Downey : Motel Standards Approved

The Downey City Council has approved an ordinance establishing minimum building and lot standards for new motels. The ordinance takes effect in 30 days and ends a moratorium on construction of motels imposed by the council last July.

Under the ordinance, motels must be built on lots containing a minimum of 40,000 square feet of land, with a width of at least 120 feet and a minimum depth of 250 feet. It requires open space for recreational use and buffers when a motel is to abut residential property.

To control density, the ordinance requires new motels to have at least 800 square feet of land area per each room. The ordinance requires one parking space per unit, plus one additional space for each five units.