Fairview council holds first reading to remove citywide parking minimums to meet state climate rule

Associate Planner Lopez presented the first reading of Ordinance 03‑2025 on May 21, explaining the text amendment would eliminate minimum off‑street parking requirements in Fairview’s development code and related comprehensive‑plan language to comply with the state Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rule.

Lopez said the proposal removes the minimum column from the city’s parking table (code section 19.164) while preserving existing parking maximums. “We’ve stricken … that there’s no minimum on‑street parking requirements for new developments,” Lopez said, describing code edits and noting that portions of the city south of Sandy Boulevard have already been subject to CFEC exemptions since January 2023.

The planning commission reviewed the draft on April 22 and voted unanimously to recommend the council adopt the amendments. Lopez told council staff had picked the approach judged least administratively burdensome among several state‑required options.

Councilors asked how the change would affect new apartment projects and temporary construction parking. Lopez and staff said the city would not require off‑street parking for new apartments under the new text but that most developers provide parking voluntarily or because lenders require parking ratios. On temporary construction parking, staff said county permits that had allowed contractor parking along 220th Street would expire when construction ended and signed on‑street rules would resume.

Councilor Todd said he supported the staff recommendation while registering frustration that the state adopted a one‑size‑fits‑all rule for urban and suburban areas. Council had no recorded opposition to scheduling a second hearing; the council set the second reading for June 4, 2025.

No substantive code change was adopted at the May 21 meeting; the item will return for a second reading and a formal vote.