3B - Ordinance Amendment to Parking Requirements

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OMMUNITYGROWTH NO= Of 1 N S T I T U T E L ts�- EvIx-ris in Sntrall Totsw Ph aming STAFF REPORT Agenda Item:3(b) Background Information: The Planning Commission has directed Staff to look into a new approach to surface parking regulation. Recent applications have validated the prevailing belief that, at least in some instances, the City's Code requires more parking spaces than is either needed or desired. As cities and towns turn to more compact, walkable development patterns, parking standards shrink. The reduction in parking spaces encourages higher density development at a reduced cost, alternative modes of transportation, and reduced impervious surface and related environmental and aesthetic benefits. The best way to implement the new parking standards is to take a simple approach. Instead of complex parking ratios, we are presenting to you simplified standards which will provide minimum parking requirements on a zone by zone basis. The new parking requirements provide minimum standards for several basic functions: Residential/Lodging, Office/Retail,and Event Orientated/Civic. The residential standard for parking for dwelling is currently set at 2 spaces for each unit and 1 1/2 spaces per dwelling unit for multiple dwelling. The "Tourist Accommodations" parking requirement is currently 1 1/2 spaces for each room or unit. The new standard would group residential and lodging together and only require 1 space per dwelling or unit in the Commercial, Light Industrial and Downtown Mixed Use Zones. Currently, the "Office Building" parking requirement is 1 parking space for each 300 square feet of office floor area while the "Retail Stores" parking requires 1 space per loo square feet of gross floor area. The new standards would group office and retail uses and require one space per 250 square feet of floor area in the Commercial, and Light Industrial Zones and for structures greater than 3,000 square feet in the Downtown Mixed Use Zone. The last pair of functions is classified as"Event Orientated/Civic". The parking required for these uses in the Commercial, Light Industrial, and Downtown Mixed Use Zone would be 1 parking space per 3 seats based on maximum seating capacity or one space per 7 students + 1 per 2 employees. These requirements directly reflect those that are currently in the Ordinance for "Theater, stadium, auditorium, church or other places of public assembly"and"Schools". The proposed standards have been created based the existing standards, Planning Commission discussion, current and future demand estimates, as well as recommendations contained in SmartCode v 9.o(Duany,SC36). As per the Planning Commission's request, two Ordinance Amendments have been prepared. The first is an amendment to the "Retail Stores" standard only. The other amendment includes the new standards for which this report is based on. Pequot Lakes Staff Report 3(b)-1 December 17,2009