking for neighborhood-serving uses; and,
• Update definitions within the Municipal Code to clarify how parking standards apply moving forward.

While Lakewood Center Mall is currently the City’s only regional shopping center, the proposed ordinance applies citywide and would guide future development and tenant changes.

City staff emphasized that the proposed ordinance is a Municipal Code update only and does not approve any redevelopment project, site plan or physical changes at Lakewood Center Mall or surrounding properties.  That process will occur over time in partnership with the Mall Owner and the City.

Data-Driven Policy Review

The parking study that informed the proposed ordinance included weekday and weekend peak parking counts and nationally recognized shared-parking methodologies. The findings demonstrated a consistent surplus of parking spaces, even during peak periods.

Factors contributing to reduced parking demands include things like shorter shopping times, smaller retail footprints, food delivery apps and online shopping which has changed shopping habits tremendously.

Director of Community Development Aldo Cervantes noted that the proposed updates “reflect a thoughtful, data-driven approach that recognizes how retail patterns have changed while continuing to ensure parking availability for businesses and customers.”

Next Steps

The ordinance was introduced and will return to the City Council for a second reading and potential adoption at a future meeting. If adopted, the updated parking standards would take effect 30 days thereafter.