Laserfiche WebLink
COMMUNITY&mTH <br /> I N $ T I T U T E <br /> F-Werts in S*all Town Plannitkg <br /> Staff has assembled a chart (attached) that shows the parking standards of area <br /> communities as compared to Pequot Lakes'standards. For the most part, Pequot Lakes' <br /> parking standards are consistent with the standards of area communities. This is not to <br /> say that these parking guidelines are adequate. Like Pequot Lakes, they seem to require <br /> an over-abundance of parking spaces. <br /> Staff has been evaluating options for a new, more progressive approach to parking. We <br /> believe in order to achieve ideal parking supply, the City should adopt"Efficiency-based <br /> standards."' These standards were theoretically calibrated to allow for the optimal <br /> amount of parking. The standards, as they are today, seem to demand excessive parking <br /> throughout the City. The new standards will not only provide for a more efficient <br /> approach to parking within the City, they will also allow Pequot Lakes continue to <br /> develop into a more compact,efficient town. <br /> The best way to implement the new parking standards is to take a simple approach. <br /> Instead of complex parking ratios, we are presenting to you simplified standards which <br /> will provide minimum and maximum parking requirements on a zone by zone basis. The <br /> chart shows minimum and maximum standards for 6 basic functions: Residential, <br /> Lodging,Office,Retail,Civic and Other. <br /> The proposed standards have been created based the existing standards, current and <br /> future demand estimates, as well as recommendations contained in SmartCode v 9.o <br /> (Duany,SC36). <br /> The proposed parking standards will also encourage developers to take advantage of <br /> shared parking. The proposed standards offer a reduction in the parking requirement <br /> minimums if shared parking is utilized. A chart has been created that displays the <br /> percentage of parking requirement that has to be met when parking is shared. <br /> Example: A developer wishes to build a 3000 sq. ft. office building with 2 <br /> apartment units above it in the Commercial Zone. Without the shared parking <br /> reduction policy, the developer would be required to provide 8 parking spaces <br /> (1/500 sq. ft. office space= 6 + 1/dwelling unit= 2). If the city were to adopt the <br /> shared parking requirements, the developer would only be required to provide <br /> 6o%of the requirement which equals 4.8 spaces. <br /> Shared parking is based on the concept that the parking spaces will be used at different <br /> times of the day for the different (mixed) uses of the buildings. In the example, the <br /> spaces would be used during the day by people working at the office and they would be <br /> used at night by residents of the apartment units. <br /> Planning Conmiission Direction: No action by the Planning Commission is <br /> required at this time. Staff encourages the board to continue discussion regarding the <br /> current and future parking situation in the City. <br /> 1 Litman,Todd"Parking Management,Strategies,Evaluation and Planning,"Victoria Transport Policy <br /> Institue.November 5,2008. <br /> Pequot Lakes Staff Report 7(a)-2 <br /> November 19,2009 <br />